PRESIDENT-ELECT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos is devoted to closing the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research and development gap.
The statement was made over the weekend by the incoming president, who acknowledged that the Philippines is falling behind and has “a lot to catch up” in the STEM sectors.
He promised to begin at the primary and secondary levels, stating he will entrust the matter to the Department of Education (DepEd), which will be led by Vice President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio.
“Unfortunately, our educational attainment when it comes to mathematics and the sciences, we do not do very well as compared to other countries. That’s why one of those to be given focus by the new administration, especially the DepEd, is to give more stress to STEM,” Marcos made the announcement in a video posted to his official Facebook page on Saturday night.
He underscored that because the Philippine economy is in flux which means “very largely technical-based, based on science and technical innovations”, the country must adjust to current advances.
“We need the talent. That is one of the major areas that our DepEd is going to be looking at, and how to strengthen the instruction for our children and our students,” he said.
Marcos’ objective, even when he was still a senator, was to produce more Filipino scientists.
In 2016, he was saddened how the Philippines “has only around 80 scientists per million of the population when other countries have some 4,000 per million.”
He advocated that science schools be established in important regions and cities to address the issue.
There are 15 science high schools in the Philippines.
Marcos has also advocated for additional funding for science and technology professors and teachers, allowing them to continue their education overseas and become specialists in their professions.
