Daba gives updates on city’s educ program

COUNCILOR Suzette Magtajas-Daba, chair of the committee on education, recently gave updates about the programs and accomplishments of her committee.

In an interview aired over a radio program, Daba announced that during her first three years, her first major accomplishment was the enactment of the Expanded Scholarship Code of 2018, which aims to provide a better and brighter future to the youth by giving them formal education.

Daba said she is happy to know that Cagayan de Oro is the first city to have a Scholarship program, which was enacted during the term of her father, former Mayor Pablo Magtajas.

The scholarship program then was different from the program today because of the innovations introduced by Councilor Daba through her committee. The previous scholarship program was performance based, whereas the present Expanded Scholarship program is income-based, Daba pointed out.

Moreover, the Expanded Scholarship Code of today has wider coverage, the city has prioritized first year college applicants and students who are suffering from poverty, the councilor cited. This is the product of public consultation, and a program that is in line with Pres. Duterte’s free education in colleges, Daba added.

According to the councilor, under the performance-based scholarship program, the student gets to choose the school but under the income-based program, the city government selects the school for the scholar.

At present, the city has 2,500 scholars with a corresponding P160 million budget from the city government, The Power learned.

Another accomplishment of the education committee is the implementation of the Cagayan de Oro Technical Vocational Institute (CDO-TVI) program, which benefits the out-of-school youth. CDO-TVI already has its first and second batch of scholars, The Power learned. Daba said they are also working on the expansion of the program.

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Daba said that as of today, 600 modern classrooms with ramps have been built in the city, plus three classrooms at Sitio Camansi for Indigenous Peoples. According to the councilor, Barangays Cugman and Puerto will also soon have their own national high schools.

Daba said she is thankful for the efforts of people around, saying their outputs are the reason why the city received the seal of good education governance for two consecutive years. (SP/EF)