17 high schools with special sports program to get additional funds

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd) has increased their funding for public high schools hosting students who have shown strong potential of bringing glory to the country through their talent in sports.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said that on top of their regular maintenance and other operating expenses for school year 2011-2012, the 17 secondary expansion schools implementing the Special Program in Sports (SPS) are granted a maximum of P500,000 subsidy for effective delivery of service to high school students who excel in sports.

“For us to develop the untapped talent of students in sports, we have to invest in their training and other sporting needs,” Luistro said.

Luistro effected the higher subsidy for public high schools implementing the SPS in DepEd Order No. 71 wherein he decreed that 20 percent of the subsidy should go to training of teachers and administrators on relevant topics in sports; 40 percent is for the procurement of sports supplies including athletic uniforms; 5 percent for the procurement of instructional materials in SPS; 20 percent should be allocated for student development activities such as training, workshops, participation in DepEd-approved competitions in sports including travel allowance; and 15 percent will be for participation in DepEd-sponsored scholarships, professional upgrading of teachers including enrolment in a master’s degree program in sports.

Luistro said the 17 recipient schools shall receive a fixed allocation of P290,000 and a variable allocation computed at P500 per student. 

These schools are also directed to conduct a yearly mentoring program to other schools within the 40 priority divisions in the region which intend to implement the same sports program. 

These schools will also be given access to the sports equipment and facilities in order to improve their learning outcomes.

Also, the student-beneficiaries of the sports program must continue to participate in national or international competitions.

The 17 SPS schools are Ilocos Norte National High School in Region I, Cagayan NHS in Region 2, Victoria NHS in Region 3, Lopez National Comprehensive HS in Region 4-A, Palawan National School in Region 4-B, Camarines Sur NHS in Region 5, Iloilo NHS in Region 6, Negros Oriental NHS in Region 7, Palo NHS in Region 8, Zamboanga Sibugay NHS in Region 9, Bukidnon NHS in Region 10, Sto. Tomas NHS in Region 11, General Santos City NHS in Region 12, Bayugan National Comprehensive HS in CARAGA, Datu Paglas NHS in Autonomous Region Muslim Mindanao, Tabuk NHS in Cordillera Administrative Region and Muntinlupa Science HS in the National Capital Region.