In the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, it is stated that every child has the right to education and children should be encouraged to go to school to the highest level possible.

Poverty however hinders them from having full access to education.

With this, whether education is a right or a privilege remains a long-standing debate in the world.

It is a good thing the Philippine government has numerous programs to fulfill a child’s right to education.

Leaders and legislators in the country made it possible to give free primary, secondary, and higher education to children and youth.

As expenses in higher education institutions are not only limited to tuition and miscellaneous fees, the government also established various scholarship programs for Filipino students.

One of which is the Science and Technology (S&T) Undergraduate Scholarship Program of the Department of Science and Technology – Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI).

The DOST-SEI Undergraduate Scholarship Program is a scholarship grant for incoming first-year college students that offers various privileges to beneficiaries including allowance for tuition and other school fees; monthly living allowance; budget for learning materials and connectivity allowance; and one-time thesis, graduation, and clothing allowances.

Nikko Ofo-ob, a former scholar who belongs to the Kankana-ey Tribe of Bagulin, La Union, shared during the PIA Kapihan sa Ilocos how DOST helped him and his family succeed in the ladder of education.

Nikko is the eldest of two children.

Her mother is a local government employee while his father is an Anglican priest.  

He reminisced how he grabbed the opportunity and rushed to apply for the scholarship a day after his high school teacher announced the opening of the program for applicants.

“Nung araw na sinabihan kami ng teacher namin about the scholarship, kinabukasan noon ay deadline na agad pero talagang hinabol ko, nagpaalam agad ako sa mother ko,” Nikko said.   

(The day our teacher told us about the scholarship, the next day was the deadline but I chased after it, I immediately said goodbye to my mother to submit my application.)

Nikko noted that more than the financial support, DOST inculcated in them the core values of professional excellence, social responsibility, and servant leadership.

With the DOST scholarship, he obtained a degree in Information Technology from the University of the Cordilleras. He is now working as a technical assistant at the DOST Regional Office in Ilocos.

“Provided na lahat so ang focus mo na lang ay ‘yong pagbutihin mo and iyong pag-aaral,” he said.

(Everything is provided so your only focus is to work on your studies.)

He added, “Sabi nga ng mga magulang ko, hindi man lang daw nila naramdaman na nagpaaral sila ng kolehiyo.”

(My parents said that they didn't even feel like they spent for my college education.)

Just recently, he had just completed the three-year return of service which the scholarship set as a condition in getting the grant.

He however opted to remain with the government service.

Indeed, the S&T Undergraduate Scholarship Program is just one of the numerous scholarship grants of the government that has changed the lives and mindsets of many Filipino youth. (JCR/AMB/CGCC/PIA Region 1)