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MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews / 16 Oct) – Gov. Alex Calingasan announced on the second day of the Bukidnon Indigenous Peoples’ Congress Tuesday that his administration has lowered the passing rate for admission of scholars from indigenous peoples, from 85 to 75 percent.
He said the usual scholarships require high school students to have 85 percent average grade to be admitted to the provincial government’s scholarship programs.
The governor said it is to address the skewed concentration of education resources and exposure to media in favor of those in the urban centers.
“Those in rural areas, where the IP students live, they are not so exposed. They are disadvantaged,” he added.
Datu Macabadbad Russel Aquino, officer in charge of the Provincial Indigenous Communities Affairs Division, cited that Calingasan’s scholarship is aside from the educational assistance they give to IP students, where they have at least 240 recipients.
Calingasan cited that he has employed the scheme since 2010 to enable more IP students to participate.
The governor was not around when the three-day first ever IP congress opened Monday. About 700 participants have deliberated on the province-wide IP legislative agenda, the major document eyed to be an output for the congress.
It will be presented to provincial legislators and local executives Wednesday. (Walter I. Balane / MindaNews)
