Mandaue school to get P500,000 add'l subsidy

CEBU, Philippines - The Mandaue City School for the Arts is one of the 17 expansion schools offering a Special Program in the Arts (SPA) that will each get P500,000 in additional subsidy from the government to boost their program.

Department of Education regional director Ricaredo Borgonia said the Mandaue School for the Arts is the only school in Central Visayas that will receive such subsidy.

The school promotes arts as avenues for aesthetic development and cultural enhancement. It was established during the time of former Mandaue City Mayor Alfredo M. Ouano.

The 17 expansion schools were chosen from 75 public high schools after showing capability to nurture more students in six art disciplines, namely music, visual arts, theater arts, creative writing, media arts and dance.

Other recipient schools include Dagupan City National High School in Region 1, Lallo NHS in Region 2, Bataan NHS in Region 3, Calamba Bayside NHS in Region 4-A, Looc NHS in Region 4-B, Marcial Ranola Memorial School in Region 5, Oton NHS and Negros Occidental NHS in Region 6, Baybay NHS in Region 8, Zamboanga del Sur NHS in Region 9, Gingoog City Comprehensive High School in Region 10, Tagum CHS and Davao del Norte NHS in Region 11, General Santos City NHS in Region 12, Agusan del Sur NHS in CARAGA and San Francisco HS in the National Capital Region.

Over 40 percent of the P500,000 will go to the procurement of supplies and costumes in different art areas. Training of teachers and administrators will get 20 percent of the allocation.

Student development activities such as training, workshop, and participation in DepEd-approved arts festivals and competitions will also get 20 percent while the remaining 20 percent is for participation of teachers in DepEd-sponsored scholarships, professional upgrading of the teachers, including enrolment in master’s degree program.

DepEd said that these schools were selected based on their performance in terms of sustainable enrolment across art areas and year levels, as well as awards/recognition received from their participation in local, national and international competitions. — (FREEMAN)