Project Tuklas aids public schools in fostering technology innovation

MANILA, Philippines - The student contest on innovative energy solutions dubbed “Project Tuklas” has boosted the role of public schools in developing future technology innovators.

“Our students have a big potential of becoming future engineers because they were able to convert pig manure into gas for cooking,” says Dianne Garcia, a chemistry teacher of Barangka National High School (BNHS) in Marikina City. “Project Tuklas opened the minds of our students to many ideas and then made them realized that their science project idea is possible.”

Garcia was referring to her third year high school students who compose a team that made it to the finals of Project Tuklas because of their project on “feces energy” was feasible. The contest, being conducted by the student organization AIESEC Philippines and sponsored by Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. (Shell), aims to find the brightest public high school students who will be given engineering scholarships by the Philippine Development Foundation (PhilDev).

Garcia adds that members of the team – June Ashley Malto, Ada Louise Lique, Mary Rose Gambala, Monica Esguerra and Kathleen Ventura — can become engineers or scientists someday because Project Tuklas taught them the skills needed for such a profession.

“At first, they didn’t know how to make a project proposal. They also don’t have any idea on how to do their chosen project because they have never joined a science project contest before,” says Garcia. “Project Tuklas taught them how to make a project proposal and do an investigatory project. It also helped them overcome their shyness and become self-confident.”

PhilDev, AIESEC Philippines and Shell are tapping public high schools as sources of future engineers through Project Tuklas, which was launched last year. Their belief in the potential of students as innovators was confirmed after 32 teams from 18 public high schools in Metro Manila totaling 200 students submitted projects that hewed to the contest’s theme “Future of Energy.”

Public school students are as competent as their counterparts in private schools in conceptualizing novel science projects. This is so because science education in public schools has improved a lot from the traditional lecture-type to today’s hands on-intensive and technology-supported laboratory lessons.

Garcia admits that BNHS, which was established only three years ago, still lacks textbooks and has no laboratory. But she says public school science teachers and students alike are now more resourceful to cope with such limitations.

Garcia also explains that most public school students come from low-income families making them easily inspired by ideas or innovations that are less costly to prototype.

There are already 50 public high school students who qualified to receive an engineering scholarship from PhilDev by reaching the finals of Project Tuklas. Whether or not the BNHS team’s project makes the school the champion, the contest has proven the importance of public high schools in nurturing the country’s future engineers.