By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Cadiz City government, as part of its efforts to upgrade the knowledge and skills of its public school teachers and city government employees, is offering a scholarship program for them to earn a master’s degree.

Mayor Salvador Escalante said that the scholarship program Project FREE is patterned after the scholarship program of the provincial government.

He said the city’s Sangguniang Panlungsod has already approved the ordinance of the program on second reading.

He said that while the Negros Occidental provincial government is already providing support for teachers pursuing masteral degrees, he said he wanted to implement similar program for teachers and government workers in Cadiz.

“Many would like to avail of this program but the province cannot accommodate all. Initially we might be able to accommodate some 200 teachers and government workers who will study either at the Philippine Normal University located in the city, or at the Northern Negros State College of Science (NONESCOT) in neighboring Sagay City,” the mayor said.

Meanwhile, the Cadiz City government signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department of Education – Division of Cadiz City and NONESCOT to School Head’s Academy (SHA) program.

The three-month SHA program trains and prepares public school teachers to become school heads in public schools.

The MOA was signed on August 27 at the Terrace Garden and Restaurant in Cadiz City between Schools Division Superintendent, Dr. Ma. Lorlinie Ortillo, CESO VI; NONESCOST President, Dr. Renante Egcas; Rep Leo Rafael M. Cueva (2nd district), and Escalante.

The MOA ensures that qualified teachers to be enrolled in NONESCOST in Sagay City under the SHA program will be entitled to scholarship grants that include free tuition and miscellaneous fees, mobile load and transportation allowances, and other privileges./DGB, WDJ