Errant Pisay scholars owe gov't P32 million - COA

The Commission on Audit (COA) has said that Philippine Science High School scholars who either dropped out of school or did not pursue a college degree in the fields of science and technology (S&T) owe the government a total of around P32 million.

 

This is according to the 2013 Consolidated Annual Audit Report on the PSHS System.

 

Gov't spending per scholar

 

Scholarship expenses provided for by the government include stipends, living allowances, uniforms, and transportation expenses, among other things. In 2013, the government spent P146,585.99 on each scholar, and a total of P521,302.30 for each scholar during their entire stay at PSHS.

 

According to data from five campuses, from 1992-2013, there were 48 scholars who dropped out of PSHS, and 73 who did not enroll in S&T courses in college.

 

A total of P23.508 million was spent on the aforementioned scholar-awardees, an amount that “did not serve its purpose.” COA said that an additional amount of P8.671 million could have been generated if management for the campuses had strictly enforced the required refunding of the monetary value of the grants. This money could have spent on other government projects, COA added.

 

Binding agreement

 

Before being accepted into the campus, scholarship awardees and their parents need to sign an agreement with PSHS requiring the awardee to pursue a S&T course in college. If the contract is breached, the awardee is then required to reimburse the monetary value of the scholarship.

 

COA recommended that PSHS’s management require the school registrar to send demand letters to the scholars who haven’t “settled their obligations” or to their parents, and that the school record the amount still due from aforementioned scholars.

 

COA also recommended that a technical working group be formed to come up with adequate monitoring procedures to track the enrolled college courses and obtained degrees of PSHS scholarship awardees, along with their professional careers.

 

Critical mass

 

“There is a need to emphasize that the mission of the PSHS does not end with the provision of scholarship to high school students with high aptitude in science and mathematics for the purpose of preparing them for careers in S&T. Its ultimate objective is for these scholars to contribute to nation building by helping the country attain a critical mass of professionals and leaders in S&T,” the report reads. — TJD, GMA News