Orica Science Program launched in Bataan

LIMAY, Bataan – A workshop held at the Mariveles National High School (Cabcaben) in Mariveles last week marked the first ever professional development seminar for selected science high school teachers of this province. The workshop was conducted as part of the Science and Technology Education Leveraging Relevance (STELR) Program, a “not-for-profit” partner of Orica.

The program STELR Project, now on its 6th year, aims to engage high school students in science, technology, mathematics and engineering (STEM) through a hands-on renewable energy module that now reaches more than 35,000 students each year.

The Mariveles workshop is one of the first held outside Australia and the first in the Philippines, with Orica working to bring STELR to regions where operates such as Bataan.

The workshop offers the participants an opportunity to address the concepts outlined in the K-12 Basic Education curriculum. STELR aims to address the problem of low participation rates in science and mathematics subjects at the secondary school level by relating these subjects to highly relevant issues which affect the students.

Issues such as global warming and climate change are discussed and alternate renewable energy source are demonstrated in the program.

Aside from the workshop, Orica also donated 30 kits of renewable energy pack to the 3 recipient schools as nominated by the division office of the Department of Education in Bataan. The three schools which will initially benefit from the program are Camacho National High School, Samal National High School and Mariveles National High School.