Four institutions here have agreed to push for strong Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) learning in the Caraga Region.

On Tuesday, the Philippine Science High School in the region (PSHS-13) forged an alliance with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-13), the Caraga State University (CSU), and the city government to encourage young students to pursue STEM studies.

The partnership was led by PSHS-13 campus director Ramil Sanchez together with DOST-13 regional director Noel Ajoc, CSU president Dr. Anthony Penaso, and Councilor Cherry May Busa, the chair of the Committee on Science and Technology of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

“This is an alliance to promote STEM education which has proven to be the backbone of advanced economies,” Sanchez said.

He said Caraga is rich in natural resources but lacks the necessary technologies for STEM learning.

Established in 2012, the PSHS-13 has produced 245 graduates who specialized in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

For the school opening this year, a total of 570 students for Grades 7 and 8 have enrolled in PSHS-13.

“At least 383 or 76 percent of the total students for this school year in PSHS-13 are from Butuan City,” Sanchez said.

Meanwhile, Busa welcomed the increase in the number of students from Butuan who showed interest in STEM education.

“Butuan City and the Caraga Region are striving very hard to generate the human capital required to answer the fast-growing science and technology industry,” she said.

Busa noted that the world is now in the fourth industrial revolution where artificial intelligence, robotics, the internet, and system integration are the language.

“We need to produce a digitally-skilled workforce to respond to the call of the digital world,” she said. (PNA)