TWO secondary school teachers in Baguio city last Friday were honored in the 6th Microsoft Asia-Pacific Regional Innovation Education Forum (RIEF) for their innovative teaching practices. English teacher Ram Basingan and Vilma Ambat of the Baguio City National High School won in the Community Category and the Individual Country Category respectively.

MANILA, Philippines - A Philippine Science High School (PSHS) senior and a Grade 6 pupil from St. Stephen’s College in Manila won top prizes in the 2010 Metrobank-MTAP-DepEd Math Challenge over the weekend. Immanuel Encarnacion, 4th year student at PSHS, won 1st place in the 4th year individual competition, while John Thomas Chuatak of St. Stephen’s won 1st place in the Grade 6 individual competition of the math contest.

VICE presidential candidate and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay yesterday said that as in previous years, the city government will shoulder the graduation expenses of its 14,241 public school students. In a memo to DepEd-Makati school officials reminding them to observe austerity during graduation rites, Binay also reiterated that the schools should not collect graduation fees from students or charge them for graduation-related expenses.

MANILA, Philippines - Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Augusto Santos reiterated yesterday that the Philippines should continue efforts to improve English proficiency as other Asian nations, includingChina, have increased their standing as the region’s most competitive nations. Santos said China is catching up with India in terms of English proficiency and this development would have an impact on the competitiveness of the Philippines in sectors requiring English language fluency.