Administrative Order No. 378 created a National Steering Committee in 1998 to implement Project RISE (Rescue Initiative in Science Education), a 5-year teacher training program run by the Department of Science and Technology. The project aimed to improve the competencies of elementary and secondary science and math teachers through 180 hours of supplemental training in areas like general science, biology, chemistry, and physics. It sought to address issues like many teachers not having majored in the subjects they taught. While the free training helped provide teachers more content knowledge and teaching strategies, budget and time constraints limited its ability to significantly improve student performance in science and math. This document discusses reviving Project RISE through new legislation.

1. RESCUE INITIATIVES IN
SCIENCE EDUCATION

2. ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 378, s. 1998
FIDEL V. RAMOS, 12th President of the
Philippines (1992-1998) signed the
Administrative Order No. 378 on
February 4, 1998
CREATING THE NATIONAL
STEERING COMMITTEE FOR AN
ENHANCED SCIENCE AND
MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM

3. Administrative Order No. 378 issued by
President Fidel Ramos in 1998 implemented
Project RISE or Rescue Initiative -in Science
Education, a 5-year strategy program of the
Department of Science and Technology (DOST)
covering 180 hours of training for science and
mathematics teachers at the public and private
elementary, secondary and technical/vocational
schools nationwide.

5. To improve /enhance the
competencies/capabilities of
elementary and secondary science
and mathematics teachers in the
country

6. It is a training that will be participated by
qualified teachers of science and math in the
elementary level from the regions in Luzon
and Visayas, and those teaching these
subjects in the secondary level shall come
from Mindanao regions. They will be selected
by the respective Regional Technical
Committee (RTC).

7. The training shall run for one hundred eighty (180)
hours. The teachers shall be trained in the
following subject areas:
• Elementary Science Grades III to VI
• Elementary Mathematics Grades III to VI
• General Science
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Physics Secondary Mathematics I to IV

8. Introduced by Senate President Manny Villar
Statistics show that 90% of physics teachers
are not physics majors and 80% of chemistry
teachers are not chemistry majors. Only 1.5% are
mathematics and science majors among the
prospective teachers enrolled in Bachelor of Science
in Education (BSE). All these have resulted to the
dismal performance of Filipino students against their
international counterparts. (2008)

9. Efforts to solve the problem were exerted by
concerned agencies. This free formal training provided
teachers with content knowledge and updated teaching
strategies which they did not have as pre-service education
students. However, due to budgetary and time constraints,
the program failed to improve science and mathematics
education considering the recent performance evaluation.

10. This bill in effect, will revive project RISE.
Under the proposed program, all teachers of
science and mathematics are required to attend
the comprehensive training. Program RISMETs
will likewise serve as a career advancement for
the concerned teachers.

12. BOOK PUBLISHING
DEVELOPMENT ACT

13. PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION. The
state shall promote the continuing
development of the book publishing
industry, with the active participation of
the private sector, to ensure an adequate
supply of varied high quality books that
are affordable and suited for the
domestic as well as the export market

14. The purpose and objective of the National Book Policy
are:
• To create conditions conducive to development,
production and distribution of books, especially the
acquisition and adoption of state-of-the-art technology,
equipment and machinery for book publishing
• To obtain priority status for the book publishing industry
• To ensure an adequate, affordable and accessible supply
of books for all segments of the population
• To promote book readership especially among the young
and neo-literates, through programs promoting literary
and good reading habits, book fairs and exhibits, and an
efficient nationwide system of libraries and reading
centers especially in the rural areas

15. To promote the development of indigenous authorship
and of translations among various language groups in
the country
To promote the translation of publication of scientific
and technical books and classic works in literature
and the arts
To foster the development of skills of the personnel
engaged in book publishing through in-service
training programs and formal degree
To respect and inculcate the concept of intellectual
property ownership and to protect the rights of
authors and publishers by strictly enforcing copyright
laws and providing legal assistance to authors and