A total of four Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) from the Department of Agriculture and the Local Government Units were granted with scholarship grants for post-graduate studies through the Educational Grants for Extension Workers (EdGE).

The program’s pilot offering seeks to provide AEWs with opportunities for career advancement and the creation of a pool of community management professionals and subject matter specialists on social production technologies.

The grantees under the Doctorate Degree are Pedrito S. Nalam, Municipal Agriculturist of Tubay, Agusan del Norte taking up PhD in Aquaculture at the Mindanao State University-Naawan Campus, and Rolamae D. Peñano, Agricultural Technologist of LGU-Trento, Agusan del Sur taking up PhD in Agricultural Sciences at the University of Southern Mindanao, Kabacan, North Cotabato; under the Master’s Degree, Joy Mark P. Ybañez, Agricultural Technologist from LGU-Tubay, enrolled at the Caraga State University with MS in Public Adminitstration, and Claire B. Pablo-Ilagan, Agriculturist II of the DA – Caraga region taking up MS in Crop Science.

All are enrolled under the part-time study type which covers three years scholarship period for Master’s and four years for Doctorate program.

For the duration of the scholarship, the grantees are entitled to the following benefits: Full basic salary and other benefits from his/her agency for the duration of the Scholarship; Matriculation and other school fees (actual as assessed by the School/University); Monthly stipend; Book/internet allowance; Thesis/Dissertation allowance; Graduation fees (actual and as assessed by the School/University).

The signing of the Scholarship Service Contracts last September 21, 2022 affirmed the grantees commitment to abide by their responsibilities and obligations as grantees. These include among others maintaining a passing grade in all course subjects with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 2.0 or its equivalent and must have no Dropped grade at the end of the semester within the period of the scholarship. More importantly, the grantees are expected to conduct a research work within the suggested research area and related to the priority programs, goals, and thrusts of DA geared toward the development of the agriculture sector, and shall complete the degree course program within the prescribed scholarship period.

It can be recalled that the regional Training and Scholarship Committee conducted the initial screening of then five applicants last August 5, 2022 based on the completeness of their submitted documentary requirements. Another round of evaluation was through a written examination on August 8 and 11, 2022.