The façades of the Cotabato Foundation College of Science and Technology, and the Makilala Institute of Science and Technology in the towns of Arakan and Makilala in North Cotabato, respectively. (Photos from Facebook Pages of CFCST and MIST)
KIDAPAWAN CITY, North Cotabato – Two schools in the province are set to be converted into state-run tertiary institutions after their proposed bills passed the third and final reading in Congress on Thursday.
In a statement on Friday, North Cotabato 2nd District Rep. Rudy Caoagdan, the proponent of the bills, identified the schools up for conversion as the Cotabato Foundation College of Science and Technology (CFCST), and the Makilala Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) in the towns of Arakan and Makilala, respectively.
House Bill (HB) No.9317 seeks the transformation of CFCST into a state university, while HB 9138 bats for the change of MIST into a state college.
"The conversion will give a full swing of opportunities to students and the institution itself in providing better and excellent education,” Caoagdan said.
Established in 1967, the CFCST in Barangay Doroloman, Arakan, is mandated to provide higher technological, professional, and vocational training to its students.
Meanwhile, the MIST, which was established in 2014, offers business, agriculture, and education courses.
Both schools have produced top-notch students and obtained high passing rates in different fields of education, Caoagdan said.
He added that the same schools offer low to zero collection of tuition, which benefits students from low-income families across the province.
“The conversion will also put funds for technological advancement and modernized facilities to keep up the current trends in educational competencies,” he said.
Caoagdan urged students to "focus and stay motivated in your studies because education is reciprocal to achieve a better tomorrow." (PNA)
