A total of 3,843 elementary students made it as Stage 1 qualifiers in the country’s premier science high school through the Philippine Science High School Requirements for Admission, Criteria, and Evaluation (PSHS RACE) 2023-2024.

The official list of PSHS RACE Stage 1 qualifiers can be seen through its official website https://www.pshs.edu.ph/.

The qualifiers will receive an email containing instructions for the briefing of examinees on December 2, 2022 via Zoom Meetings. The meeting link will be sent to the qualifier’s email address on or before December 1, 2022. Stage 1 qualifiers are reminded to check the spam folder of the email address they used in applying for RACE.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the PSHS System implemented the RACE in lieu of its annual NCE where applicants of Pisayscholarship usually take an aptitude test composed of mathematics, science, language proficiency, and abstract reasoning.

RACE is an alternative mode of admission to PSHS to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus to thousands of students who gather in testing sites nationwide.

The selection procedure is composed of two stages: determining the applicant’s predicted NCE grade, which is based on final grades in science and mathematics in Grade 5, and combining accumulated scores from the applicant’s academic rank at the end of Grade 5; and evaluating the applicant’s personal essay on a particular topic.

Applicants are ranked from highest to lowest based on the final score.

The top 240 applicants are considered as principal qualifiers of the PSHS-Main Campus in Diliman, Quezon City.

The top 90 or 120 applicants, depending on the quota of the PSHS campus, are principal qualifiers of the 15 regional campuses located in San Ildefonso, Ilocos Sur; Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya; Irisan, Baguio City; Clark, Pampanga; Barangay Sampaga, Batangas City; Barangay Odiongan, Romblon; Goa, Camarines Sur; Jaro, Iloilo; Palo, Leyte; Argao, Cebu; Dipolog City, Zamboanga; Balo-i, Lanao del Norte; Mintal, Davao City; Koronadal City, South Cotabato; and Ampayon, Butuan City.

According to the PSHS System, it targets to bring back its NCE next year for its 2024-2025 screening of incoming grade 7 students.

About the Author

Aries Oliveros  currently works as executive assistant to the Executive Director of the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) System. He taught English and Literature for 15 years at Paco Catholic School, Philippine Normal University (PNU), and PSHS – Central Luzon Campus. He wrote textbooks on grammar and creative nonfiction. He was formerly Chief of the Curriculum and Instruction Division at PSHS-CLC and adviser of the school papers, The PCS Gazette and The Central Scholar.

He studied Bachelor of Secondary Education, Major in English at PNU, Manila where he graduated cum laude. In 2015, the Department of Education awarded him as Outstanding School Publication Adviser of the Philippines during the National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) in Taguig City.