PUERTO PRINCESA: Some 50 youngsters in this city with high aptitudes for science were given the tools they need to pursue careers in robotics, thanks to the efforts of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and several technology companies. Ranging from Grade 7 to 11, these students of the Puerto Princesa City National Science High School (PPCNSHS) began on Monday their journey to higher learning through the Invent School Program. In an interview, Jane Favila, a PPCNSHS science teacher and program focal person, said the first day of the Invent School Program would see its participants being schooled on various research methods. The youths will then be given hands-on experiences in using state-of-the-art equipment recently donated to the school by Vivant Corporation, a Cebu-based holding company that is heavily invested in technology. 'What we are really trying to develop is their creative thinking and problem-solving skills. We are fortunate that we received sophisticated equipment from the priva te sector. These are expensive equipment and we cannot afford to acquire them,' Favila noted. Favila pointed out the PPCNSHS faculty members also need to get acquainted with their new scientific tools and have been undergoing familiarization sessions. Meanwhile, other tech companies such as e-Robotica and education company Felta have also contributed to advance the school's robotics program, she added. The Invent School Program was spearheaded by the DOST's Technology Application and Promotion Institute-Palawan through the Provincial Science and Technology Office. It aims to teach the process of invention in a fun way through games and workshops. Source: Philippines News Agency