TAYABAS, Quezon—The provincial government under the administration of Quezon Gov. David “Jayjay” Suarez has opened its very first science high school for bright students from various public and private elementary schools in the province, the last to have a science-oriented high school in Southern Tagalog.

The first batch of 80 freshmen high-school students for this school year was ushered in during the school opening last week into the three-story school building in barangay Isabang, this town.

“This is governor Jayjay Suarez’s pet project. He is proud to have thought up the idea of creating a science high school for top-achieving elementary graduate students of the province,” said Webster Letargo, the governor’s chief of staff who also sits at the provincial school board.

Letargo said the four congressmen from the province have contributed P1 million each to realize the establishment here of the Quezon Science High School (QSHS), formerly designed to be a provincial science center by the late Gov. Rafael Nantes.

Two months ago Suarez announced that he is going to convert the previously designed  provincial science center into the QSHS, which would teach specialized and enhanced science, math and English subjects for bright graduating elementary students of the province.

Suarez said he is intent on developing the human resources of the province. The creation of a science high school for bright students is one big way of investing for their future.

“I place a huge stake in science education for the youth of Quezon province to prepare them for a highly competitive environment of technological advancement in the future,” said Suarez in an earlier media interview about the launching of the QSHS to coincide with the school opening this June.

The QSHS is manned by nine teaching and 16 nonteaching staff and is headed by Carmela Ezcel Orugo, education program supervisor.

On Wednesday morning former Third District congressman Aleta Suarez, the governor’s mother, visited and checked the ongoing construction of the QSHS and talked with the school’s faculty members and students. In the afternoon, Gloria Potes, Quezon school division superintendent, conferred with the teaching personnel about the various concerns of the newly opened school.

Edgar Yabut, earth and environmental science teacher, was visibly excited about the opening of QSHS. He said that aside from the eight regular academic subjects being taught at the QSHS, there are enhanced elective, arts, computer and research subjects for the first batch of freshmen students who have been selected after a series of aptitude, proficiency and emotional quotient tests.