Education IN Philippines :
In the Philippines, half of the foreign students come
from East Asia, particularly from China, Korea, and Taiwan,
according to the UNESCO.
While lots of foreign students are found anywhere in
the world—like in US, UK, Germany, France, Australia,
or Japan—some cannot ignore studying in the Philippines.
For example, Kwon Ka-young, a Korean university student
who went to the Philippines last year to volunteer and
study English said: “Studying in the Philippines
helped me not only to improve my English skills but also
to become more of a global citizen.” Aside from
Koreans, an increasing number of Americans, Koreans, Taiwanese,
Chinese, and other foreigners also pursue their education
in the country.
Why do some 5, 000 foreign students study here in the
Philippines? Few countries in Asia can match the country
when it comes to providing quality education and fun at
the same time.
As the world’s 3rd largest English-speaking nation,
the Philippines provides huge knowledge resources, up-to-date
instruction, and a multicultural learning atmosphere with
its 93.9% literacy rate. It is home to a number of ISO-certified
universities and 275 higher educational institutions identified
as Centers of Excellence and Centers of Development. There
are also several international schools in the Philippines
which are on American, British, German, Chinese, French,
and Japanese educational tracks.
The business and accounting schools in the country adhere
to the US’ Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
(GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards
(IFRS) while the engineering and marine schools are included
in the APEC Engineer Registry and International Maritime
Organization (IMO) white list. Students are also guaranteed
of getting training from more than 115, 000 teachers with
master’s and doctorate degrees in the Philippines.
Foreign students do not only get the chance of earning
excellent education, but they also find ways of enjoying
their stay in the Philippines. After having serious lessons
in their classrooms, they can relax by swimming, surfing,
diving, and snorkeling in numerous pristine beaches anywhere,
or unwind in some of the island’s heritage sites
like the man-made rice terraces, marine parks, mountains,
underground rivers, and other tourist hideaways that depict
Asian and European architecture. If these are not the
places for them, they can still enjoy hanging out in countless
five-star hotels and restaurants, entertainment shows,
shopping malls, and cafes.
The Philippines is known for its people’s hospitality
and joyfulness. Visitors everywhere marvel at the way
they are treated in each place they visit. They also enjoy
the number of festivals that are held for every locality
which reflects the country’s rich and diverse culture
and traditions. The Korean student Ka-young added: “One
of my greatest curiosities in the Philippines is why Filipino
festivals last for a week because usually, Korean festivals
take place for only two or three days. I enjoyed the fiestas
mainly the Ati-atihan, where Koreans and Filipinos all
became one by dancing, singing, and even drinking together.”
Studies also show that it is more affordable to study
in the Philippines compared with other countries offering
high quality education. It is because a person can live
a modest lifestyle by only spending US$350 to US$500 a
month.
Programs for mobile students:
To attract foreigners to pursue their education in the
Philippines, the government prepared some programs to
suit the students’ needs.
One of these is the ‘Philippine ESL (English as
a Second Language) Tour Program,’ in which the study
of English forms part of a structured tour package. Studying
English becomes more exciting and fun through dynamic
and creative ways of learning where participants get to
interact, practice, and use English more often in real-life
settings thru games, outdoor activities, excursions, and
immersions. Aside from learning the English language,
participants get to see the beautiful sceneries of the
Philippine countryside and immerse with the local culture.
The duration of English courses vary depending on the
needs and objectives of the student. Modules may range
from one week to one month depending on the student’s
level of proficiency. Participants can choose among the
21 bi-authorized English language learning centers spread
all over the country.
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