International Schools in the Philippines and Philippine Schools abroad

[gen1]

Originally Posted by OilMover

If they're not locking lips in the corridors, they'll be locking lips somewhere else. Seriously though, I was thinking of enrolling my son there (grade school) but I hear a lot of negatives. What is a good alternative that's close to Serendra?

It really depends on where you'll be sending your kids to college.

Near serendra there's a british school, a japanese school, and a christian international school. There is also beacon intl school around 15 minutes away.

British school is a good but rather small school. since we're going to be neighbors , I can ask a ISM teacher-friend to give you a personal tour of the school to help you decide if it's the appopriate school for your child.

[OilMover]

Originally Posted by gen1

It really depends on where you'll be sending your kids to college.

Near serendra there's a british school, a japanese school, and a christian international school. There is also beacon intl school around 15 minutes away.

British school is a good but rather small school. since we're going to be neighbors , I can ask a ISM teacher-friend to give you a personal tour of the school to help you decide if it's the appopriate school for your child.

I appreciate the offer, gen1. I'll definitely let you know next time I'm there. Thanks again!

[gen1]

the cities with legitimate international schools would have sizeable expat communities.

bBoracay. laguna, and davao have such intl schools. there are some in cavite but i don't think they're "real" intl schs.

like in the '80s & '90s when every other school called themselves montessoris, now they like appending Intenational School to their school name am waiting for the day they create the baclaran british international school. it'll come.

[kiretoce]

And what's the criterion for a "real" international school?

[gen1]

a school with a predominantly expat student population.

[Nabartek]

Many schools here I guess, are turning into "international schools" even schools that are 100% Filipino(elem and HS) now have sizable Korean students. UB Sci, UB Prep, Pines Montessori, Berkley, Brent, etc...

[JudeD]

Originally Posted by gen1

a school with a predominantly expat student population.

Nope, that's not it. The main qualifications are that the school has to be accredited by the Council of International Schools and offer an international curriculum such as International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) or the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.

[gen1]

Originally Posted by JudeD

Nope, that's not it. The main qualifications are that the school has to be accredited by the Council of International Schools and offer an international curriculum such as International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) or the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.

Yes it is -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_school

"International schools are schools that cater mainly to children who are not nationals of the host country, often the children of the staff of international businesses, international organizations, embassies, missions, or missionary programs. They are also often popular with local students who wish to improve their language skills. Often, international schools are private but public international schools exist.

International schools typically use curricula based on countries such as the United Kingdom or the United States or an international curriculum such as IGCSE or the IB Diploma Programme. There are also French and Canadian International School as well. Most schools use English as the main language of instruction but schools using French, Russian and other languages exist as well."

International schools likewise follow loosely the school year of usually either US or Birtish Schools. The raison d'etre of the international schools existence is to provide school services to expats' families - so much so that should a consul or a business person need to relocate to another country the education of his children will not be serevely compromised.

I'm sure you're aware of that

[JudeD]

Well that's just the textbook, wikipedia definition of the term, but not the official definition according to the CIS or US Dept of Education Association of Schools and Colleges. A lot of schools can just call themselves an "international school" by this or that definition (and there are a lot around here that do), but without accreditation and proper programs it's not like their graduates or transferees will be recognized by other schools or universities that they apply to as having received an "international school" education. For example, an international school here or abroad will more readily accept students who're also transferring from another international school that have been accredited by certain organizations. Anyway, the accredited international schools that we do have here generally pass international standards with flying colors.

[GearX]

Originally Posted by JudeD

Nope, that's not it. The main qualifications are that the school has to be accredited by the Council of International Schools and offer an international curriculum such as International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) or the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.

How about Korean Schools? Many of them are sprouting in the country. There's already one here in CDO and one more is being constructed aside from the existing International School.

[gen1]

Originally Posted by JudeD

Well that's just the textbook, wikipedia definition of the term, but not the official definition according to the CIS or US Dept of Education Association of Schools and Colleges. A lot of schools can just call themselves an "international school" by this or that definition (and there are a lot around here that do), but without accreditation and proper programs it's not like their graduates or transferees will be recognized by other schools or universities that they apply to as having received an "international school" education. For example, an international school here or abroad will more readily accept students who're also transferring from another international school that have been accredited by certain organizations. Anyway, the accredited international schools that we do have here generally pass international standards with flying colors.

I'm sure you've read the charter of ISM and BSM, since you are an expat magazine journalist

But let's take the example of an accredited local international school with an expat headmaster - the Beacon. Would it be easy for a kid from say Singapore American School to transfer to Beacon at some odd point in year, say in January ?

probably not because beacon's school year starts in june while the SAS schoolyear starts in september following the american SY. a host of local "international schools" has SYs like beacon.

That is my point. A "real" international school services mainly the transient expat community and makes it easy for their families to relocate between countries.

The other international schools are just schools for rich brats

BTW I have nothing against beacon. dina ocampo is a friend

[kiretoce]

Filipinos divided over school schedules

A section of Filipino residents are pressing for a change in the academic calendar while some students and parents prefer the current schedule of the two Philippine schools operating in Doha.

While most schools in Doha close for their annual vacation in summer, the two Philippine schools have recently opened for their new academic year.

"July and August are the peak months of summer here and students, especially pre-schoolers find it physically demanding to go to school because of high temperatures," a parent said. The students were also deprived of outdoor activities like physical education sessions, she added.

The Philippine schools here start their session in June. This is because they follow the school calendar of the Philippines' Department of Education to enable the students to transfer to schools in the home country easily.

"Major competitions and invitational programmes take place during the last segment of the academic year for most schools and both government and non-government agencies sponsor functions during this time, for this reason students of Philippine schools cannot participate since they are vacationing back in the country," another parent, connected to an academic institution, commented.

Some students however agree to the present setup because they spend quality time with relatives back in the Philippines during the annual break. "If our vacation will be in July and August we cannot meet with our cousins and friends often since they are busy with school," a high school student said.

"The present structure works for teachers like us because we can pursue further studies during annual vacation," a high school teacher who is doing her Masters in the Philippines remarked.

A mother who has transferred her son from an international school to one of the Philippine schools said she decided to admit him in the school to prepare him for college back home.

She said he would be studying in the Philippines and it would require a lot of adjustment on his part to take up college in the home country if he graduates from an international school.

The Manual of Policies and Regulations for Philippine Schools Overseas published by Commission on Filipinos Overseas allows amendment in the prescribed school calendar to suit the practice of the host country provided the school submits an application for approval at the Department of Education through the Philippine Embassy at least 15 days before the opening of the school term.

[Porknight]

Originally Posted by JustHorace

Most kids from IS whom I have talked to are so liberal, in a way that I find little or no morality in them. They even gatecrash into our soirees, to think that they hate all local schools, whether they be elite or not! What do they teach their kids anyway? These IS students I am talking about are Filipinos pa. It's a sad, sad reality.

I had summer classes many years ago in an IS but in Rome , but when the real classes started i left for a public school to save money ... that IS was freaking expensive .
So I can't really judge the filipino ISs , so you are probably right.

Btw I don't think is wrong to be liberal and morality most of them time is just something used to hide bad habits.

The biggest cultural shock that I had when I talked about schools with my cousins who studied in the Philippines is that they didn't know anything about Darwin or if they knew they consider it a crap theory and what they knew about it was absolutely wrong.
They didn't had any sexual education , and they were surprise that I had one and they asked me if I was taught to do kamasutra .

[702flyguy]

On a side note, Manny Pacquaio's sons go to Brent school in Mamplasan, Laguna. Does this mean that he likes the quality of education in Brent or he just want the prestige of the school?

[kiretoce]

When money talks, everybody listens.

[kiretoce]

Philippine schools given A-plus by visiting official

Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) Chairman Dante Ang gave good grades to Philippine schools in Qatar. Ang is in Doha as part of his ongoing visits to Philippine Schools Overseas.

Commenting on the status of Philippine schools in Qatar, he said that they are better compared to many schools in the region because "they are professionally run and have excellent teachers and facilities."

“Under my supervision of Philippine schools abroad, it is part of my mandate to regularly visit the schools at least once a year," he told The Peninsula.

In addition to his meeting with Philippine School Doha (PSD) and Philippine International School Qatar (PISQ) employees and management yesterday, he also paid a visit to the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO).

Speaking before the teachers and staff of PSD yesterday, he encouraged the teachers to share what they have learned from working abroad to teachers back in the Philippines.

"When you go back to the Philippines, organise groups, conduct seminars for teachers and share your experiences, pains and sacrifices; make yourselves the embodiment of what a Filipino should be – one who shares knowledge and possessions," he said.

He lauded the teachers' role as architects of the future and their excellent attitude to work, which put them in high demand in the US and other countries. "Many states look for Filipino teachers for their care and dedication to work," he said.

Ang said that he and the school administrators are mulling over the possibility of providing continuing education to further enhance teachers' performance and qualification.

He also advised the teachers to save money and knowledge by considering putting up businesses in the Philippines.

Responding to an inquiry on the plunging value of the peso, he said that the Philippine government and the Development Bank of the Philippines are implementing a programme on forward cover to protect remittances from the unstable peso-dollar rate.

[MatudNilaBaby]

Originally Posted by queetz@home

Actually, international schools here are just one of the many status symbols for our wealthy elite. My sister works for one in BGC and I'm telling you, most of the students who go there are not children of those who are not nationals of the host country. Out of ten kids, only three are expat children while the rest are kids from ultra rich local families who think even our most prestigious private schools like Ateneo or La Salle are crap. Its colonial mentality and elitism at its finest.

what exactly do you mean by colonial mentality when parents of filipino heritage send their kids to international schools?

[carl_vilches21]

...in tacloban,,Bethel International School...malapit lang sa boundery ng tacloban and palo,leyte..

[c0kelitr0]

Originally Posted by queetz@home
Actually, international schools here are just one of the many status symbols for our wealthy elite. My sister works for one in BGC and I'm telling you, most of the students who go there are not children of those who are not nationals of the host country. Out of ten kids, only three are expat children while the rest are kids from ultra rich local families who think even our most prestigious private schools like Ateneo or La Salle are crap. Its colonial mentality and elitism at its finest.

hmmm, most parents who send their children to well-known international schools want them to study in colleges abroad eventually. mas malaki kasi chances matanggap ng isang univ sa ibang bansa, kahit ng Ivy League universities, pag galing ka international school. let's admit it, even the best univ here sa philippines is not at par with the best in the world. If I have the money to send my children to the best schools possible, i'd do it. if i can afford to send my kids to Yale, Princeton or Harvard, and enrolling them to int'l schools is a way of increasing their chances of being admitted sa mga prestigious univs abroad, i'd do it, colonial mentality man yan o hindi.

[MatudNilaBaby]

Originally Posted by gen1

ISM is not the best school in the philippines. Pisay would be better in maths and sciences, Ateneo for well rounded education.

BUT if you're planning to send your kid to a college abroad, ISM is the BEST american college prep school in the country.

one advantage of attending an international school is that your transcripts of record is accepted and honored when you transfer to the US, UK, Canada and Australian schools either public or private. If your school is on a K-12 curriculum, then you dont have to repeat a grade level or two. its not a direct transfer if you attend college or university. they might let you attend a two year community college prior to transfering to a 4 yr college or university.

its better if the philippines adapt the K-12 curriculum so we dont have to go back a grade level or two when we seek acceptance in American, Canadian, Australian or British schools. Other G7 nations such as Japan, Germany, France and Italy have more or less the same K-12 curriculum except for Japan which is 13yrs of basic education. No wonder they rule the world in terms of economics.

So here it is: the key to greatness is good education!