Education
School System
The Philippines is a nation whose population has a high percentage of children and adolescents. For the school year 1988/1989, it was estimated 15.5 million students were enrolled. Of this number some 10 million were enrolled in elementary schools.
The Philippine educational system is patterned after the US system but somewhat modified. It is divided into four levels: elementary school, six years (grades 1 to 6); high school, four years; college with four, five, or six years (for a bachelor's degree); and graduate studies with up to six years (leading to a master's or doctorate degree). To proceed to a higher level of schooling, successful completion of the lower level is generally required.
Optionally after high school there are a number of specialized institutions offering additional training including computer schools, secretarial and business schools, tourism and driving schools as well as strictly vocational schools. The latter include the training of mechanics for air-conditioning, welding, auto repair etc.
At all levels there are both private and public institutions. On the elementary and high school levels, public schools predominate, but at college and graduate school levels, there are more private than public institutions. This is also true for specialty and vocational schools.
Public elementary and high schools are tuition free but there are expenses for materials, projects, uniforms and transportation which have to be borne by the parents. Because public schools are cheap, they lack basic equipment and instructional materials. Classes are also very large and sometimes the day is split between morning and afternoon sessions in order to accommodate the numbers of students.
Private elementary and high schools are often much better equipped but also are much more expensive as is the case in most countries. Most private elementary and high schools cost between 2,000 and 5,000 pesos per year for tuition and fees. The most exclusive can cost as much as 60,000 pesos per year.
Generally, provincial schools are of poorer quality than those of Manila and students who transfer from provincial schools to the capital often do not do well. Provincial students also do not get as much practice speaking or reading English and so are disadvantaged.
Traditionally the school year, except for international schools, begins in June and ends in March. However, some Philippine schools are beginning or contemplating a school year which would begin in September and end in June because of the conditions of streets and roads during the rainy season. This may prove to be a problem because of the extreme heat during the dry season from March to June.
School hours often fill the whole day, ranging from 7:00 to 17:00. And still there is homework. On weekends, military training may be required. From high school on, many institutions offer night classes from roughly 17:30 until about 21:30, but usually only in Manila or larger provincial cities. In night classes, high school, college, and university courses can be completed by extending years of schooling. Summer school sessions are available for remedial high school students and for special courses, e.g. computer studies, from April through May.
Rules governing wearing of uniforms are implemented at many schools. The rules are more strict for females than for males. At most institutions the students are required to wear an ID with their picture.
The medium of instruction in colleges and universities is almost exclusively English. Only subjects dealing with the Philippine National language, Filipino, are in that language. In high school, some English used to be used in all science subjects. Even in elementary school, many terms are English, e.g. in arithmetic. However, President Aquino issued an edict that at all levels Filipino should be given preference over English.
While the Philippines offers its youth a lot of schooling at all levels, it is generally agreed that the quality of education offered by Philippine schools is not as high as in the West. The only exceptions are expensive private schools. Panorama Magazine in an editorial in its issue of March 18, 1990 gave a particularly harsh verdict on the Philippine educational system: "A major product of the Philippines is ignorance. For decades now we have been producing a bumper crop of ignorant drop-outs and uneducated graduates... Philippine education is turning out low quality graduates who are not only unemployable but also lack the social consciousness, nationalism and commitment to their country's progress.'"
A unique characteristic of the Philippines is the fact that in this country women get more formal education than men. At the college level 55% of the students are female, while at the graduate level, the rate increases to 65%, and 75% of those who earn a degree in education are females.
It is common for the offspring of a wealthy family to study in the US. The former Minister of Defense, Juan Ponce Enrile, studied at Harvard, and so did the slain former opposition leader Benigno Aquino. Former president, Corazon Aquino, studied in New York.
Foreign School
There are several foreign schools operating in country, chiefly in Manila, catering mainly to the needs of students of expatriate families. These schools generally have foreign teachers. They make it possible for a foreign student to graduate in the same way as he could in his own home country, thus facilitating future education on his return. These schools frequently have a school year to match that of the home country.
Some foreign schools are:
International School
Gen Luna, Makati, Tel 88-98-91
With some 1,700 students, the International School is the biggest foreign school in The Country . It follows the US education system, with 5 years elementary school, 3 years middle school and 4 years high school. After that a degree is earned permitting enrollment at US colleges. Some 80% of the students are foreigners, while Filipinos make up the rest . Among the foreigners, the biggest number are children of US expatriates. Other students are British or German. Of the teachers, half are foreign. Schooling costs some 77,000 pesos/year for elementary, and about 92,000 pesos/year for middle and high school.
British School
Madrid St, Merville Park, Paranaque
Tel 828-22-61,828-26-57,828-65-44
The British school only provides elementary education, and in this, it follows the British model exactly. The school year begins early September and ends late June. All the teachers are from Commonwealth countries, as well as most of some 180 pupils aged 9 to 12. There are no more than 20 pupils per class. Charged is an entrance fee of 10,000 pesos, and after that, tuition fee of approximately 75,000 pesos/year.
German School
Jose-Rizal-Schule Manila, University of Life
Meralco Avenue, Pasig, Tel 673-62-59
This German school is patterned after the German educational system. It extends to grade 10 after which the students may take the German examination "Mittlere Reife". The school currently has some 100 students. The teachers are almost exclusively German. The school fees are around 45,000 pesos/year.
French School
8 Hernandez St, San Lorenzo Village
Makati, Tel 817-47-30
According to the French educational system, the French school offers 3 years kindergarten, 5 years primary education and 4 years secondary education. All teachers are from France or French speaking countries. In 1988, the school had some 80 students. Fees range from 22,500 to 63,800 pesos/year.
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