RIYADH, 4 June — There are now 24 schools abroad that are accredited to teach the Philippine curriculum, according to the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) in Manila.
A list of the schools given accreditation by the Philippine Department of Education (DepEd) showed that nine are in Saudi Arabia.
These are the:
• International Philippine School in Riyadh (IPSR), which was given accreditation on Nov. 18,1986;
• International Philippine School in Alkhobar (IPSA), Oct. 24,1989;
• New International Philippine School in Jeddah (IPSJ), Sept. 18,1997;
• Philippine Community School in Alkhobar (formerly Asian International School, June 22, 1995;
• Second Philippine International School in Riyadh, Feb. 17, 2000;
• Al-Majd International School in Dammam (Philippine School in Dammam), June 15, 1999;
• Al-Hekma International School in Jeddah, March 29, 2000;
• Nour Al-Maaref International School, Oct. 29, 2000; and
• Al-Maaref International School, Oct 30,2000.
The other schools are: The Philippine School in Bahrain, Manila Xiamen International School in Xiamen, China; Katipunan Philippines Cultural Academy (Paphilca) in Athens, Greece; the Philippine International English School in Kuwait; the Philippine School in Oman; and the Philippine School Doha in Qatar.
Six of the accredited schools are in the United Arab Emirates and three are in Libya.
In the UAE, the schools are the PISCO Private School, the Pioneers Modern School, The New Filipino Private School, the United International Private School, the Philippine National School, and the Pioneers International Private School.
In Libya, the three accredited schools are the Philippine Community School in Tripoli, Philippine Community School in Benghazi, and the Philippine Centennial Academy International.
CFO Executive Director Jose Z. Molano Jr. said the list was as of May 22, 2002.
Molano sent the list to the principal of Al-Maarefa International School at Olaya District in Riyadh in answer to a verification request by the school.
Teresita A. Aguila, the school’s principal, earlier made the request amid rumors being made that Al-Maarefa was not an accredited school.
According to Molano’s letter dated May 28, Al-Maareffa was issued a permit to operate by the Department of Education in Manila on Oct. 30, 2000.
Education officials said, however, that the non-accreditation of a school abroad that teaches the Philippine curriculum would mean that the students are doomed.
Graduates of or transferees from non-accredited school would still be accepted in schools in the Philippines but they have to take and pass the test required by the Department of Education.
“The advantage is that students in accredited schools would meet less hassle when they go to the Philippines to study there. Besides, since accredited schools are supervised by the DepEd, they have to keep up with the standards required by the department,” said one department official.
