Dear ACE Students,

How are you all doing? I hope you all enjoying your spring vacation with your family and friends. I’ve been so fascinated seeing different kinds of flowers abloom everywhere I go. They are truly eye catching. As I mention in my previous message that this is my very first time to experience spring here in Japan and I had never seen such many beautiful flowers.

Spring is so closely associated with new beginnings for most of students here in Japan. It’s really exciting to start this school year with hope and enthusiasm. Let’s do our best to learn something new each day.  School year starts in April and ends in March here in Japan. I would like to share with you the education system in the Philippines.

Education in the Philippines is offered through formal and non-formal systems.  Formal education typically spans 14 years and is structured in a 6+4+4 system:  6 years of primary school education, 4 years of secondary school education, and 4 years of higher education, leading to a bachelor’s degree.  This is one of the shortest terms of formal education in the world.

In the Philippines, the academic school year begins in June and concludes in April, a period that covers a total of 40 weeks.  All higher education institutions operate on a semester system—fall semester, winter semester and an optional summer term.  Schooling is compulsory for 6 years, beginning at age 7 and culminating at age 12.  These 6 years represent a child’s primary school education. Although English was the sole language of instruction in the Philippines form 1935 to 1987, the new constitution prescribed that both Filipino (Tagalog) and English are the official language of instruction and communication.  After primary school, however, the language of instruction is almost always English, especially in the country’s urban areas and at most of the nation’s universities.

Sincerely,

Lovely Ventanilla