US Embassy Exec Says K-12 Students Ready to Pursue Int’l Studies

The transition of the Philippine education system to the K-12 program is making Filipino senior high school students “much more ready” to pursue international studies in the US, a ranking embassy official said on Thursday.

Matt Keener, cultural attaché of Education USA Philippines, said the two-year senior high school program in the country makes students at par with those studying in schools around the world.

Education USA Philippines is an educational arm of the US Embassy in Manila.

“I think the transition is going to make a lot of Filipino students much more ready I think for international education,” Kenner said in an interview at the Philippine Information Agency-Central Visayas office.

According to him, Filipino students, who are now into the senior high school program can “pursue international degrees because most countries around the world have a K-12 system”.

He said the senior high program provides good transition to college.

Keener is in Cebu to conduct activities aimed at raising Cebuanos’ level of awareness about the US education program they are offering to Filipino students.

Irish Concepcion, social science librarian of the University of San Carlos who acts as Education USA-Cebu adviser, has collaborated with the foreign government and established a center where Cebuano students can inquire and start the process of applications for international studies in the US.

Keener said they hope that the number of Filipinos studying in US will increase with this series of awareness programs being conducted in different parts of the country.

He noted that there are many colleges and universities in the US that are offering scholarships to “brilliant students.”

Concepcion said the best time for students to apply for studies in the US is when they reach Grade 11.

Keener and Concepcion said interested applicants may open the Facebook account of Education USA Philippines and search which areas of studies they want to pursue and the institutions they want to study in.

This state education program, Keener said, has staff who would entertain queries from Filipino students. Collaborators like the USC may also guide them with their inquiries, he added. (PNA)