The Philippines and Australia have always maintained positive ties through various mutually beneficial deals. The country down under has been a loyal ally in assisting the Philippines with some of its serious concerns such as calamities and terrorist threats. In recent years, Australia, known for its world class education, has welcomed more and more Filipino students. More and more schools are opening their doors. And these schools have become the hub for job recruitment. With the recent changes in our basic education curriculum, from the old 10-year to the K-12 system, our Senior High School graduates can now fulfill the minimum requirements of Australian tertiary education. Previously, most students had to rely on provisions allowing second-year college students to apply for international schooling. But now, with the new K-12 program, there is no more obstacle to Filipino students who want access schools overseas.
The conceptualization and development of the K-12 program of the Philippine Department of Education was also partly supported by the Australian government through its share of 8 Billion Pesos of the whole K-12 reform budget. Upon the K-12’s passing into law, Australia has also benefited with the increase of Filipino students applying for Australian schools. According to the Australian Department of Home Affairs, in 2016, three years after the enactment of the K-12 program and graduation of the first batch of senior high school students, there was a 20% increase in Vocational Education and Training (VET) students who were granted a study visa in Australia. In the same period, there was also a 53.8% increase of English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS).
As the Philippines has been steadily becoming a destination of choice for language learning, cities in the regions have experienced a surge in the number of foreign students who come to study the English language or enrol in colleges and universities. Perhaps the greater exposure to overseas students, our facility in the English language, plus the new open doors for study and work abroad have given Filipino students confidence to explore possibilities beyond our shore.
Gaining a globally competitive Australian education will not just increase access to job opportunities in Australia but will also make Filipinos more employable in other places in the world. As one studies in Australia, he or she is also exposed to the Australian culture and society. The internship and supervised work, along with the part-time work that comes with student visa will provide opportunities for working students to be immersed in work environments that enforce high and strict standards of job performance. Such experience will develop a greater sense of discipline in upholding policies and regulations. In the past, opportunities to study in developed countries like Australia were only available to few elite Filipinos. Now, given our educational qualifications and language skills, such opportunities are becoming more available among the mainstream population. This will open new exciting opportunities in the future. And as more Filipino students study and work abroad, the knowledge and experience they gain will hopefully enrich our educational system and local industries.
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