World Education

Dr. Maria Helena Desiree M. Terre, Vice-president for Academics of the Daughters of Charity of Western Visayas, and Co-Academic Services Director at Colegio del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, Iloilo City, Philippines, taught the third course "The Teaching Profession" on December 13-14, 2008. Rich in experience and knowledge being a highly awarded principal and educator (Teodora Alonzo Educator Awardee for 2005), Dr. Terre illustrated her subject matter through a true-story based Hollywood film "The Freedom Writers". The two days, including the Saturday evening schedule class for Seventh-day Adventists, were filled with touching and valuable lessons on teaching as profession. The whole class wishes Dr. Terre to come back to Bangkok for another course.

For details on curriculum, admission and schedule, please visit http://skpsc-bkk.page.tl/

There is some special arrangement for Seventh-day Adventist teachers, so please visit this link.

A class of twenty-three (23) students completed the second course Educational Management, leading to Graduate Diploma in Teaching. Dr. Robert Galindez, President of St. Robert's Training and Management Center, with his wife, came to Bangkok on the wee hours on Saturday morning to teach his first class at First Hotel Bangkok on November 15 and 16, 2008. The class has increased its size to sixty-four percent (64%) with nine (9) teacher-trainees, including two Chinese, added to the original fourteen (14) students who received Certificates of attendance from the previous first course Principles of Teaching. The class is now becoming more international: Filipinos, Indians and Chinese.

Dr. Bob Galindez, the SKPSC off-campus director, and also President and Dean of Philippine Christian University-St. Robert's International Academy Iloilo extension, was greatly impressed with the kind of students he met at his first teaching: "what a rewarding experience for me knowing that we have students in Bangkok who are smart and indeed graduate level students." The students are happy that they have completed six (6) units already. Few more units and they will be qualified to take the Philippine teaching board exam, which is planned to be held in Bangkok in the near future. With this foreign teaching license and a Graduate Diploma in Teaching, a foreign teacher is guaranteed a teaching license by the Teachers' Council of Thailand.

The SKPSC off-campus program in Bangkok is still accepting students, especially those who want to catch up with the Diploma in Teaching which will hopefully be completed by April, 2009. The said diploma is also ladderized or credited to Master of Arts in Teaching, major in English which will be done by January, 2010, sixteen months in total.

All requirements for the recent course Educational Management are due just before the third class begins on December 13 and 14, 2008. For those interested, please decide quickly and call +66-84-672-1173 or email yllorco@yahoo.com for direct inquiry, or click here for more details.

For details on curriculum, admission and schedule, please visit http://skpsc-bkk.page.tl/

There is some special arrangement for Seventh-day Adventist teachers, so please visit this link.

More Photos:

Dr. Bob speaks...

Indian teacher-trainees from Assumption College Thonburi, Bangkae, Thailand

Chinese teacher-trainees from St. John Mary International School, Saraburi, Thailand

Tom reports SWOT analysis

Dr. Bob gives certificates of attendance in the previous course Principles of Teaching

Free lunch with Dr. Bob and Mrs. Galindez

Free snacks

The first historic event that happened to Sultan Kudarat Polytechnic State College's off-campus program in Bangkok was the successful class of Principles of Teaching taught by Dr. Sunny Cabinete on October 25 and 26, 2008, two weeks after the launching, orientation and enrollment at First Hotel Bangkok on October 12, 2008. The said course is leading toward Graduate Diploma in Teaching, a requirement by the Teachers' Council of Thailand of foreign teachers' certification qualifying for the granting of a teacher's license to be able to teach in any primary and secondary schools in Thailand.

Despite his hectic schedule, Dr. Gabinete responded to the eleventh-hour call of Dr. Robert Galindez, President of St. Robert's Training and Management Center, SKPC off-campus director and President and Dean of Philippine Christian University-St. Robert's International Academy Iloilo extension to cater to the need of the non-education Filipino teachers in Thailand. Without hesitation, Dr. Sunny Gabinete, the Dean of College of Education, flew from University of Iloilo, Philippines on Friday night, October 24, 2008, and arrived in Bangkok at 1 A.M., just a few hours to meet his students at 8:00 A.M. the following day.

The first class was composed of eleven Filipino teachers and three Indian counterparts. What a big astonishment that the attitude and eagerness of students were beyond Dr. Gabinete's expectations: "It surprised me that the students are eager to study, cooperative and very intelligent..." Impressed by Dr. Gabinete's being well-versed of the subject, all the students gladly expressed much gratitude to Dr. Gabinete's excellent teaching and look forward to their certificate upon his return. It was full of lively interaction and valuable stories of Filipino teachers' unique experience in the Land of Smile. One thing was clear: the students learn how to contextualize the principles of teaching in their classes in Thailand.

P.S.:

A growing number of Filipino teachers are applying for the said diploma after hearing the success of the class. Late applicants are still being accepted before the next class on Teaching Strategies begins. You may call +66-84-672-1173 for direct inquiry, or click next page for more details.

For Seventh-day Adventist teachers, please visit this link.

More Photos:

Free meals? What a privilege for the first batch!

Dear Fellow Foreign Teachers in Thailand,

We recognize that The Teachers' Council of Thailand is requiring foreign teachers to undergo professional certification to be able to continually teach in any primary and secondary schools in Thailand. The process of the said certification is through any of the following:

1. 20-hour training on Thai language and culture and Professional ethics + at least one year experience + Education degree,

2. 20-hour training on Thai language and culture and Professional ethics + at least one year experience + any non-education degree + foreign teaching license

3. 20-hour training on Thai language and culture and Professional ethics + at least one year experience + any non-education degree + graduate education diploma at least one year of study presumably in Thailand or abroad.

4. 20-hour training on Thai language and culture and Professional ethics + at least one year experience + any non-education degree + Certificate of Professional Knowledge Tests for Foreign Teachers.

There seems to be no problem for those who qualify numbers 1 and 2, but it's really a problem for those under numbers 3 and 4, who will either take one-year graduate education diploma, which costs about 60,000, 80,000, 100,000, 120,000, or 144,300 Baht or pass the Professional Knowledge Tests for Foreign Teachers, which cost 4,000 Baht, but only less than 5% pass rate.

My personal experience with one of the toughest tests (Curriculum Development, Learning Management and Classroom Management, which terms and concepts are familiar to me) on Friday, October 3, 2008 (but didn't take the tests on October 4, 2008, since it's Saturday, and I'm a Seventh-day Adventist), and those of other test takers, give a definite conclusion that foreign teachers have no better option than taking a one-year graduate education diploma either in one of the colleges/universities in Thailand or abroad [as implied in Clause 3 (2) of the TCT notification].

Luckily, there is the best option among them which is offered by one of the state colleges/universities in the Philippines, Sultan Kudarat Polytechnic State College, a highly accredited state college, which granted Senator Manny Villar an Honoris Causa in Doctor of Philosophy in Institutional Development and Management, now with its phenomenal enrollment growth to more than 6,000 students in a short period of time as 18 years. It is now in its second reading at the House of Representatives to becoming Central Cotabato State University. Its program in Bangkok is offered by St. Robert's Training and Management Center in consortium with the International Academy of Management and Economics, Makati City, and is affiliated with PWU's DLC-Bacolod St. Robert's Training and Management Center, headed by Dr. Robert Galindez, the DLC off-campus dean, and also President and Dean of Philippine Christian University-St. Robert's International Academy Iloilo extension. With other off-campus programs in Hong Kong and California, USA, please remember that Dr. Robert Galindez has been able to successfully bring the off-campus program to address the need of the Filipino teachers in Thailand. Therefore, let us grab this opportunity, since there is nothing to worry about the name "Sultan Kudarat" and its reputation.

Why SKPSC off-campus is the best option? (See the attached MSPowerpoint file)
1. The shortest program accomplished by May 2009, before you can renew your work permit (and by January 2010 for MAT, 16 months; and about 24 months for MBA)
2. It's ladderized diploma can be ugraded to MA in Teaching major in English, and MBA.
3. Very Affordable with staggered payments
4. Classes are held in Bangkok on Weekends (and special classes for SDAs on Saturday nights, Sunday whole day, and Sunday evening)
5. Curriculum can be easily adjusted to the subject areas required by TCT, since it's a state university which status is like the University of the Philippines that does not require any Special Order, and the dean has the right to do so.
6. Qualifies graduates to take LET, or teaching board exam in the Philippines
7. Qualifies graduates to apply the diploma in other countries
8. It's non-thesis MAT degree is qualified for a PhD program under the new regulation
9. Accepts transfer of credits to a maximum of 12 units
10. Other opportunities (please inquire)

Please feel free to ask more (FAQs) questions for you to be able to make the best decision. Please remember the clock is ticking.

Schedule of Classes:

Classes Started: October 25, 2008 (8-4PM; To be arranged for SDAs including evening).
Next (3rd) Class: Nov 29-30, 2008.

For Seventh-day Adventist teachers, this is your opportunity without jeopardizing your Sabbath services. Please join our newly created forum site by clicking Adventist Teachers in Thailand so we can have some forum on how to be free from Sabbath meetings.

Sincerely,

Rolly Obedencio
yllorco@yahoo.com
+66-84-672-1173
http://worldeducation.blog.co.uk/

CAUTIOUS NOTE:
There isn't any question on endorsement from Philippine Embassy-Bangkok. Endorsement from the embassy is not necessary since SKPSC is a state college, which its operation is directly mandated by the law of the Philippine government. Out of courtesy, SKPSC sent an endorsement letter in the manner of a courtesy call to H.E. Ambassador Antonio Rodriguez of the Philippine Embassy, Bangkok, which was received and confirmed through LBC on October 22, 2008, a day after the embassy's advisory came out on October 21, 2008:

Republic of the Philippines
SULTAN KUDARAT POLYTECHNIC STATE COLLEGE
ACCESS, EJC Montilla, Tacurong City

October 13, 2008

Hon. Antonio Rodriguez
Ambassador
Embassy of the Philippines in Bangkok, Thailand
760 Suknumvit Road, Opposite Soi
30/1 Prakanong, Bangkok 10110
Bangkok, Thailand

Dear Ambassador Rodriguez,

We are pleased to inform you that the Sultan Kudarat Polytechnic State College, a state-owned higher education institution with office address at EJC Montilla, Tacurong City, province of Sultan Kudarat, Mindanao has concluded a Memorandum of Agreement with St. Robert’s Management and Training Center duly represented in Bangkok by Saen Sibat Co. Ltd., to pursue a collaborative endeavor in the field of education through the offering of the Ladderized Master of Arts in Teaching.

The said program is aimed at helping working students based in Thailand to pursue their post graduate studies through a ladderized approach. All subjects to be taught are based on the approved curriculum of the SKPSC.

It is at this end that we are soliciting the intervention of your Office by endorsing our Program to both local and national agencies based in Thailand for proper dissemination and promotion.

We are attaching the curriculum program for the Ladderized Master of Arts in Teaching program for your ready perusal.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely yours,

NELSON T. BINAG, Ph.D.
President

CLOSING NOTE:
As confirmed by Dr. Robert Galindez, the Philippine Embassy-Bangkok was sent a recent letter from SKPSC's Board of Trustees, whose chairman was Commissioner Umar, requesting to lift the said advisory as it may hamper the CHED program of the Philippine government in Bangkok. The advisory reached to the ears of Honorable Secretary Roque, to whom the embassy is liable to answer, and to Atty Dado, the DFA-in-charge of all consuls. Thus, Honorable Secretary Roque is pushing the embassy to lift the advisory and issue another letter of recantation which is yet to be seen. He will be in Bangkok by the first week of December to pressure the embassy of the said advisory. (It's a big question why it has taken so long to issue such letter by the embassy, though).

Please visit SKPSC-Bangkok, and take a look at its successful first and second courses.

Dear Dr. Chakrapat Wata:

Greetings!

May I have the privilege of requesting some answers to my queries based on the following provisions:

Quote:

Clause 2 Criteria for testing and evaluation of knowledge of the Applicants consist of:
(1) Thai language and culture.
(2) Professional ethics.
(3) Knowledge for practicing the teaching profession under Clause 5 (a) of the Regulations Governing Professional Standards and Ethics RE. 2548 (2005).

The testing and evaluation of knowledge shall be in accordance with the details attached to this Notification.

Clause 3 Any Applicant with at least one year of experience in teaching operations and the following educational qualification shall have passed the knowledge evaluation criteria under Clause 2 (1) (2):
(1) Education degree; or
(2) Other degrees with a foreign license to practice the teaching profession or a graduate diploma in education taking at least one year of study.

Clause 4 Any Applicant with at least one year of experience in teaching operations and other degrees without either a foreign license to practice the teaching profession or a graduate diploma in education taking at least one year of study shall have passed the knowledge evaluation criteria under Clause 2 (1) (2) and (3).

Clause 5 Having passed the evaluation criteria under Clause 3 or Clause 4, the Applicant shall submit the application for a license to practice the teaching profession, together with the following supporting documents within three years:
(1) Copy of the passport or any other document showing the legally valid entry into the Kingdom;
(2) Copy of the work permit or any document showing the regular residence in Thailand;
(3) Copy of the evidence showing the educational qualifications;
(4) Copy of the foreign license to practice the teaching profession;
(5) Copy of the certificate of teaching operations;
(6) Copy of the certificate of knowledge testing and evaluation;
(7) Two 1~inch full-face front view photographs without sunglasses, taken not exceeding six months.

Clause 6 Any foreigner who is a teacher in any educational institution prior to the date of enforcement of the Teachers and Educational Personnel Council Act RE. 2546 (2003) shall submit an application for a license to practice the teaching profession within one hundred and twenty days from the date of enforcement of this Notification.

The above notification seems only for any applicants who will be qualified to go through any of the three testing and evaluation criteria, but no specific mention of license to be granted to specific types of foreign teachers. It seems that the granting of license to any foreign teacher is under the discretion of the TCT.

Based on the provision above, is my understanding of the implication correct that license is granted to the following foreign teachers who have completed:

1. 20-hour training on Thai language and culture and Professional ethics + at least one year experience + Education degree?

2. 20-hour training on Thai language and culture and Professional ethics + at least one year experience + any non-education degree + foreign teaching license?

3. 20-hour training on Thai language and culture and Professional ethics + at least one year experience + any non-education degree + graduate education diploma at least one year of study in Thailand or abroad?

Is license also to be granted to the following foreign teachers who have completed the 20-hour training on Thai Language and Culture and Professional Ethics and:

4. Experienced BA graduate with more than a year of MA education units, surely more than a diploma (Clause 4)?

5. Has been a teacher anywhere outside Thailand since before 2003 (Clause 6)?

6. Any fresh Education graduate without any experience (Clause 3)?

7. Any non-graduate (i.e. no BA) foreign teacher before 2003 who failed to submit application beyond 120 days from the date of enforcement of this notification (maybe 17th day of June 2006, Clause 6)?

Hoping to receive your due consideration to the questions above.

Sincerely,

Mr. Rolly C. Obedencio