Philippine School Sultanate of Oman

Last updated
Philippine School Sultanate of Oman
Location
Philippine School Sultanate of Oman

Coordinates 23°35′09″N58°26′44″E / 23.585746°N 58.4456348°E / 23.585746; 58.4456348
Information
TypePrivate
Established1989
School boardBoard of Trustees of the Philippine School in Oman
School districtAl-Khuwair
ChairmanMr.Luisito B. Layon [1]
PrincipalMr. Michael B. Joves [2]
GradesPreschool-Grade 6 (1990–1993),
Preschool-fourth year high school
(1994–2015),
K-12 (2012-onwards; full transition in 2017)
Color(s)Yellow and Navy Blue   
SongHail PS, Hail
Team namePatriots
NewspaperThe PaceSetter
Website pso.edu.om

The Philippine School Sultanate of Oman (also known as Philippine School Muscat), established in 1989, is a private school in the Persian Gulf region. [3] Located in the city of Muscat, Oman, the school caters to the Filipino community as well as foreigners.

Contents

History

Foundation and opening

The institution was founded in 1989 as the Philippine Community School by Filipino Overseas Workers in Oman, in cooperation with the Philippine government agencies Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), with support of the Philippine Honorary Consul General his Excellency Essa bin Mohammed Al Zedjali. It opened in 1990 at the Al Wattayah district with 38 students handled by volunteer teachers, before the arrival of hired principal, Elenita Fernandez, in June of that year. With the arrival of the first three elementary teachers before the end of 1990, the school began offering a separate preschool and elementary level.

After producing its first graduates in the form of preparatory pupils, followed by the arrival of the first preschool teacher Mrs. Rosario Ballesteros in September 1991, the school was recognized as a learning institution by the then Ministry of Education and Youth. It produced the first set of grade six graduates at the end of academic year 1990-1991.

Relocation

Throughout the 1990s, the school was relocated three times. Its second site was at al-Khuwair for the school year 1992-1993, where it began offering the high school level, with six first year high school (present-day Grade 7) students, handled by the first set of high school teachers, who arrived with a new elementary teacher in their company. Before the end of the school year, a graduation song was composed by the year's graduating sixth graders, wherein it would officially become the school's alma mater song in 1994.

With the residential area of al-Khuwair deemed unsafe for the growing student population, the school relocated to Ruwi, where it would be based from 1993 until 1995. Four teachers joined the teaching force for the new school year.

The school gained its Government Recognition (No. 02, s. 1995) on 31st January 1995 under its new name, PHILIPPINE SCHOOL - SULTANATE OF OMAN (PSSO), having maintained the prescribed standards of instruction and proper compliance with the rules and regulations set by DECS, and in consonance with the policies for international schools by Ministry of Education in Oman. This recognition allowed it to offer all courses of basic education. It has been operating in accordance with the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, particularly along organization, administration, and supervision for private educational institution; likewise, with the Sultanate's Ministerial Decree No. 4/2006. At the end of school year 1994-1995, nineteen elementary pupils and the first batch of six high school students graduated.

By early 1995, the school's Parents-Teachers Association request for a site at the center of the city was granted by the government, with a spacious building at Madinat Qaboos becoming its next home from 1995 until 1997, along with the hiring of new teachers. The Pledge of Loyalty, composed by one of the school's first elementary teachers, Ms. Fe Edithaldine Vendiola, was first recited on April 21, 1996. An additional four new teachers joined the teaching force for the year 1996-1997 in order to handle the growing student population.

Al-Khuwair return

To ensure proper accesibility for the student population from all districts of the capital. the school relocated again to al-Khuwair during the year 1997-1998, with a two-story villa in Block 247 of Way 4727 in al-Manhel Street becoming its home; a decision to permanently settle in the said district was made in 1999. The continued increase in the student population necessitated the opening of an annex campus at Way 4144 of al-Kuleiah Street in the year 2000. Later in the academic year 2001-2002, the school relocated to Al-Khuwair 33, occupying two separate bigger and more presentable villas in al-Janubbayah Street, where it would be based until the end of year 2006-2007.

In April 2005, a large hectare of land in Al-Khuwair Heights was acquired by the school's board of directors, with the construction of the current building starting during the school year 2005-2006. After the transfer of the school to the new site, it was inaugurated by the 2004-2010 Philippine ambassador to Oman, Acmad D. Omar Sr, which coincided with the opening of classes in June for the school year 2007-2008.

Since the year 2009-2010, Islamic prayers have been recited following the school's main prayer. In the year 2011-2012, the school's student council welcomed its first non-Filipino president. The same school year's graduation introduced an academic sash that is now worn by graduating students of any academic year.

K-12 era

School year 2012-2013 marked a new start with the implementation of the enhanced basic education curriculum, known as K-12, with the old K-4th Year curriculum coexisting alongside it until the graduation of the old curriculum students in 2015. The implementation of the K-12 program necessitated an annex building, which was built across the current school building between 2015 and 2016, and opened in 2017. This facility now houses the senior high school department, along with the newsletter and yearbook clubs.

The school welcomed its first batch of fifteen senior high school students during the year 2016-2017. With the last certificates of the old curriculum awarded to the said school year's sixth grade graduates, the K-4th year was phased out in June 2017, and the school fully transitioned to the K-12 curriculum during school year 2017-2018. By the end of the same school year, the institution produced its first set of senior high school graduates.

Subsequently, the school became a member of the Association of Philippine Schools Overseas. In 2019, a perpetual recognition was granted to the school.

Since then, the school had evolved from a simple academic institution into a highly-structured organization, growing in terms of enrollment and size. As of 2022, the school has an enrollment of more than 800 students, 31 highly qualified and committed teaching staff, and nine (9) hardworking personnel. It also boasts a covered basketball court with bleachers, two libraries, two computer labs, and more modern facilities.

As of the year 2022, the school has been offering all strands and tracks of the Senior High School level. It produced its first set of full-fledged K-12 graduates on May 31, 2024.

New site

In April 2, 2024, after much campaigning and lobbying and with the help and cooperation of the Philippine Embassy-Muscat, Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, the school was awarded an 11,000 square meter land at the al-Mabelah village of Seeb and Barka, where it will build its new campus.

The School's Curriculum

PSSO used the 1945-2017 basic education curriculum from 1990 until 2015, which consisted of levels from kindergarten to fourth year high school. Starting in 2012–2013 onward, PSSO applied the "Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013" or the K–12 law, which took full effect and shape at the start of academic year 2017-2018. This helps the student have an easier transition when he/she needs to return home. The following are the subjects that the school offers.

Initially, history subjects were taught in Filipino. Since the school year 2004-2005, English has been the subject's medium of instruction in order to accommodate foreign students and to help enforce a proper English-speaking policy. In addition, the school introduced Arabic subjects during 2007-2008 to comply with the standards in the host country.

For the Senior High School, PSSO first offered the General Academic Strand (GAS) track with electives related to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) track for school year 2016-2017. Since 2022, PSSO has been offering all Senior High School strands.

The School offers interest clubs to support the core subjects that the school is offering.

School Facilities and Services

The Philippine School offers a variety of facilities that the students can use. However, it should be only used for educational purposes. All facilities are listed below.

Notable alumni

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American British Academy</span> Non-profit school in Oman

The ABA Oman International School, earlier known as American British Academy is a private, non-profit, co-educational international school in Muscat, Oman established in September 1987. It offers a K-12 English-language curriculum to expatriate students. ABA is an International Baccalaureate World Continuum School, which enrolls 950 students from pre-kindergarten to grade 12 from more than 75 countries. ABA is the first school in the region to offer the IB programme — PYP, MYP and the IB DP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ateneo de Davao University</span> Roman Catholic university in Davao City, Philippines

Ateneo de Davao University is a private Catholic basic and higher education institution run by the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus in Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines. It was established in 1948 when the Jesuits took over the administration of the diocesan school, St. Peter's Parochial School. The Jesuits renamed the school to "Ateneo de Davao" after taking control. At that time, the Jesuits named all the schools that they were opening "Ateneo." Ateneo de Davao is the seventh school in the country to be named as Ateneo by the Jesuits. The university has five undergraduate schools, namely the School of Arts and Sciences, School of Business and Governance, School of Engineering and Architecture, School of Education and the School of Nursing. The graduate programs are under these units as well. The College of Law is a separate unit within the university. The university also runs a grade school and high school, both Junior High and Senior High.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twelfth grade</span> Twelfth post-kindergarten year of school education in some school systems

Twelfth grade is the twelfth year of formal or compulsory education. It is typically the final year of secondary school and K–12 in most parts of the world. Students in twelfth grade are usually 17–18 years old. Some countries have a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cebu Normal University</span> Public university in Cebu City, Philippines

Cebu Normal University, also referred to by its acronym CNU, is a state research university in Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines established in 1902.

Education in Oman is provided free of charge up to end of secondary education, though attendance is not mandatory at any level. In 1970 there were only three formal schools with 900 students in the whole state. Oman's national educational program expanded rapidly during the 1970s and the 1980s, with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia sending teachers on its own expense during that time period. In 2006–2007 about 560,000 students attended 1053 public schools. The number of students in private schools is about 65,000. There are also extensive programmes to combat adult illiteracy. Sultan Qaboos University, the only national university near Muscat, was founded in 1986, and in 2006 it had 13,500 students. The Human Development Report found the literacy rate to be 93.0% in adults, up from 54.7% in 1990. For the same period, the youth literacy rate increased from 85.6 to 97.3%. Public expenditure on education was reported to be 4.6% of GDP and 26.1% of total government spending.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bukidnon State University</span> Public university in Bukidnon, Philippines

Bukidnon State University, abbreviated as BSU and colloquially referred to as BukSU, is a provincial state university in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, Philippines. Formerly named Bukidnon State College, it became a university in 2007. The other university in the province of Bukidnon is Central Mindanao University in Musuan, Maramag.

Regional Science High School Union (RSHS-Union) is a specialized system of public secondary schools in the Philippines, established during the academic year 1994-1995. It is operated and supervised by the Department of Education, with a curriculum heavily focusing on math and science. It remains within the ambit of the Department of Education, unlike the specialized science high school system of national scope, the Philippine Science High School.

Education in the Philippines is compulsory at the basic education level, composed of kindergarten, elementary school, junior high school, and senior high school. The educational system is managed by three government agencies by level of education: the Department of Education (DepEd) for basic education; the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for higher education; and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for technical and vocational education. Public education is funded by the national government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quezon National High School</span> Public high school in Lucena, Philippines

Quezon National High School (QNHS) is a major public secondary science high school in Brgy. Ibabang Iyam, Lucena City, Philippines. It is one of the largest contingent national high schools in the Philippines, both by size and by population, with more than 11,000 enrollees from Grades 7 to Grade 12.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cagayan National High School</span> Public high school in Cagayan, Philippines

Cagayan National High School, abbreviated as CNHS and locally known as Cagayan High, is the universal high school of Region 2. It is located in Taft Street, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, Philippines. Established in 1905, it is the oldest public secondary level school in Cagayan and the province's premier secondary school.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine Normal University</span> Public university in the Philippines

The Philippine Normal University is a public coeducational teacher education and research university in the Philippines. It was established in 1901 through Act No. 74 of the Philippine Commission "for the education of natives of the Islands in the science of teaching". It has campuses in Manila, North Luzon, South Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Pursuant to Republic Act No. 9647, it is the country's National Center for Teacher Education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beaconhouse School System</span> Private school in Pakistan

The Beaconhouse School System (BSS), established in 1978, is a private preparatory school system in Pakistan. Today, Beaconhouse has over 146 campuses in major cities across Pakistan. BSS also operates independent divisions in Belgium, Malaysia, Oman, the Philippines, Thailand, the UAE and the United Kingdom. Its activities extend beyond education in some countries.

Caraga Regional Science High School is a public school in San Juan, Surigao City, Philippines. It is the leading school in the Division of Surigao City with high MPS during the annual National Achievement Tests (NAT), and has been consistent in making its name in Division, Regional, National and International level contests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian School, Salalah</span>

The Indian School Salalah is an Indian-run, self-financing, co-educational institution, primarily established to meet the academic needs of children of Indian expatriates working in the Sultanate of Oman in the Persian Gulf. The school also admits children of other nationalities. The school is located in the Dahariz area, of Salalah town, in the southern governorate of Dhofar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Philippine School, Dubai</span> Educational institution school in United Arab Emirates

The Philippine School or known in abbreviation as TPS is a school in Dubai catering for Filipinos, covering grade levels from kindergarten through the 12th grade. The Philippine School was established in February 2008 and opened its first academic year on September the following year. In 2010, it relocated to Al Rashidiya and then in Academic Year 2016–2017, It moved to its current campus in Al Muhaisnah. Today, the students of the TPS had brought honor to the school by participating in academic competitions, contests and inter-school activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine High School for the Arts</span> Public high school in Laguna, Philippines

The Philippine High School for the Arts is a specialized public high school in the Philippines offering arts-focused education established in 1978 by virtue of Presidential Decree 1287. An attached agency of the Department of Education, it consults with the Cultural Center of the Philippines for policy and program implementation of its arts program. Aside from the Basic Education curriculum prescribed by the government, it offers various specializations in the field of arts.

Filipinos in Oman are either migrants or descendants of the Philippines living in Oman. As of 2011, there are between 40,000 and 46,000 of these Filipinos in Oman. A large destination for Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), Oman was the only Middle Eastern nation included on the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration's list of nations safe for OFWs. The country still holds the title up to this day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tagum National Trade School</span> Public high school in Davao del Norte, Philippines

Tagum National Trade School (TNTS) is the only vocational of the five main public high schools in Tagum City, under the jurisdiction of the DepEd Division of Tagum City and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. It was founded on August 1, 1972. The institution cater students from Tagum City and the province of Davao del Norte.

The Ibalik ang Philippine History sa High School Movement is a collective term for an educational reform movement in the Philippines. It is a loose movement advocating the reinstatement of Philippine History as a dedicated Social Studies subject in the high school curriculum of the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Jose M. Ynares Sr. Memorial National High School</span> Public high school in Rizal, Philippines

Don Jose M. Ynares Sr. Memorial National High School, otherwise known as DJYMNHS, or locally Don Jose, is a public secondary school located at Barangay San Carlos, Binangonan, Rizal, Philippines. It was originally established as a satellite school or annex of Vicente Madrigal National High School, eventually standing as an independent school, in 1998. Its campus is located at Barangay San Carlos civic complex.

References

  1. "Philippine Ambassador in Oman welcomes the newly-elected Board of Trustees of the Philippine School in Oman". muscatpe.dfa.gov.ph. Republic of the Philippines. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  2. "Administration – PHILIPPINE SCHOOL". philippineschool.edu.om. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  3. Nebres, Anna. "Philippine School-Oman". cfo-pso.org.ph. Philippine Schools Overseas. Retrieved 24 March 2017.