Pinoy students urged to consider Canada as alternative study destination

Canada’s top envoy to the Philippines on Wednesday encouraged Filipino students aspiring to study abroad to consider Canada as an alternative study destination.

Ambassador Neil Reeder said Filipino students can enjoy the “strongest and highest quality education system” at a relatively modest cost compared to other study destinations since Canadian schools are government-subsidized.

Moreover, Canadian academic institutions, at par with leading institutions in the world, provide globally-recognized academic credentials to international students, said Reeder.

“For Filipinos, some would choose to study in the Philippines. Some would choose to study abroad. This is really focused on choice. If a student would choose to study abroad, Canada is an excellent option,” Reeder said at the launch of the 2014 Canadian school fair in Makati City.

“We want you to be part of the Canadian studying experience,” he said.

Canada, Reeder said, is seventh in the world as an international study destination, with over 293,000 foreign students enrolled in its schools.

Alumni

University of British Columbia alumnus Glenn Yu, president and CEO of SEAOIL Philippines, Inc., said Canada provides easy access to learning resources.

“In my particular field which is highly technical and technology- specific, you have the advantage of the resources there, not just to explore the material from a textbook level, but from a practical level where you will be able to see the resources made available to you,” said Yu, who graduated cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering.

Beauty queen Bea Rose Santiago, a native of Masbate who moved to Canada as a child, said studying in Canada exposed her to many opportunities and cultures.

“I loved how Canada is open to any kind of culture and tradition,” said Santiago, who studied Communications major in Public Relations at York University.

University of Toronto alumna Daphne Oseña-Paez, a TV host and entrepreneur, said the cost of going to a university in Canada is a fraction of what one would pay compared to other top universities, like Stanford or Harvard, while getting the same quality of education.

Likewise, Oseña-Paez, who earned a degree in Urban Studies specializing in Fine Arts History, said student loans are readily available and can be paid after graduation.

For those interested

Reeder said those interested in studying in Canada will get the chance to meet with representatives of 13 Canadian institutions during an education fair to be held on Oct. 4 at the Fairmont Hotel in Makati to discuss study opportunities at the K-12, college and university levels.  

Participating schools are Algonquin College, Centennial College, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Fulford Academy, Humber College, Langara College, Mount Saint Vincent University, Niagara College, Royal Roads University, SAIT Polytechnic, Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology, Seneca College, abd TAIE International Institute.

“I’m confident that this event will open new doors to those who will choose Canada as a study destination and help them make an informed decision about the future,” Reeder said.

Another Canadian alumnus Chris Tan, founder of Ideal Minds Corporation, an award-winning production company, believes Filipino students can easily blend into Canadian society without losing their identity.

“Canada is a mosaic not a melting pot,” he said. “It is where each culture is celebrated on its uniqueness and blends everyone.”

Help in nation-building

For celebrity chef Sharwin Tee, who studied and trained at Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts in Vancouver, getting an education abroad can aid in nation-building.

“You can go to Canada to study and come back because you can help your country a lot. You gain a different perspective of what you do and come back,” Tee said.

Education advocate, musician and multi-lingual specialist Nicole Severino said among the many benefits from studying in a foreign institution is the advantage of having multiple points of view.

“There’s nothing stopping us from evolving and moving forward and learning from what other people can share. That’s the global community,” Severino said.

The one-day Canadian education fair is open to the public for free from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  —KBK, GMA News

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