School Options

Hi redshoes595,

Welcome to Expat.com!

I hope you get replies to your queries very soon.

I wish you good luck
Christine

Thanks Christine. I am very nervous about moving over there but mostly just want a great experience for my kids who are appprehensive. I don't want to homeschool but right now that looks like the only option. Do you know what the public schools are like?

Hi redshoes595.

Where did you get the numbers for tuition fee? Are you planning to enroll your kids in international schools?  I think these are just overrated. 

The best schools here in Metro Manila are just under 4k.  (I'm assuming we are talking in US$ terms.) Shop around.  Your sister in law probably had a bad experience with that one school.  But that may be years ago, and things may already have changed.  So, just cross out that particular school from your list. 

Take a look at the curriculum offered at the school of your choice and that in the US.  If you think the curriculum here is lacking, you can supplement your child's schooling with homeschooling materials from the US if you want.

Hi, my nephew is enrolled at Singapore School Cebu. It is one of the best school here in Cebu.

hello redshoes595
regarding to your post about school, I know so many affordable private schools in Bacolod City, it is in Western Visayas.If you want an affordable American standard and International affiliate you try to get info in Cosmopolitan Christian School, if you pay for the whole year 2 weeks before the school starts you will get 10 percent discount.For grade 1, if you pay whole year it will be 8000PHP upto 11,000Php books and uniform are excluded.If your student is grade 2 then just they add up a hundred or up to 300 increased in tuition fee. If Pre-schooler, then ranging from 5000 up to 6000 a year. For grade1 the books it is 4000PHP 1 set, uniform you could just buy it in the store depends to the size, 135Php for large size and less than 100 php for small size, white polo and navy blue pants you could get it from stores price more than 100Php.You need to buy school logo  15Php each.School requirements,like bag, notebooks envelopes folder, artpaper, paste ,glue bond paper, crayons, pencil, Your budget should be 1000Php or even make it 1500 it's already complete for 1 kid.Then he will be ready to school. But, warning that Cosmopolitan school, most students are academically very competitive their 5 yrs old student already know to read freely.So, if your 5 yrs.old kid doesn't know to read yet it's highly recommended for tutorial at school, it is extra pay 1,300 per month  for tutorial depends if how many months you want your kid to have tutorial.Tutorials it is after kids regular schedule, it is from Monday to Thursday the tutorial, Every friday only. And expect that it is Christian school, so they really will train your kids about God, they will have Bible classes, in Other school they call it GMRC ( Good Manners and Right Conduct)They also provide computer class, actually for grade one they will have, Bible as subject,English Reading, English Language, Mathematics, They have Pagbaybay it is Pilipino book or tagalog, that book contains, spelling, Filipino alphabets, history it's like mixed. And they will have Music subject, they also have Civics,Science,Arts, Computer.It is total of 9 Academic subjects , for the computer subject they use laboratory and hands on, so you have to pay 1,200 pesos a month.
They have also monthly exams, they call it Monthly test, each subject minimum of 55 questions up to 80 question for some of subjects,questions more on Identification , enumeration and spelling, expect in Bible subject it's more on memorization, they usually give 5 memory verses for a kid to write the whole verse, and follows the enumeration, matching type or True or False question, this school doesn't give multiple choice type of exam. The exam it takes 3 days, 3 subjects given in the morning and regular classes in the afternoon. After Monthly exam, in the 2nd Month they will give the Periodic Exam, this will be more harder, questions more difficult but they cut off classes in the afternoon, same thing exam takes 3 days for 9 subjects.And take note that the teachers in that school provide only Pointers for exam 2 days before the exam begins. So if the student won't strive hard to learn in advance they could easily fail in exam. School doesn't allowed to bring the books at home, except if there's homework. Means the teacher put kids book in the bag if there is homework or when she already distribute the pointer for exam.Each kids has assignment notebook, every notice , like homework, project, lesson to study or if your kids does not behave at school it will be written in their assignment notebook.So you could really trace up the performance of your kid, they also send the results of daily quizzes. Take note that this school is upgrading their standards so they teach  really advance, the  lessons they give for grade one, it is like the lesson in grade 5, or grade 6. So if you enroll your kid in Kinder 1 it's age  3 to 4 yrs  old the lesson they will have it's like the lesson for grade 1 and grade 2. To compare the subjects of Grade  3 or 4 in Public school, it is just like the subject of grade 1 in Cosmopolitan.Every year private schools have Seminar, they compete, and usually this school win, there's also other school that is a lot cheaper it is semi private it's in downtown area they call it ETCS but if your grade is just 92 percent you will be in section 5. There's also private school yearly payment is 18k per child like in Shiloh, Jack in Jill school 16k to 18 k a year with excellent teaching too, but there's cheap private schools too that you have to pay 300php a month but of course teachers always present at school, In public school you almost pay nothing for elementary and high school, sometimes even free enrollment just buy your things, uniform and daily snacks, and transportation,
i think 5 to 6 peso jeepney fare for student.For college there are cheaper private schools too, and there's cheap government school also just a few tuition fee for exam.Bacolod City National High school they teach good also NOHS or they call it Negross Occidental High School, they offered night school.They teach good so far. But if your kids are elementary enroll them in Rizal Elementary School, it's semi private it's cheap and good teaching, There's really lots of school to chose in public school for Kinder it is just free, may you pay 50 pesos a month. If you want your 6 years old kids to jump in grade one  that they know to read and write or else they can't enroll in grade one and they need to be in Kindergarten 2.My son presently studying in Bacolod and he has great performance he perfect atleast 8 subjects everytime they got exam, he usually just have 1 mistake. I trained my son, I bought 2 sets of book 1 for schooland 1 for the house. The books in Cosmopolitan it is actually from Phoenix Publisher. I think it's US.

Here is link of private schools in Bacolod City, Visayas, you can try to call them for inquiries.Christian schools are really cheaper and they teach good.Prices depends to year level if pre schol then a lot lower.than graders Cosmopolitan Christian school they accept installment payments too if you don't want to pay full at once.If parents hardly can't pay each month they accept installments payment method.

http://bacolodcity.gov.ph/bacolodcity_p … chools.htm

Place to stay if you worry about no house, you can rent whole house starting from Php4,000 up to 10,000 a month it's already very good house and located in subdivision, it's peaceful place though no floods and clean environment.

Since you are moving in Cebu, try this school: hope this will help you.

Cebu Internatinal School
P.O. Box 735, Pit-os,
6000, Cebu City,
Cebu,
Philippines
Map Telephone: 63-32-417-6390
Fax: 63-32-417-6394
E-mail: [email protected]

Good schools in cebu.. And the teachers do show up!

Sacred heart school for girls or coed...i think the coed is nearer to banilad located at talamban. It is jesuit run and english is spoken even by kids as young as 6-7 yrs. old.

Lots of international schools near banilad... There is cebu international school to name one.

There is a nice playschool at the banilad town center for under 4s.. Gymboree.

There is no shortage of good schools in cebu. Public schools are not an option though. Only normal university and science high school are the 2 decent public schools. The rest are crap for kids.

Private schools are not that pricey... My mum was a single parent..sent us all in private school all 4 of us siblings. So yeah.. Its not a problem:)

Have you tried Woodridge International School in Banilad, Cebu? They are an accredited member of Cambridge International School and they have small class sizes.

redshoes595 wrote:

I have 4 children, ages 12,9,8 and 3.5. We are moving to Cebu, Banilad area on the 18th of June. Our company is not paying for private schooling for our children and we do not have the funds to pay for it ourselves for 4 kids. 12k a year per child turns into 48k a year and that is not an option. What other options do I have for schools? My oldest is very gifted and needs challenge along with Algebra 1. My other two just need love and consistency, My sister-in-law who went to school there as a foreign exchange student said that the majority of the time her teachers never showed up.  She was at a highly ranked private school in Manila. This really concerns me. I do not want to homeschool them as I want them to have the interaction with others their own age. Any help or guidance you can give would be greatly appreciated.

Try to inquire at BRIGHT ACADEMY
It's one of the competitive private schools in Cebu and its near Banilad.
Some of the students are children from EXPATS also.


Contact Information Address: Gov. Cuenco St., Banilad, Cebu City 6000
Telephone Number: (032) 416 – 1500
Mobile Number: (+63) 917 – 3254503
E-mail Address: [email protected]

Hello

@ Juan_Pedro: For info, the post by redshoe595 to which you are replying  is dated 2011! 

Regards
Kenjee
Expat.com

Lol :p