Baguio Schools
What is an "English Academy?"
An "English Academy" is how Koreans refer to a language school teaching the English language that have been sprouting all around the city in the past decade.
These are schools set up for and by Koreans and other foreign nationals to further their proficiency in the English language to enable them to enter their own universities, migrate to another country upon retirement and/or be able to get better jobs.
Related Articles
- Schools & Other Educational Institutions @Baguio Directory
The City of Pines is the favorite venue for these English academies among all other locations in the Philippines because of cool weather similar to their own, the availability of cheap and fluent English teachers, and because it really is more cost effective over-all for them to operate here.
A great number of these are run by Korean religious missionary groups where the youth are sent for spiritual and disciplinary reasons. These usually provide board and lodging for the students with a coaching curriculum approved by a Philippines government agency.
Some english academies are fully owned by Korean nationals or in partnership with Filipino nationals.
Some students live in the English Academy and go to local Baguio universities for their baccalaureate degree in A.B. English (mostly) or some other course.
The Korean summer months (mid-July to early September) see a great influx of tourists taking crash courses in the English language, as well as the winter break (mid-December to early February).
The popularity of the Korean English Academy as a business model has caused a rise in real estate rental rates in Baguio City, with large, private vacation homes, apartment rows and even small hotels and inns being leased for this purpose.
Of course, this is not the only reason the Koreans are in the Philippines in general and Baguio City in particular. A lot of Koreans come on vacation to play in our golf courses at Camp John Hay and Baguio Country Club, visit the casino (as there's one just 45 minutes away at Poro Point in La Union) and frequent 'karaoke' bars. A lot of Korean tourists are allowed by the laxity in the enforcement of immigration laws of the Philippines to actually stay here and do business as operators of grocery stores, Korean restaurants and karaoke bars.
©2012. All Rights Reserved. GoBaguio! Your Complete Guide to Baguio City, Philippines
Did you enjoy this page and find it useful?
SHARE!
GET EVEN MORE FROM US!
