Sokor ASPnet schools visit RP

Twelve participants of the ASPnet teacher exchange program between the Philippines and Korea, all of whom are currently teachers and officials involved in the UNESCO ASPnet school, visited the Philippines from Oct. 23 to 26.

The delegation is composed of Kim Ho Seong, president, Preschool Educational University; Song Song Jin, Korean National Commission for UNESCO representative; Ju-Hui Lee, Ministry of Education, Korea; Eun-Young Hong, Jun-ju Korea Elementary School; Hye-hwan Kim, Sangdang High School; Min-Gyung Kim, Busan International High School; Soo-Youn Son, Jochiwon Girls High School; Yun Seok O, Cyeonan Bong Seo Middle School; Yoon Wan Keun, Gwangju Korea; Byun Tae-u, Jeju,Korea; Boyoung Park, Chongju, Korea, and Kim Jung Won, Andong G.B. Korea.

Ambassador Preciosa S. Soliven, Philippine UNESCO secretary-general, organized the group’s visit to selected Philippine teacher training institutions, elementary schools and high schools using innovative systems of education such as: the University of Sto. Tomas, Philippine Normal University, Centro Escolar University, Jesu Mariae, Legarda Elementary School, Ramon Magsaysay High School and O.B. Montessori Center

First launched in 1953, UNESCO ASPnet recently celebrated its 50th anniversary conference in Auckland, New Zealand with the theme "Navigators for Peace." As a network of committed schools engaged in fostering and delivering quality education to meet the pressing educational needs of children and young people throughout the world, Ambassador Soliven, who gave the talk on innovative education in Auckland, emphasized the need for ASP schools to promote literacy training.

The ASPnet exchange program in Asia and the Pacific organized by the Korean National Commission for UNESCO aims to exchange information and experiences among the member states in the region on the present status of each nation’s educational system and to promote mutual understanding on traditional cultures and environmental issues by study visits. By November, Korea will reciprocate the Philippine team of schools composed of O.B. Montessori Center, Inc., Jesu Mariae School, Holy Angel University, University of Sto. Tomas, Centro Escolar University, La Salle Greenhills and Ramon Magsaysay High School. Their visit will be co-hosted by the Korea UNESCO Asian Pacific Center for Education and International Understanding (APCEIU) and the Korean ASPnet schools.

The issue of quality education has never been more important than it is today. The ASPnet schools are armies of youth flying the standards of truth to develop the "knowledge society" through UNESCO’s mandates of education, science and culture. They are fighting for freedom from ignorance, the root cause of poverty.