Philippine School in Greece

Philippine School in Greece
By: Yoko Ramos-Vingno
“Parents want to give the best of everything to their children and ---Education is one of them,” according to Ms. Joanne David. Joanne is the Cultural Officer of the Philippine Embassy Athens in charge of the Philippine School in Greece. “The leaders and members of the different Filipino communities in Athens wanted to have a Filipino school for their children that will be recognized by the Philippine Department of Education.” This dream led to the establishment of the Philippine School in Greece formerly known as KAPHILCA in September 1997.
The Philippine School in Greece (PSG) formerly the Katipunan Philippines Cultural Academy (KAPHILCA) was founded on September 9, 1997. Then Ambassador Norberto R. Basilio presented this Filcom proposal to then President Fidel V. Ramos, who was in Athens for a State Visit in June 1997. President Ramos ordered the release of One and a Half Million Pesos from the President Social Fund and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office for the creation of KAPHILCA.
The school is a non-stock and non-profit organization registered with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission. The Board of Trustees elected Dr. Marcos R. Fojas, the first Filipino doctor in Greece, as its President. KAPHILCA’s name was inspired from the Philippine Revolution as the Philippines then was to celebrate the 100th year of its independence the following year. But it was later changed to Philippine School in Greece in accordance with practice to naming of Philippine schools established overseas. President Ramos further expanded the schools program overseas which is now also established in Doha, Oman and Bahrain following the KAPHILCA model.
The Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs of the Hellenic Republic has granted the Philippine School in Greece the permit to operate. It is the only Philippine school existing in the European Union.
The first batch of elementary students graduated on June 21, 2003. Later on the school was expanded with the addition of high school curriculum. The school since then has increased its number of enrollees.
The school’s aim is to develop the students’ competencies and equip them with the skills needed to pursue higher studies and provide the foundation for further education towards a career with emphasis on their Filipino identity and culture, to learn about the Philippines and its people.
“The Philippine School in Greece aims to provide affordable and quality education in accordance with the Philippine basic education curricula; provide the Filipino youth in Greece with an education that would contribute to shaping their Filipino identity and character; and to maintain required standards to ensure that those enrolled in its education programs can be readily integrated into the Philippine educational system on their return to the Philippines.”