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Pinoy students should get more chances for beneficial 'gap year' programs--Gibo

Philippines

Pinoy students should get more chances for beneficial 'gap year' programs--Gibo

By Ellson Quismorio

State universities and colleges (SUCs) ought to strengthen their partnership with international educational institutions to expand exchange program opportunities for Filipino students.

Senatorial candidate, former Department of National Defense (DND) secretary Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro made this pitch during his interview with DZRJ, wherein he discussed his platform on education.

“It is important for our SUCs to partner with educational institutions around the world, especially for gap year program offerings,” Teodoro said. “A gap year abroad is a good experience for our students for them to acquire skills and for their development.”

Teodoro, the 1989 Bar exam topnotcher, said that taking a gap year abroad will help students gain a global mindset that could be an advantage when they go back home to join the local workforce.

A gap year is a semester or full year of experiential learning typically taken between high school graduation and college enrollment. Gap years give students a pause from academics to figure out further education and career they wish to seek.

The former Tarlac congressman added that basic language skills should be brought back in college curriculum to expand the linguistics skills of students and prepare them for global opportunities.

“As we promote our country as a destination for tourists and multinational companies, it is strategic that we prepare our students to think global by exposing them to international exchange programs,” added the aspiring senator.

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