By Sheena B

Globalization: How It Has Ricarte | Submitted On

Affected Philippine May 21, 2013
Education And Beyond

Education before the 20th century where he is to be born, to be educated, and later to

was once treated as a domestic phenomenon and be of service to - the local village which is his home,

institutions for learning were once treated as local his community, his country.

institutions. Prior to the 20th century, education was

Nevertheless, the world has been in a constant state
usually limited within the confines of a country,
of flux. In the 20th century onwards, the phenomenon
exclusively meant for the consumption of its local
called globalization rose and became the buzzword.
citizens. Scholars or college students did not have to
Anything which pertained to the term globalization
travel miles away from their countries of origin to
was attributed to modernization, or anything that is
study and to gain skills which they needed in order to
up-to-date, if not better. Part and parcel of this trend is
traverse the paths of their chosen careers. Moreover,
the advent and irresistible force of information
national borders served as impenetrable walls in the
technology and information boom through the
name of sovereignty. Gaining a college degree and
wonders of the Internet. The idea of cosmopolitanism
the skills entailed with it were merely for the purpose
- a sense of all of humanity, regardless of race, creed,
of staunch nationalistic service to one's land of origin.
gender, and so on, living in a so-called global village -
Furthermore, knowledge of the valleys and the
is another primary indicator of globalization.
oceans encircling the world map, as well as foreign
Moreover, international media as well as trade and
languages and international political regimes were not
investment have been unbridled and have occurred in
much of an imperative. Intercultural exchange was not
a transnational nature. Finally, globalization has
massive and sophisticated, if not intricate. Acceptance
involved the uncontrollable movement of scholars,
and understanding of cultural diversity were not
laborers, and migrants moving from one location to
pressured upon anyone, as well as the lure to
another in search for better employment and living
participate in a globally interconnected world. In other
conditions.
words, before the 20th century, scholastic work were

predominantly simple and constrained in the local, the

Apparently, globalization seemed to be all-
domestic, the nearby. They were limited to one's own
encompassing, affecting all areas of human life, and
village, one's own region, one's own country. A
that includes education. One indicator of this is the
student had his own neighborhood as the location
emergence of international education as a concept. Indeed, globalization and international education have

Internationalization of education is manifested by altogether encouraged students to get to know their

catchphrases like The Global Schoolhouse, All the world better and to get involved with it more.

world's a classroom, One big campus that is Europe,

Boston College's Center for International Higher
Think global. Act local, and Go West. Students from
Education director and International Education expert
the world over have been ostensibly persuaded to
Philip Altbach asserted in his article "Perspectives on
learn about the world and to cope with technological
International Higher Education" that the elements of
advancements, if not to become a Citizen of the
globalization in higher education are widespread and
World. Moreover, globalization and international
multifaceted. Clear indicators of globalization trends in
education are at play, for instance, when speaking of
higher education that have cross-national implications
Singapore being branded as the Knowledge Capital of
are the following:
Asia, demonstrating the city-state as among the

world's academic powerhouses; De La Salle

1. Flows of students across borders;
University in Manila, Philippines entering into
2. International branch and offshore campuses dotting
agreements and external linkages with several
the landscape, especially in developing and middle-
universities in the Asian region like Japan's Waseda
income countries;
University and Taiwan's Soochow University for
3. In American colleges and universities, programs
partnership and support; the establishment of branch
aimed at providing an international perspective and
campuses or satellites in Singapore of American and
cross-cultural skills are highly popular;
Australian universities like the University of Chicago
4. Mass higher education;
and the University of New South Wales, respectively;
5. A global marketplace for students, faculty, and
online degree programs being offered to a housewife
highly educated personnel; and
who is eager to acquire some education despite her
6. The global reach of the new 'Internet-based'
being occupied with her motherly duties; students
technologies.
taking semesters or study-abroad programs; and

finally the demand to learn English - the lingua franca Moreover, European Association of International

of the modern academic and business world - by non- Education expert S. Caspersen supported that

traditional speakers, like the Chinese, the Japanese, internationalization influences the following areas:

and the Korean students exerting efforts to learn the Curriculum, language training, studies and training

language in order to qualify for a place in English- abroad, teaching in foreign languages, receiving

speaking universities and workplaces. Apparently, all foreign students, employing foreign staff and guest

of these promote international education, convincing teachers, providing teaching materials in foreign

its prospective consumers that in today's on-going languages, and provision of international Ph. D.

frenzy of competition, a potent force to boost one's students. Nevertheless, globalization's objective of a

self-investment is to leave their homes, fly to another "one-size-fits-all" culture that would ease international

country, and take up internationally relevant courses. transactions has not seemed to be applicable to all
the nations of the world. In the words of Nobel overriding for most students. Study-abroad endeavors

Laureate economist Joseph Stiglitz, globalization's are not popular among the current generation of

effects are dualistic in nature. Globalization itself is students. The typical outlook is that it is not practical

neither good nor bad. It has the power to do to study overseas obviously because of the expenses

enormous good. But in much of the world, - tuition fees, living costs, accommodation, and

globalization has not brought comparable benefits. airfare. Although financial aid may be available, they

For many, it seems closer to an unmitigated disaster. are hugely limited. There may be several universities

In Andrew Green's 2007 book, "Education and that offer merit or academic scholarships, talent

Development in a Global Era: Strategies for scholarships, athletic scholarships, teaching

'Successful Globalisation'", he asserted that optimists assistantships, research assistantships, full or partial

would refer to the rise of East Asian tigers - Japan, tuition fee waivers, but actually there is certainly not a

China, and South Korea - as globalization's success lot of student money. Apparently, international

stories. But these are just a minority of the world's two education is understood as a global issue, a global

hundred nations. A majority has remained in their commodity, and above all, a privilege - and therefore,

developing situations, among these is the Philippines. it is not for everyone. Hence, studying in America is a

mere option for those who can afford to pay the

In terms of international education being observed in
expenses entailed in studying abroad.
the Philippines, universities have incorporated in their

mission and vision the values of molding graduates The Philippines is a Third World country which is

into globally competitive professionals. Furthermore, heavily influenced by developed nations like the

Philippine universities have undergone United States. Globalization may have affected it

internationalization involving the recruitment of foreign positively in some ways, but a huge chunk of its

academics and students and collaboration with effects has been leaning to the detriment of the

universities overseas. English training has also been Filipinos. Globalization has primarily affected not only

intensified, with the language being used as the the country's education system but even beyond it -

medium of instruction aside from the prevailing economically and socially. These include brain drain,

Filipino vernacular. Finally, Philippine higher declining quality in education because of profiteering,

education, during the onset of the 21st century, has labor surplus, vulnerability of its workers overseas,

bolstered the offering of nursing and information and declining family values.

technology courses because of the demand of foreign

For one, the Philippines is a migrant-worker country.
countries for these graduates.
This phenomenon of sending its laborers (also known

In terms of student mobility, although gaining an as Overseas Filipino Workers or OFWs) abroad to

international training through studying abroad like in work and to send money back home has been

the United States is deemed impressive, if not intensified by globalization. Brain drain - or the

superior, by most Filipinos, the idea of practicality is exodus of talented and skilled citizens of a country
transferring to usually developed nations for better too much access to education versus quality

employment and living conditions - is one problem education. For instance, for every five kilometers in

that has been stepped up by globalization. The this country, there is a nursing school, a computer

Philippine foreign policy of labor diplomacy began in school, a care-giving school, and a cosmetic school.

the 1970s when rising oil prices caused a boom in Angara suggested that lawmakers and educators

contract migrant labor in the Middle East. The should find a happy formula for quality education.

government of dictator Ferdinand Marcos, from the

Third, labor surplus is another dire effect of
mid-1960s to the mid-1980s, saw an opportunity to
globalization. In 2008, the phenomenon of brain drain
export young men left unemployed by the stagnant
started to subside in the Philippines. This period was
economy and established a system to regulate and
when the United States started to experience a
encourage labor outflows. This scenario has led
financial turmoil which was contagious, distressing
Filipinos to study courses like nursing which would
countries around the world which are dependent to its
secure them employment overseas rather than in their
economy. In the Philippines, it has been surmised that
home country. For more than 25 years, export of
the demand for nurses has already died down
temporary labor like nurses, engineers, information
because the need for them has already been filled.
technology practitioners, caregivers, entertainers,
For instance, the United States has decided that
domestic helpers, factory workers, construction
instead of outsourcing foreign nurses, they have
workers, and sailors were sent overseas to be
resorted to employing local hires to mitigate its local
employed. In return, the Philippine economy has
problem of rising unemployment. As a result, this
benefited through the monetary remittances sent by
incident has receded the phenomenon of a majority of
these OFWs. In the last quarter of 2010, the
Filipino college students taking up nursing. And the
Philippine economy gained roughly $18.76 billion in
unfortunate result is the labor surplus of nursing
remittances which largely came from OFWs based in
graduates. This dilemma which has been caused by a
the United States, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom,
Third World country such as the Philippines trying to
Japan, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Italy,
cope with globalization's feature of labor outflows has
Germany, and Norway.
left Filipinos on a double whammy. Over 287,000

Second, the demand for overseas employment by nursing graduates are currently either jobless or

these Filipino professionals has affected the quality of employed in jobs other than nursing. Nursing

the local education system in the form of fly-by-night, graduates nowadays suffer job mismatch, taking on

substandard schools which were only aimed at jobs which are different from their field of

profiteering. A Filipino legislator, Edgardo Angara, specialization like working for call centers, serving as

once aired his concern over the spread of many English tutors, if not remaining unemployed because

schools which offer courses believed to be demanded the Philippine hospitals have little to no vacancies at

in foreign countries and the declining quality all which are supposed to be occupied by the large

education. Angara observed that the Philippines has number of nursing graduates. Furthermore, these
professionals are accepted by hospitals or clinics as belief that through education, their children are

volunteers with little to no monetary benefits, or as guaranteed with promising futures and achieving

trainees who are burdened with the policy of forcibly decent lives. Thus, given the limited employment

paying the hospitals for their training. opportunities in the Philippines which are unable to

support the needs of the family, one or both parents

Fourth, a dilemma that globalization has burdened the
leave to work outside the country. As a result, Filipino
Philippines is the vulnerability of its overseas workers.
children, although their educational goals and well-
For instance, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, United Arab
being are sustained, would have to survive with one
Emirates, and Taiwan, have had no choice but to lay
or both parents away from them. They would then
off and repatriate their Filipino guest workers in light
have to deal with living with an extended family
of the global financial crisis. Furthermore, the threat of
member such as aunts, uncles or grandparents who
Saudization is a present concern in the Philippines
are left to take care of them. This has deprived
nowadays. Presently, around 1.4 million OFWs in
Filipino children of parental support and guidance as
Saudi Arabia are in danger of losing their jobs
they are separated from the primary members of their
because the Arab nation is implementing a
family.
Saudization program which will prioritize their Arab

citizens for employment. To date, with more than 1.5 In reality, even though Filipino families have

million OFWs, Saudi Arabia is the country which has experienced the monetary benefits of a family

the greatest concentration of OFWs. It is the largest member uprooting himself from the country to work

hirer of Filipino Workers and has the largest Filipino overseas, this trend has not been enjoyed by the

population in the Middle East. As Saudi Arabia hosts a majority of Filipinos. The poorest of the poor cannot

majority of OFWs, the problem of these Filipino afford to leave and work overseas. Also, with volatile

workers losing their jobs and returning to their market forces, the value of the US dollar which is

homeland where employment opportunities are used as the currency of OFW salaries vacillating,

scarce is a national threat. Furthermore, the current rising gas prices and toll fees in highways, and the

national instability in countries like Syria and Libya continued surge in the cost of living in the Philippines,

has threatened the lives of the OFWs, who still have in general, globalization has precluded long-term

chosen to stay in their foreign workplaces because of economic growth for the country, with the masses

economic reasons which they find weightier vis--vis suffering a great deal. Moreover, with human capital

their safety. and technological know-how important to growth, the

Philippines suffered with globalization by losing its

Finally, globalization has resulted to social costs
professionals to the developed countries which, on
which involve challenges to Filipino families.
the other hand, experienced "brain gain".
Possessing close family ties, Filipino families sacrifice

and allocate significant amounts of financial resources Indeed, globalization has both positive and negative

in order to support their kin. Filipino parents have the effects, but in the Philippine case, it is more on the
negative. It is justified to say that globalization is an improvements in less developed countries. These

"uneven process" and that most least developing fruits of globalization, unfortunately, did not trickle

countries did not grow significantly in light of down a great deal to the Philippines. Hence, although

globalization. Those which predominantly benefited overseas employment has been a legitimate option

are the affluent and powerful countries of the Western for the local workers, it is high time that the Philippine

world and East Asia. government encourage colleges and universities to

provide programs that are relevant to the nature of

The Philippines was once considered as the
this substantially agricultural country like agriculture-
"knowledge capital of Asia", particularly during the
related courses as these would play a significant role
1960s and the 1970s. Its system of higher education
in setting the Philippine economy in motion towards
was marked by high standards comparable to its
development. The population boom in this country,
neighboring countries, much lower tuition fees, and
which is commonly reckoned as among the country's
the predominant use of English as the medium of
predicaments as the surging number of Filipinos is
instruction. The Philippines, consequently, was able to
indirectly proportional to the employment
entice students from its neighboring nations, like the
opportunities available, should be taken advantage of
Chinese, the Thais, and the Koreans. However,
by encouraging the surplus of people to develop
presently, this once upbeat picture has now been
employment and improve the rural farmlands. Affluent
replaced by a bleak one because of several problems
Filipino families who own large conglomerates should
which has long confronted the system like budget
also participate in creating more employment
mismanagement, poor quality, and job mismatch,
opportunities and encouraging dignified labor
thereby seriously affecting its consumers and end
conditions so as to mitigate the dismal trend of labor
products - the Filipino students. Making matters worse
migration. Moreover, instead of adopting policies
is globalization affecting the graduates of Philippine
imposed by powerful Western countries like the
universities by luring them to choose to work
United States and going with the flow, the Philippine
overseas because of the greater monetary benefits
government should work in reinforcing the welfare of
vis--vis the disadvantage of leaving their families
its citizens more than anything else. (Sheena Ricarte,
home and not serving their countrymen. Now that the
August 31, 2011).
world is undergoing financial turmoil, the Filipino

workers would then have to cope with these dire Article

effects of globalization. Source: [Link]

carte/1572698
Apparently, the Philippines has remained stagnant, as

opposed to the goals of increasing equality, rapid

economic growth through integration into the global

market, and the wide distribution of social

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