Philippine school to have a better and bigger home

By Joey Aguilar/Staff ReporterMore laboratories, classrooms, a bigger library and a number of sports facilities are expected to be part of the new Philippine School of Doha (PSD) campus which will be built in Abu Hamour. The new school campus will soon rise on a 14,375-sq m plot donated by the Qatar government. A ground-breaking ceremony was held in November last year. Currently the school is operating from a rented building in Al Messilah on an area of about 4,000 sq m.Alexander Acosta, principal of PSD, told Gulf Times that from less than 100 classrooms, they will be able to build more than 200 to accommodate the increasing number of students every year.“We already have a concept design and it was submitted to the Supreme Education Council (SEC) for approval. We hope to start the construction as early as possible once it is approved,” he said.Having its own campus, according to some observers, would significantly lower the school’s operating expenses. Laboratories for computer, chemistry, physics and biology are all part of the concept design. Aside from a swimming pool, the new campus will also include a gymnasium/auditorium that could accommodate at least 4,000 people. The existing hall could only house 500 students. The new gymnasium will also be used as a multi-purpose hall for basketball, volleyball, table tennis, badminton and other special events.PSD now has more than 2,700 students  in elementary and high school including pre-elementary. It also has around 90 full time teachers and a number of non-teaching staff.The school is also expected to hire additional teachers and staff in the Philippines with the help of their partner recruitment agency.Citing numerous awards and recognitions, Acosta said PSD represented Qatar in the World Robotics Olympiad 2012 held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in November.Competing in the international arena, it bested 13 other schools in the Middle East after winning the “Order of the Knights of Rizal” academic contest in Bahrain. PSD received the perpetual trophy for winning the prestigious event for three consecutive years.Acosta said the non-stock, non-profit academic institution was also included in the top 20 (out of 150) performing schools in Qatar for achieving better results in the PISA (Programme for International Student’s Assessment) exams.As it waits for the SEC’s approval of the concept design, PSD is continuously holding fund-raising activities for the construction of the new building. The school has recorded a total donation of QR181,349 as of December 2012. Acosta also appealed to teachers, parents, students and government officials to help in realising the new home for PSD. He said it would be an achievement not only for students but also for the Philippine government and the Filipinos.He also lauded the efforts of Philippine Ambassador to Qatar Crescente Relacion “for fully supporting the move especially when we were experiencing a lot of turmoil”.Acosta also cited the officers and members of the Parents-Teachers Association for spearheading fund-raising campaigns. “The PTA is always in-tandem with us.”PSD is planning to enhance its curriculum by adding more science related subjects. Under a new curriculum, science subjects will also be included in Grade 2.“We are aiming to become the first Philippine science school in the Middle East adhering to the philosophy of service and excellence,” Acosta said.The school also offers E-English and Math-A (Analytic) to further enhance the communication and mathematical skills of their students. Other courses it offers include Advance Science, Clinical Reading Programme and Reading Specialist.PSD started operating here in 1992 with only 33 students and three teachers. Acosta took over as principal in 2002 with more than 400 students.