An "Elitist" List of Schools

NZ Immigration uses a points system to assess an applicant's suitability to migrate to NZ. The system awards points to a number of factors. One of which is an applicant's college education. For example, if you have a doctorate or masters degree you get 55 points. A bachelor’s degree gives you 50 points.

However, before you can claim points, the school where you graduated from must be in the list of recognized schools by NZ Immigration. The NZ Immigration website maintains a list of recognized schools in the Philippines.

Here’s the current list they have (as of Aug 2006):

• Ateneo de Manila University, Manila (1959)
• De La Salle University, Manila (1911)
• University of Philippines Diliman (incl. attached regional campuses (colleges at Baguio City, Cebu City, Clark Air Base & Tacloban City)) (1908)
• University of Philippines Los Banos
• University of Philippines Manila
• University of Santo Tomas, Manila

• Assumption College, Manila
• Ateneo de Davao University, Davao City
• Ateneo de Naga College, Naga City
• Ateneo de Zamboanga College, Zamboanga City
• Cebu Central Colleges, Cebu City (see University of Cebu)
• Central Luzon State University, Neuva Ecija
• Central Philippines University, Iloilo City
• College of the Holy Spirit of Manila, Manila
• Divine Word University of Tacloban, Tacloban City
• Far Eastern University, Manila
• Mapua Institute of Technology, Manila
• Maryknoll College Foundation Inc (see Miriam College)
• Mindanao State University, Marawi City (& General Santos City)
• Miriam College, Quezon City (formerly Maryknoll College Foundation Inc)
• Pamanasan ng Lungsod ng Manila, (University of the City of Manila)
• Pamantasan ng Xavier (Xavier University), Cagayan De Oro
• Philippines School of Business Administration
• Phlippines Normal College, Manila
• Saint Louis University, Baguio City
• Saint Paul College of Manila, Manila
• Saint Scholastica's College, Manila
• Saint Theresa's College, Cebu City
• San Beda College, Manila
• Silliman University, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental
• University of Cebu (formerly Cebu Central Colleges)
• University of the City of Manila, (Pamanasan ng Lungsod ng Manila)
• University of the East, Manila
• University of the Philippines in the Visayas (Iloilo City)
• University of San Agustin, Iloilo City
• University of San Carlos, Cebu City
• University of San Jose-Recoletos, Cebu City
• Visayas State College of Agriculture, Leyte
• Xavier University (Pamantasan ng Xavier), Cagayan De Oro

If your school is not in the list, you can still claim points but in a more difficult way. You have to submit your transcript as well as a prospectus from the school to a NZ agency called NZQA who will then make an assessment and final decision as to how many points you can get. More often than not, it is zero points (I hope people who've gone through NZQA can correct me if I'm wrong). Which means that if your school is not in the list, it's practically sorry for you.

Whatever the case may be, in my opinion, having a list of recognized schools is kinda “elitist”, un-PC (politically correct) in an indirect way. For who can afford to go to the schools listed above? It’s mostly the well-to-do, middle to upper-class I’ld say. Therefore having such a list is tantamount to excluding other Filipinos who graduated from lesser known schools but who may otherwise be just as intelligent, if not more intelligent.

I believe that NZ Immigration can improve their selection process by NOT only limiting applicants from a recognized set of schools. They could do so by granting suitable points to any board-exam passer, or anyone who has passed tests/evaluations given by the national government or reputable private institutions, regardless of the school they graduated from.

For example, the case of computer programmers. The best programmers do not necessarily come from Ateneo, UP, La Salle and the like. In fact, one does not even need a degree to be a good programmer. Mr Gates, was a university drop out, wasn't he?

So instead of recognizing only computer science grads from selected schools, NZ Immigration can give out points also to those who passed certification exams given by Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, Sybase, or a national body such as the National Computer Center (NCC).

I know it’s not a perfect solution because some professions don’t have regulatory board exams. But at least it widens the playing field a bit by providing a window of opportunity for the equally bright but underpriviledged who also have dreams of going to NZ.

Ang kuro-kurong ito ay hatid sa inyo ng "Boy Bawang Kornik" at ng "Jaja's Spicy Longganiza - It's so good, you can taste it all day!"