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MANILA, Philippines—Timor-Leste’s government is sending 152 scholars to various Philippine universities and colleges for baccalaureate courses and graduate studies, the Department of Foreign Affairs announced Tuesday.
Quoting a report from Philippine Ambassador to Timor-Leste Leoncio R. Cardenas, the DFA said the scholars were selected from thousands of students who applied and passed examinations given last month.
The DFA said the number would increase on a yearly basis and was projected to reach a thousand per year starting in 2010.
The Timorese scholars will leave in batches for Manila from December 2008 to January 2009. Of the initial batch, 131 will take up baccalaureate courses while 21 will pursue post-graduate studies.
Cardenas, who was the guest of honor when Timor-Leste’s Ministry of Education announced the scholars, said an initial orientation meeting was held on November 10.
He said the announcement of the list of scholars marked a milestone in the history of Philippine development assistance to Timor-Leste in the field of education, which was formalized by the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Academic Cooperation during the state visit to the Philippines of President Jose Ramos-Horta in August 2008.
Funds for the Timorese scholars will be provided by their government.
Cardenas said the Philippines was chosen as a university destination primarily for financial reasons.
“It is cheaper to send students to the Philippines compared to countries like Australia, Singapore, the United States or Europe, and the students’ desire to learn English and the cultural and religious affinity,” he said.
Both countries are the only Catholic countries in Asia.
Earlier, negotiations on the sending of scholars were undertaken by the Timorese Embassy in Manila and the Commission on Higher Education.
This was highlighted by the visit to Manila by Education Minister Joao Freitas in September 2008 when he conferred with top officials of the Commission on Higher Education on the matter.
