DepEd renews Korean language partnership for public schools

The Department of Education (DepEd) has renewed its partnership with the Republic of Korea’s (ROK) Ministry of Education to teach the Korean language in select public high schools, equipping students with international skills.

“By renewing this partnership, we are not just teaching a new language; we are opening doors to global opportunities for our teachers and learners,” Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara said in a news release.

Through the DepEd’s Special Program in Foreign Language (SPFL), Filipino students learn foreign languages and cultural diversity to better prepare for future global opportunities.

SPFL-Korean, launched in 2017, was established through a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between the DepEd and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea.

The Korean Cultural Center of the Philippines (KCC) served as the official training provider, offering immersive cultural experiences of Korean culture catered to the Filipino youth.

Under the new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the program will focus on curriculum development, teacher capacity building, provision of Korean language specialists and teaching resources, and continued institutionalization of Korean as a foreign language in select high schools.

“The renewal of the agreement marks another milestone in Philippines-ROK bilateral relations, underscoring a shared commitment to educational innovation and cultural exchange,” the DepEd said.

In School Year (SY) 2024-2025, 4,810 learners and 168 teachers benefited from the SPFL-Korean, which was implemented in 69 public secondary schools across 13 regions nationwide.

Apart from Korean, the SPFL also offers Spanish, French, Japanese, German, and Chinese languages in select secondary schools, in partnership with foreign institutions. — Almira Louise S. Martinez