Darwin International School is the reason why I want to pack up my three school-age kids to Bulacan. Bulacan students should be oh-so-lucky 😀
Darwin is a relatively new school and started as a tutorial center in 2003. Even though it has “international school” attached to its name, the tuition is not crazy expensive (between 30-40 thousand pesos a year, if am not mistaken). But it certainly proves a lot in providing quality education to its students, judging from its graduates’ high admission rates to the Top 3 universities in the country.
For this year’s entrance exams to the top colleges, 100 % of Darwin’s examinees passed in De La Salle, 42% made it to Ateneo and 60% made it to UP – an impressively high passing rate, if you ask us.
It’s a small world after all. Darwin International School’s young founder and CEO is Prof. Rolando de la Cruz whom I knew way back when I was taking up post-graduate units in International Relations at UP-Diliman. Who would have thought this scholarly-award-winning professor would trek the twin path of being educator and entrepreneur?
I remember how I was so impressed back then with Prof. de la Cruz because he won the Palanca three times for his plays, was a UP magna cum laude grad, and was a scholar at Osaka University and Cambridge in England, among other credentials. Now, he’s instilling the same passion for excellence among his students in Darwin.
“I am teaching them to embrace suffering to achieve their goals and to dream big in order to succeed,” Prof. de la Cruz tells us over lunch at the Escolta Restaurant in Peninsula Manila.
Apparently in Darwin, students learn science as early as nursery, world geography as early as Grade 2 , Japanese language when they’re in Grade 1 and they learn French when they’re in second year high school.
Prof. De La Cruz is proud of the fact that you can easily tell a Darwin student because he or she is confident and can speak very good English.
” The standards of Darwin are very high. It is very demanding, expecting a lot from students. They have to maintain a minimum of 85% every grading period, and only then can they go to the next level,” De La Cruz stresses.
Darwin International School has four branches in Bulacan:
Pulong Buhangin, Sta.Maria
-Bagbaguin, Sta. Maria
-Longos, Malolos
-San Jose Del Monte
HI Annalyn,
Would you know the number for their branch in Malolos? Thanks!
Gigi
do you have a discount for early enrollees?(for nursery)
my daughter is valedictorian in colegio de sta monica de angat, are you offering any scholarship just in case we have her transfer to darwin?
AMM .. tanung ko lng .. kung just in case na we want to study in this school , magkano ang tuition fee for collages student na mgtatake ng culinary ?
college i mean ..
Sorry, I don’t think they offer college studies yet…
Sana magkaron narin sila ng branch dito sa valenzuela, particularly in malinta area or caloocan para malapit na dito sa location namin. 🙂
This is your reply.
Schools like this are not as decent as the ones in other countries. So, apply your innocent child somewhere else where it is medically and theft-free safe. Why do I know this appalling information? This is because of the fact that I was a former student of Darwin International School and later moved because it was unsafe. Those advertisements that are usually seen in intersections may attract you from enrolling your child to this school, but I am informing you right now that their teachers do not teach for they just demand students to do homework. What attracts the children (only) is that this school has TVs, computers (old), and scientific objects such as microscpic slides and other things. However, this is all. What you see is what you get, and what you hear is not what you get. That should be their motto for this school. If you think this is an adult man claiming to be a former student of this school, go ahead and do anything you want to me. I am telling you right now, it does not matter if your kid smart or not, students will not be taught properly. An example of this can be seen when a student was asked to bring a grid paper for math, what happens the next day? Well the gr3 student brought one big pack of grid paper to school but his peers have stolen this and the punishment? The punishment from the math teacher was to squat (after school has ended) for half an hour, and that kind of mistreatment here will automatically get the teacher fired, which did not occur. Also, Darwin has infestation problems, problems that occur once a year. What does Darwin do to stop this? Nothing. Nothing that it gave students illness and infections, worst than the H1N1 we just had 2 years ago. So, go look for other schools in the WEB this time.
When do you accept enrollment for beginners/ newcomer?
Do you have any plan to have a branch in Marilao, Bulacan in the near future? Any branches in Bulacan? Thanks
Hi!i want to enr0ll my kid in that sch0ol.please pr0vide any landline number f0r me to inquire directly.thank u so much and godbless
Hi! would just like to inquire what is the exact address of darwin International School in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan. Wanted my kid to be enrolled in that school. Thanks!
i called 3times already to ask about the direction of the school, but the one who answered the phone is so stupid, she does’nt know where is the exact location of the school. HOW COME YOU ALLOW THIS PERSON TO ANSWER INQUIRIES IF SHE DOES’NT KNOW HOW TO ANSWER SIMPLE QUESTION LIKE LOCATION OF YOUR SCHOOL? AND YOU CLAIM TO BE AN ENGLISH SPEAKING SCHOOL… WELL THE ONE WHO ANSWER THE PHONE DOES’NT KNOW HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH.
panu po ung name po eh DARWIN may discount po ba?
My grand daughter is half Filipino half Japanese. A grade 2 student here in Marilao. We would like to transfer her to your school next school year. Is Japanese language included in your curriculum? When is the best time to visit your school for the requirements information and child evaluation?
Thanks a lot for taking a time to reply to this post.
Most of the teachers are so young that they look fresh graduates. The most frustrating thing is if you ask these teachers (adviser/teacher in charge) about the things/requirements that they have to bring in class their usual response is “madam pakitanong nyo na lang po sa ofc kase mas alam nila”..So what’s their job then? I want to get irate but managed to hold my temper.
Another thing, the school encourages the students/pupils to speak english but teachers themselves are having hard time conversing in English. I just hope that the CEO and other officials will be mindful of the staff that they hire. I tell you this is very alarming!!!
um… i’m a coming 1st yr.highschool na nanggaling sa caloocan. na dapat mag-eenroll sa darwin SJDM, maganda daw po kasi ang quality. but i think sobrang laki naman po ng tuition. as a student, naghahanap din po kami ng school na affordable.. (suggestions lang po, no violent reactions)
by the way, magtatanong lang po ako, totoo po bang di na po kayo tumatanggap ng enrollees na di nag first yr. sa inyo? for example, hindi po ako ang enroll ng 1st yr, tapos gusto ko pong mag enroll pag 3rd yr. accepted po ba yon?
please reply back.
Thank You,
ask ko lng kung my plan b darwin magtayo ng branch near s place nmn kht s valenzuela o caloocan lng. kht nursery hnggng elementary lng. gusto ko kc s darwin pagaralin baby ko paglaki nya. 2 yrs old n xa naw.. thanks
I just want to ask few things.
1. Are you accepting tranferees? Actually we’re moving back home from Ottawa, Canada by November of this year, and I’m scouting for school for my kids, one in grade 7 and the other in grade 6.
2. How much is your tuition fee?
3. Any grade requirement?
just wonderin why an international school like this does not have a website of its own?
yeah! how come you don’t have a website if it’s an international school?! been trying to google for the official website but still nothing….
Do you accept students age 3? how much is the tuition fee and do you require entrance exams for that age?
i miss u
just want to know the address of the school in san jose del monte city and if they are offering a school for toddlers cause my daughter just turned 2 last dec. thank you
gudpm sir maam id like to inqire for the nursery t.fee?my niece is only 3 yirs old…can i ask of your lndline no.?where is your exact location?kindly reply tnx
pwede po ba makahingi ng breakdown of tuition fees nyo?
hi gusto ko ang skol nyo at malapit kami sa branch nyo a isa San jose Delmonte po. kaya gusto ko ilipat ang anak ko nextyear sa skol nyo mag grade 3 napo sya, at gusto ko malaman kung magkano ang tuition fee nyo ? at kung may exam ba kay binibigay, ang baby ko ay nag aaral sya sa saint marry but i want her to transfer and she is also 2nd honors mern ba kayo less sa tution if honors student? thanks
everyone shud be alarmed. Been reading forums and reviews about this school and as i visited the place in San Jose del monte bulacan, very disappointing xa. Yup dey build their image as a good school and claimed international style of teaching pero ndi eh. They are still a newbie na parng ndi alam kung san magsisimula. 1st and foremost no webiste ( w/c is really need to direct peoples ) 2nd they still doesnt have enough teachers / employess and they hired newly graduate at un nga ndi nman mkpag converse in good english. Pra mo lang din inen-roll ang anak mo sa isang ORDINARY private school. And now planning to transfer my kids to another school, really regret it for 40K to 50k tuitions.
hi, san po ba ung darwin international branch in San Jose Del Monte? please reply.. thanks
nag oofer po b kau ng summer class?
Prof. de la Cruz… are you considering branching out … into the Ilocos Region?
Just want to ask, how much is the tuition fee for first year high school? Where is the exact location of your school at Malolos, Bulacan? And when is the entrance exam for incoming first year high school?
How much is your tuition fee for prep?
How much is your tuition fee for kinder and prep. Thanks.
Hi! can I have the no. of Darwin Int’l in San Jose Del Monte.
Thanks.
yeah,how come this int’l school has no website? i’m planning to enroll my daughter in your branch in malolos. just want to be sure that your school is better than CDSP. how can i be sure of that when i’m seeing lots of negative comments? haizzz!!!
how much is your tuition fee for kinder and prep?thanks
wat is your exact address here in san jose del monte, i want my kids enroll in your school, how much the tuition fee for the elementary level?
pls i need your reply…..
hi darwin school..tanong ko lng sana kung mag turo ba kayo ng german speaking.kasi mag aaral sana ako.at kung meron poh pki tell nalng lahat kng magkano lahat ang gastos or text my phone or call me..my number..09174971129…thanks poh
anglita vizconde.
can you please send me your contact no. in malolos branch and email address if you have. tnx
Good day. Would like to ask the exact location of your branch in San Jose Del Monte Bulacan and any contact number. We are planning to visit your school on Friday. I have a child who’s up coming 1st year student and we are trying to look for a good school.Thank you
good day’
a lot of bad comments i’ve read but still i want to inquire about your school because im planning to transfer my daughter (grade 2 this coming yr.)in your school. i don’t believe on here say unless i experienced it myself.
anyways, i’d like to know what is your number in malolos bulacan,i’ve tried to go there personally to inquire but did’nt pursue kasi from the gate of the village malayo sya and i don’t have a car.
listed below are my inquiries:
1. are you accepting transfferies from public school?
2. do you have entrance exam? when?
3. how much is the tuition fee for the grade 2 student?
i hope i get a reply back asap. thank you very much.
saan exact location nyo s san jose del monte??? let me know for my nephew!!!
Good day! I would like to ask the exact location of your branch in sta. maria and san jose del monte and any contact numbr. How much is your tuition fee for kinder?
The advertisement and promotion of this school made my sister enrolled her son hoping the best for him. At first we were so impressed with english speaking students, advanced lessons and high passing rate to top universities. The lessons are so difficult, they jump to next lessons without assuring the students really understand the lesson. I can say that my nephew is just an average student and we were expecting that he will learn more and excel in this school. At 5 we enrolled him to summer class for reading and writing the summer class ended and my nephew did not even learned how to read and write. The textbooks are all photocopies binded with cartolina as covers. How would a 4-7 year old kid enjoy reading his/her textbooks with difficult lessons with these blurry black and white educational materials? In Bagbaguin branch for example, the school building was a condominium unit before converted to a school building. The students have a PE class but they don’t have a quadrangle or a ball court where they can play games and sports, they have a computer subject but they don’t have a computer laboratory. They hold programs and recognitions in their classooms as small as 4x9meters (students performing and limited number of parents watching). They don’t have a library, a laboratory, an audio visual room, a social hall to hold programs and recognition. They offer tutorial classes at extra charge only to find out that this tutorial is an extension of the class hour for students to make their assignments as a whole class and not as one on one tutorial program. At 7 my nephew was memorizing mesophotamia, tigris, euphrates without even understanding how it looks like and what is it, again as young as 4-7yo their textbooks are blurry black and white photocopies binded, no colorful and clear pictures. To encourage parents to make their kids stay in this school, all students in the class are all honor students even the least student in the class is in 2nd honor. My nephew reached grade2 without learning how to read and write. The school is not also teaching good values to students, they have character and religion but all are objective type and memorization. Most of the students here are rich kids and most of them are spoiled brats and bullies, my nephew had bad experiences with his classmates, he is now studying in Australia and doing well in class. He promised not to return back to Darwin because his school days are not worth remembering. I think they always get high passing rate with top universities because all average or not doing well students already quitted and only bright ones were left (small number of students) because of the very difficult leassons and poor teaching strategy they have. For me high standard does not mean difficult lessons and advertisement banners bragging their high passing rate to top universities, it is by making the students whether top performers or average in class excel.
All praises for Darwin International School, eh?
My three-year old niece took an “entrance exam” for their pre-school course early this month. First, I deemed that “entrance exam” should not be the term used for such assessment. They should assess these children’s ability and skills, and talents, not their knowledge (as if they have extensive knowledge already–for that matter.)
My sister even had to call their office to inquire if her daughter “passed” that daunting “entrance exam”. The person who supposedly assessed my niece was the one she was able to speak with, informing her that my niece unfortunately was not able to make it. My sister was quite surprised because the assessor COULD NOT EVEN PROVIDE THE GROUNDS WHY MY NIECE FAILED THAT “EXAM” TO THINK THAT THE ASSESSOR WAS THE ONLY ONE PRESENT THEN. Eventually, she mentioned that my niece could not “FOCUS”. MY NIECE IS JUST THREE YEARS OLD, for crying out loud, and have I mentioned that she speaks perfect English? Who would expect a three year old to be downright focused given that it was her first time to be assessed for schooling? Ever heard of stranger anxiety?
The assessor also mentioned that the verdict (of my niece not making it) was given by the MAIN OFFICE/MOTHER OFFICE, How would that be when other school officials were not even there? It was only THE ASSESSOR and my niece! Also, my niece answered all her questions although she was crying when asked, DOES THAT ENTAIL LOSS OF FOCUS?
It was so frustrating, not because of my niece not passing that so-called “EXAM for THREE YEAR OLDS (which by the way includes LOGIC and ALPHABET WRITING–for such an early age)” but because the assessor/s seems not to know what she ‘s doing and does not even answer in GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT AND STRAIGHT ENGLISH, she lacks knowledge in CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND CHILD ASSESSMENT! When asked by my sister if she even took child psychology units, she answered “ANIM NA TAON NA PO AKONG NAGTUTUTRO,” SO WHAT? You did not understand the question, did you?
With that kind of treatment and assessment quality, it is surprising that a lot of parents send their kids to Darwin. I am not sourgraping, so is my sister, because we only looked into this option for proximity reasons. Now, we can wait sending my very smart niece to Gymboree. Worth the money, worth the distance.
IS THIS AN INTERNATIONAL STANDARD? I, also, am from U.P. Diliman, B.S.E. So don’t tell me all that crap. You can fool other parents by the teasers which really lacks weight. Make your teachers knowledgeable! And enroll them in English Schools if you should!
Darwin tarpaulins are flying all over Bulacan bearing incredible features the school prclaims to have. To cite a few: Disciplined Kids, English immersion, High standard school, English speaking kids etc. The latest tarpaulin which the school just put up is a shocking one: Darwin school’s latest claim that goes like this: Smart parents chooses Darwin School. Let’s analyse: Smart parents (plural) the verb should not be chooses but choose. It’s a glaring error. I wish to advise the school administration to effect correction as soon as possible as it is very damaging.
SMART PARENTS CHOOSESSSS? Ernesto Marcelo, were you wearing your eyeglasses when you saw the alleged tarp? Sir, i’m afraid you were barking at the wrong tree. There’s no such tarp, not even one.
Ernesto Marcelo, you should have taken a picture though.
ask ko lng, bkit yung mga teacher nyo na naghahandle ng pre school ay parng di nag training kung papaano mag approach s mga bata na age 3 to 4 years old. i think meron kaung mali sa pag approach s mga bata.
isa pa, ang taas taas ng tuition fee ninyo di man lang kau gumwa ng isang mgandang questionaire. xerox n nga mlabo pa. paano maapreciate ng mga bata sumagot s isang mlabong xerox copy.
sna mprove ninyo n krapat dpat kau twagin na international school.