For the school year 2021-2022, PHINMA Education welcomed over 95,000 students — the biggest enrollment in its history — resulting in a 79% increase in its year-on-year revenue after 18 years of pursuing its mission of making lives better through education.
The increase in enrollment resulted in consolidated revenues of PHP3.79B, with the network attributes its success to being able to ensure that learning continues for its underserved students throughout the past two years when they needed it the most according to PHINMA Education Finance Chief Daisy C. Montinola.
Comprised of ten (10) schools in the Philippines and Indonesia, PHINMA Education offers over 110 programs covering the entire education chain and boasts a 75% board exam passing rate for first-time takers.
“On the surface, our mission seems simple: to make lives better through education. To ensure that there are as few barriers as possible to entering college, even for those who come from the most humble backgrounds. To emphasize that they belong in school, even if they are the first in their families to reach college. To tailor their education to their chosen industry’s needs so that they are able to earn a living wage within a year of graduation. To empower them to dream of a better future, not just for themselves, but also for their families, their communities, and the country as a whole,” according to Ramon R. del Rosario, Jr., Chairman and CEO of PHINMA adding that the majority of PHINMA Education students come from the bottom of the pyramid and are often the first in their families to enter college.
Responding to Students’ Needs with Learning Strategies
In 2020, PHINMA Education introduced Flex Learning and Remote and Distance (RaD) Learning, both relying on printed materials and strong teacher and peer support through mobile data. The former will allow students to return to school once regulations allow, while the latter is completely home-based. Because the majority of its students could not afford to be online, it partnered with Globe and PLDT Smart to provide students with mobile data every month.
“PHINMA Education’s learning models are designed to meet students where they are in terms of their resources, and take them where they want to be. For our students, education does not only uplift themselves and their families, but also entire communities. We are proud to say that even throughout the pandemic, 71% of our graduates were able to get their first job within one year. Our students want to learn, no matter what. Their perseverance in the face of so many challenges inspires us to serve them better,” explained Trissa M. Menardo, Strategy Chief at PHINMA Education.
For SY 2022-2023, Flex Learning will move to a 2-4 system of 2 days in-person classes and 4 days of remote and independent learning. It will distribute students’ in-person classes throughout the week to comply with the minimum public health standards. Students and their teachers will be assigned to only 1 shift to limit the number of people inside the campus. Self-sufficient modules, alternative assessments, streamlined instructions, and most importantly, remote coaching, will be maintained for both Flex Learning and RaDLearning.
Efficient, Sustainable Operations Across Campuses
Construction is also in full swing to cater to an even bigger number of students. It recently opened the San Jose campus of PHINMA Araullo University (PHINMA AU) and acquired a new lot in PHINMA University of Pangasinan (PHINMA UPang) which will house a seven-storey building with a roof deck. It is also constructing a building in PHINMA Rizal College of Laguna (PHINMA RCL) and a new PHINMA Cagayan de Oro College (PHINMA COC) campus in Iligan City. And to upgrade its dentistry program, Southwestern University PHINMA (SWU PHINMA) is set to open its new Dentistry building.
“Our students are more employable and our systems are more sustainable now because of our strategies and experiences over the past 18 years of rapid growth and expansion,” said Dr. Raymundo P. Reyes, Country Chief for the Philippines. PHINMA Education’s most recent acquisition is PHINMA Union College of Laguna (UCL), the second in its growing Laguna network of schools.
Dr. Reyes explained that to ensure sustainability in its growing number of schools, it institutionalized an Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) Policy across its campuses. All schools now have Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) and green technologies, including solar panels, rainwater catchment systems, gray water facilities, and sewer treatment plants.
Serving the Underserved
Still in line with serving the underserved market, in January 2021 PHINMA Education spearheaded the first Education@theMargins: A Global Alliance conference, gathering education industry experts from several countries including South Africa, India, Australia, Finland, and the Philippines to tackle the widening gap in education, helping marginalized students cope with the pandemic, and using technology to provide solutions for marginalized education.
“Our students need quality education now more than ever. Because we were able to serve the needs of our market at a time when the continuity of their education was most challenging for them, we were able to grow our network to the biggest it has ever been,” according to Dr. Chito B. Salazar, President and CEO of PHINMA Education during a media briefing in Makati City this week.
Dr. Salazar noted that PHINMA Education works with partners in both the public and private sectors, all over Southeast Asia and the world, to reach as many underserved students as possible.
“We are humbled and inspired by the trust our students have given us. We will continue to invest in our faculty, improve our systems, and respond to the changing needs of all kinds of learners. It is our hope that one day, not only will every student and every graduate’s life be improved, but they will also be able to make the lives of others better too,” Dr. Salazar added.