1. PRIMITIVE EDUCATION
 L i f e i s s i m p l e c o m p a r e d w i t h l i f e today. Means of livelihood
±
Hunting ± G a t h e r i n g w i l d f r u i t s
a n d vegetables
 L i v e i n c r u d e h u t s i n a l i m i t e d area with few or no
contact at allwith other people.
Education in the Philippines during Spanish rule
During the early Spanish period most education was carried out by the religious orders.[5] The
friars, recognizing the value of a literate indigenous population, built printing presses to produce
material in baybayin.[4]... [continues]
During the early years of Spanish colonization, education was mostly religion-oriented and controlled by
the Roman Catholic Church. Spanish friars and missionaries educated the natives through religion with
the aim of converting indigenous populations to the Catholic faith.
King Philip II's Leyes de Indias (Laws of the Indies) mandated Spanish authorities in the Philippines to
educate the natives, to teach them how to read and write and to learn Spanish. However, the latter
[2]
objective was well-nigh impossible given the realities of the time. The early friars learned the local
languages and the Baybayin script to better communicate with the locals. Although by royal decree the
friars were required to teach the Spanish language to the natives, they reasoned that it would be easier
for them to learn the local languages first than trying to teach Spanish to all the population.
The Spanish missionaries established schools immediately on reaching the islands and wherever they
penetrated, church and school went together. There was no Christian village without its school and all
young people attended.
The Augustinians opened a school immediately upon arriving in Cebú in 1565. The Franciscans arrived in
1577, and they, too, immediately taught the people how to read and write, besides imparting to them
important industrial and agricultural techniques. TheJesuits who arrived in 1581 also concentrated on
teaching the young. When the Dominicans arrived in 1587, they did the same thing in their first mission
[3]
in Bataan.
Within months of their arrival in Tigbauan which is located in the island of Panay, Pedro Chirino and
Francisco Martín had established a school for Visayan boys in 1593 in which they taught not only the
catechism but reading, writing, Spanish, and liturgical music. TheSpaniards of Arévalo heard of the
school and wanted Chirino to teach their boys too. Chirino at once put up a dormitory and school house
(1593–1594) for the Spanish boys near his rectory. It was the first Jesuit boarding school to be
[4][5]
established in the Philippines.
The Chinese language version of the Doctrina Christiana (Christian Doctrine) was the first book printed in
the Philippines in about 1590 to 1592. A version in Spanish, and in Tagalog, in both Latin script and the
[6]
commonly used Baybayin script of the Manila Tagalogs of the time was printed in 1593. The goal of the
book was to propagate the Christian teachings around Manila. Eventually, the Baybayin script was
replaced by the Latin script, providing in this way the indigenous people with more leverage when dealing
[7]
with the local Spanish colonial administrators.

2. In 1610 Tomas Pinpin a Filipino printer, writer and publisher, who is sometimes referred as the "Patriarch
of Filipino Printing", wrote his famous Librong Pagaaralan nang manga Tagalog nang Uicang Castilla,
that was meant to help Filipinos learn the Spanish language. The prologue read:
“ "Let us therefore study, my country men, for although the art of learning is somewhat difficult,
yet if we are persevering, we shall soon improve our knowledge.
Other Tagalogs like us did not take a year to learn the Spanish language when using my
book. This good result has given me satisfaction and encouraged me to print my work, so
that all may derive some profit from it."
[8]
”
There were also Latin schools where that language was taught together with some Spanish, since it was
a mandatory requirement for the study of philosophy, theology and jurisprudence in schools like the
University of Santo Tomás, run by the Dominicans. The Philippine priests and lawyers of that time, with
[9][n 1]
the exception of the sons and daughters of Spaniards, Principalías and Ladinos, knew Latin perfectly
well because the educational system was wholly religious.
The friars also opened many medical and pharmaceutical schools. The study of pharmacy consisted of a
preparatory course with subjects in natural history and general chemistry and five years of studies in
subjects such as pharmaceutical operations at the school of pharmacy. At the end of this period, the
degree of Bachiller en Farmacia was granted.
By the end of the 16th century, several religious orders had established charity hospitals all over the
archipelago and provided the bulk of this public service. These hospitals also became the setting for
rudimentary scientific research work on pharmacy and medicine, focusing mostly on the problems of
infections diseases. Several Spanish missionaries cataloged hundreds of Philippine plants with medicinal
properties. The Manual de Medicinas Caseras...., written by Father Fernando de Santa María, first
[10]
published in 1763, became so sought after that it was reprinted on several editions by 1885.
Colegio de Santa Potenciana was the first school and college for girls that opened in the Philippines, in
1589. It was followed by another school for women, Colegio de Santa Isabel, that opened in 1632. Other
Schools and Colleges for girls were Santa Catalina, Santa Rosa, La Concordia, etc. Several religious
[11]
congregations also established schools for orphaned girls who could not educate themselves.
Modern public system of education
[20]
Modern public school education was introduced in Spain only in 1857. This did not exist in any other
colony of any European powerin Asia. The concept of mass education was relatively new, an offshoot of
[21]
the 18th century Age of Enlightenment. France was the first country in the world to create a system of
mass, public education in 1833.
Free access to modern public education by all Filipinos was made possible through the enactment of the
Education Decree of December 20, 1863 by Queen Isabella II. Primary instruction was made free and the
[22]
teaching of Spanish was compulsory. This was ten years before Japan had a compulsory form of free
modern public education and forty years before the American government started an English-based
[2]
public school system in the Philippines. The royal decree provided for a complete educational system

3. which would consist of primary, secondary and tertiary levels, finally making officially available to Filipinos
[23]
valuable training for leadership after three centuries of colonization.
The Education Decree of 1863 provided for the establishment of at least two free primary schools, one for
boys and another for girls, in each town under the responsibility of the municipal government. It also
commended the creation of a free public normal school to train men as teachers, supervised by the
Jesuits. One of these schools was the Escuela Normal Elemental, which, in 1896 became theEscuela
Normal Superior de Maestros de Manila (Manila Ordinary School for Schoolmistresses). The Spanish
government established a school for midwives in 1879, and Escuela Normal Superior de
[24]
Maestras (Superior Normal School) for female teachers in 1892. By the 1890s, free public secondary
[25]
schools were opening outside of Manila, including 10 normal schools for women.
The range of subjects being taught were very advanced, as can be seen from the Syllabus of Education
in the Municipal Atheneum of Manila, that included Algebra, Agriculture, Arithmetic, Chemistry,
Commerce, English, French, Geography, Geometry, Greek, History, Latin, Mechanics, Natural History,
Painting, Philosophy, Physics, Rhetoric and Poetry, Spanish Classics, Spanish Composition,
Topography, and Trigonometry. Among the subjects being taught to girls, as reflected in the curriculum of
the Colegio de Santa Isabel, were Arithmetic, Drawing, Dress-cutting, French, Geology, Geography,
Geometry, History of Spain, Music, Needlework, Philippine History, Physics, Reading, Sacred History and
[11]
Spanish Grammar.
Contrary to what the Propaganda of the Spanish–American War tried to depict, the Spanish public system
of education was open to all the natives, regardless of race, gender or financial resources. The Black
Legend propagation, black propaganda and yellow journalismwere rampant in the last two decades
[26][27] [n 3][n 4]
of Spanish Colonial Period and throughout the American Colonial Period. Manuel L. Quezon,
[n 5]
on his speech for the Philippine Assembly at the US Congress on October 1914 stated that
“ ...there were public schools in the Philippines long before the American occupation, and, in fact, I
have been educated in one of these schools, even though my hometown is such a small town,
[28]
isolated in the mountains of the Northeastern part of the island of Luzon.
...as long ago as 1866 when the total population of the Philippine Islands was only 4,411,261 souls,
and when the total number of municipalities in the archipelago was 900, the total public schools
was 841 for boys and 833 for girls and the total number of children attending these schools was
135,098 for boys and 95,260 for girls. And these schools were really edifices and the students were
lively, intelligent, alert. In 1892, the number of schools had increased to 2,137, 1,087 of which were
for boys and 1,050 for girls. I have seen with my own eyes many of these schools and thousands of
those students. They were not religious schools, but schools established, supported and
[29]
maintained by the Government (Spanish).
Education and Filipino nationalism

4. Ilustrados in Madrid (ca.1890)
As a result of increasing the number of educated Filipinos a new social class raised, that came to be
known as the Ilustrados. Furthermore, with the opening of Suez Canalin 1869 travel to Spain become
quicker, easier and more affordable, and many Filipinos took advantage of it to continue higher education
in Spain and Europe, mostly in Madrid and Barcelona. This new enlightened class of Filipinos would later
lead the Philippine independence movement, using the Spanish language as their main communication
method. The most prominent of the Ilustrados was José Rizal, who inspired the desire for independence
with his novels written in Spanish. Other Filipino intellectuals, such asGraciano López Jaena, Marcelo H.
del Pilar, Mariano Ponce or Antonio Luna, who had also studied in Spain, began contributing to the cause
[30]
for Filipino self-government and independence.
Describing this new generation of highly educated Filipinos, Fr. John N. Schumacher pointed out that,
“ Philippine higher education was not far behind, or, under certain aspects, was even superior
to the general level of higher education in Spain, at least outside Madrid. Perhaps the best
testimony for this is the fact that such larger numbers of Filipino students were able to move
without apparent difficulty from educational institutions at home to those in the Peninsula and
establish honorable records for themselves there.
[31]
”
The Philippines was also ahead of some European countries in offering education for
[21]
women. Ironically, it was during the time of American occupation of the Philippines that the results of
[32]
Spanish education were more visible, especially in the literature, printed press and cinema.
[edit]Criticisms
On 30 November 1900, the Philippine Commission reported to the US War Department about the state of
education throughout the archipelago as follows:
“ ...Under Spanish rule there were established in these islands a system of primary schools.
The Spanish regulations provided that there should be one male and one female primary
school-teacher for each 5,000 inhabitants. It is clearly shown in the report of the first
”
Philippine Commission that even this inadequate provision was never carried out. They say:
“Taking the entire population at 8,000,000, we find that there is but one teacher to each

5. 4,179 inhabitants.” There were no schoolhouses, no modern furniture, and, until the
Americans came, there were no good text-books. The schools were and are now held in the
residences of the teachers, or in buildings hired by the municipalities and used by the
principals as dwellings. In some of the schools there were wooden benches and tables, but it
was not at all unusual to find a school without any seats for the pupils. In these primary
schools, reading, writing, sacred history, and the catechism were taught. Except in a very
few towns, the four elementary arithmetical processes were attempted, and in a few towns a
book on geography was used as a reading book. Girls were taught embroidery and
needlework. From the beginning the schools were entirely under the supervision of the
religious orders, who were disposed to emphasize secondary and higher education for a few
pupils rathe than to further and promote the primary education of the masses. The result of
this policy is that a few persons have stood out prominently as educated Filipinos, while the
great mass of people have either not been educated at all or furnished only the rudiments of
knowledge, acquiring merely the mechanical processes of reading and writing. The little
school instruction the average Filipino has had has not tended to broaden his intelligence or
to give him power of independent thought. One observes in the schools a tendency on the
part of the pupils to give back, like phonographs, what they have heard or read or
memorized, without seeming to have thought for themselves. As a rule, they possess
mechanical skill, and they excel in writing and drawing. The Spaniards made very little use of
this peculiar capacity.
...It is stated on good authority that when the Spaniards came here several of the tribes of
the Philippine Islands could read and write their own language. At the present time, after
three hundred years of Spanish domination, the bulk of the people cannot do his. The
Spanish minister for the colonies, in a report made December 5, 1870, points out that, by the
process of absorption, matters of education had become concentrated in the hands of the
religious orders. He says: “While every acknowledgement should be made of their services
in earlier times, their narrow, exclusively religious system of education, and their
imperviousness to modern or external ideas and influences, which every day become more
and more evident, rendered secularization of instruction necessary."
...It has been stated that in 1897 here were in these islands 2,167 public schools. The
ineffectiveness of these schools will be seen when it is remembered that a school under the
Spanish regime was a strictly sectarian, ungraded school, with no prescribed course of study
and no definite standards for each year, and that they were in charge of duly certificated but
hardly professionally trained or progressive teachers, housed in unsuitable and unsanitary

6. [33]
buildings.
Those numbers led some people to conclude that less than 6% of the population were attending schools.
However that assumption was completely misleading, because it takes into account all of the population,
including babies and old people, when in reality public school systems are meant primarily for children
and teenagers. To calculate the percentage of children on scholar age, it must be taken into account the
number of children in Elementary School age (ages 5 through 13) and teenagers in High School age
(ages 14 through 17). That would yield a total percentage of around 20% of the total population. Since the
[34]
1887 census yielded a count of 6,984,727, 20% would be approximately 1,4 million. Also, by 1892 the
number of schools had more than doubled to 2,137, 1,087 of which were for boys and 1,050 for girls,
which means that the number of children attending school also did increase, to at least 500,000, by
conservative estimates. That's about 35% of the population in School age.
Another claim commonly heard was that based on the official figures there couldn't be a school in every
village in the Islands, as Manuel L. Quezon declared years later before the Philippine Assembly.
However, since those official figures branded by the Philippine Commission itself put the total number of
municipalities in the archipelago at 900, and the number of public schools at 2,167, those numbers reveal
that there was not only one school in every municipality in the Islands, but in most cases two or more.
Neither was taken into account that the schools maintained by Spain were closed and in many cases
looted and badly damaged during the Spanish–American War and the Philippine Revolution. Although the
free and compulsory elementary education system was temporarily reestablished by the Malolos
Constitution, it was finally dismantled after the Philippine–American War, that also took a heavy toll upon
the remaining educational infrastructures.
Finally, the Philippine Commission made no reference to the fact that the pioneering public school
education introduced by Spain in the Philippines was the first of its kind in all of Asia, and the first to be
established in any European colony in the world. Such system was even ahead of most of United States
at the time, where by 1900 only 34 states had any kind of compulsory schooling laws requiring
[35]
attendance until age 14. As a result, the average American at the time was less educated than the
average Filipino, something that was specially true among the troops that fought in the Philippine–
[36]
American War, since most of the soldiers generally were of humble social origins.
The system of education in the Philippines was patterned both from the educational systems
of Spain and the United States. However, after the liberation of the Philippines in 1946, the system have
changed radically.
The Department of Education (or DepEd) administers the whole educational system, which also includes
the allocation of funds utilized for school services and equipment (such as books, school chairs, etc.),
recruitment of teachers for allpublic schools in the Philippines, and the supervision and organization of
the school curricula.
The former education system of the Philippines is composed of 6 years ofelementary education starting at
the age of 6 or 7, and 4 years of high school education starting at the age of 12 or 13. In this system,
education is not compulsory.
[3]
However, since June 4, 2012, DepEd started to implement the new K-12 educational system, which
includes the new curricula for all schools (see the section). In this system, education is now compulsory.

7. All public and private schools in the Philippines must start classes from a date mandated by the
Department of Education (usually every first Monday of June for public schools only), and must end after
each school completes the mandated 200-day school calendar of DepEd (usually around the third week
of March to the second week of April).
American period
Main article: Education in the Philippines during the American rule
Further information: Thomasites
Building on the education system created in 1863, an improved public school system was established
during the first decade of American rule upon the recommendation of theSchurman Commission. Free
primary instruction that trained the people for the duties of citizenship and avocation was enforced by
the Taft Commission per instructions of PresidentWilliam McKinley. Chaplains and non-commissioned
officers were assigned to teach using English as the medium of instruction.
A highly centralized public school system was installed in 1901 by the Philippine Commission by virtue
of Act No. 74. The implementation of this act created a heavy shortage of teachers. As a result, Philippine
Commission authorized the Secretary of Public Instruction to bring to the Philippines more than 1,000
teachers from the United States called the Thomasites from 1901 to 1902. These teachers were scattered
[12]
throughout the islands to establish barangay schools. The same law established the Philippine Normal
School (now the Philippine Normal University) to train aspiring Filipino teachers.
The high school system supported by provincial governments, special educational institutions, school of
arts and trades, an agricultural school, and commerce and marine institutes were established in 1902 by
the Philippine Commission.
In 1908, the Philippine Legislature approved Act No. 1870, which created the University of the
Philippines. The Reorganization Act of 1916 provided the Filipinization of all department secretaries
[14]
except the Secretary of Public Instruction.
The emergence of high school education in the Philippines islands, however, did not happen until 1910,
caused by the rise in big businesses and technological advances in factories and the emergence of
electrification that required skilled workers. In order to meet this new job demand, high schools were
created and the curriculum focused on practical job skills that would better prepare students for
professional white-collar or skilled blue-collar work. This proved to be beneficial for both the employer and
the employee, because this improvement in human capital caused employees to become more efficient,
which lowered costs for the employer, and skilled employees received a higher wage than employees
with just primary educational attainment.
Two decades later, enrollment in elementary schools was about 1 million from about 150,000 in 1901,
[12]
and about 100,000 in high school from less than 20,000 in 1901.
[edit]After World War II
In 1947, by the virtue of Executive Order No. 94, the Department of Instruction was changed to
the Department of Education. During this period, the regulation and supervision of public and private
schools belonged to the Bureau of Public and Private Schools.

8. [edit]Marcos era
In 1972, the Department of Education became the Department of Education and Culture by the virtue
of Proclamation 1081 which was signed by President Ferdinand Marcos.
Following a referendum of all barangays in the Philippines from January 10–15, 1973, on January 17,
1973, President Marcos ratified the1973 Constitution by Proclamation 1102. The 1973 Constitution set
out the three fundamental aims of education in the Philippines, to:
Foster love of country;
teach the duties of citizenship; and
[15]
develop moral character, self-discipline, and scientific, technological and vocational efficiency.
On September 24, 1972, by Presidential Decree No. 1, the Department of Education, Culture and Sports
[16]
was decentralized with decision-making shared among thirteen regional offices.
In 1978, by the Presidential Decree No. 1397, the Department of Education and Culture became the
Ministry of Education and Culture.
The Education Act of 1982 provided for an integrated system of education covering both formal and
nonformal education at all levels.Section 29 of the act sought to upgrade education institutions' standards
to achieve "quality education", through voluntary accreditation for schools, colleges, and
universities; Section 16 and Section 17 upgraded the obligations and qualifications required for teachers
and administrators; while Section 41 provided for government financial assistance to private
[17]
schools. This act also created the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports.
[edit]Fifth Republic
On February 2, 1987, a new Constitution for the Philippines was ratified. Section 3, Article XIV of
[18]
the 1987 Constitution contains the ten fundamental aims of education in the Philippines.
In 1987 by virtue of Executive Order No. 117, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, became
the Department of Education, Culture and Sports. The structure of DECS as embodied in the order
remained practically unchanged until 1994.
On May 26, 1988, the Congress of the Philippines enacted the Republic Act 6655, the Free Public
Secondary Education Act of 1988, which mandated free public secondary education commencing in the
[19][20]
school year 1988–1989. On May 26, 1988, the Congress enacted the act which made free public
[19]
secondary education to become a reality.
On February 3, 1992, the Congress enacted Republic Act 7323, which provided that students aged 15 to
25 may be employed duringChristmas and summer vacation with a salary not lower than the minimum
[19][21]
wage. 60% of the wage is to be paid by the employer and 40% is by the government.
The Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM) report of 1991 recommended the division of
DECS into three parts. On May 18, 1994, the Congress passed Republic Act 7722, the Higher Education
Act of 1994, creating the Commission on Higher Education(CHED), which assumed the functions of the
[22]
Bureau of Higher Education, and supervises tertiary degree programs. On August 25, 1994, the
Congress passed Republic Act 7796, the Technical Education and Skills Development Act of 1994,
creating the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), which absorbed the Bureau
of Technical-Vocational Education plus the National Manpower and Youth Council, and supervises non-

9. [23]
degree technical-vocational programs. DECS retained responsibility for all elementary and secondary
[19]
education. This threefold division became known as the "trifocal system of education in the
Philippines".
[edit]During the 21st century
In August 2001, Republic Act 9155, otherwise called the Governance of Basic Education Act, was passed
transforming the name of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) to the Department of
Education (DepEd) and redefining the role of field offices (regional offices, division offices, district offices
and schools). The act provides the overall framework for (i) school head empowerment by strengthening
their leadership roles and (ii) school-based management within the context of transparency and local
accountability. The goal of basic education is to provide the school age population and young adults with
[14]
skills, knowledge and values to become caring, self-reliant, productive and patriotic citizens.
In 2005, the Philippines spent about US$138 per pupil compared to US$3,728 in Japan, US$1,582
[24]
in Singapore and US$852 inThailand.
In January 2009, DepEd signed a memorandum of agreement with the United States Agency for
International Development to seal $86 million assistance to Philippine education, particularly the access
to quality education in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), and
[25]
the Western and Central Mindanao regions.
[edit]Implementation of the K-12 program
[26]
The implementation of the K-12 program is "phased". The first phase of the implementation will start
on SY 2012-2013. During this school year, universal kindergarten will be finally offered, and will now be a
part of the compulsory education system; and a new curriculum for Grade 1 and Grade 7 students would
be introduced. By SY 2016-2017, Grade 11/Year 5 will be introduced, and Grade 12/Year 6 by SY 2017-
[27]
2018; with the phased implementation of the new curriculum finished by the SY 2017-2018. Students in
2nd year to 4th year high school this SY 2012-2013 are not included in the program. It is only applicable
to students from Kinder to 1st year high school which is now called Grade 7.
However, during the new educational cycle, from 2016 to 2018, college enrollment could slow down
because of the entrance of the lower-year students to the new educational system.
[edit]Education system
In the elementary and secondary levels, there are three modes on delivery of instructions; the normal
education system and thealternative system which is a non-formal education system. In the formal
classroom, a new mode is introduced which is the Alternative Delivery Mode.
High school education is a prerequisite in vocational technical and college education.
[3]
[edit]Table
Level/Grade Typical age
Preschool

10. Pre-school playgroup 3-4
Kindergarten 4-6
Primary School
Grade 1 6–7
Grade 2 7–8
Grade 3 8–9
Grade 4 9–10
Grade 5 10–11
Grade 6 11–12
Junior High School
Grade 7 12-13
Grade 8 13-14
Grade 9 14-15
Grade 10 15–16
Senior High School
Grade 11 16–17
Grade 12 17–18
Post-secondary education
Ages vary (usually four years,
Tertiary education (College or University) referred to as Freshman,
Sophomore, Junior and

11. Senior years)
Graduate education
Adult education
[edit]Compulsory
education
Compulsory education
[edit]Elementary school
A photograph of a tarpaulin showing the different shifts for students in H. Bautista Elementary School in Marikina, Metro Manila.
Starting in the 2010–11 school year, different year levels are given different class hours and are scheduled to go to school in different
shifts to compensate the lack of school buildings, teachers, and materials.
Upper Uma Elementary School, Pasil Valley, Upper Kalinga, viewed from Ag-gama track, July 2008. Note distance from road (centre
left).

12. Only access from roadside (mid centre) to Upper Uma Elementary SchoolKalinga (behind) is via this one hour mud climb. Viewed
December 2008.
Elementary school, sometimes called primary school or grade school (Filipino:paaralang
elementarya, sometimes mababang paaralan), is the first part of the educational system, and it
includes the first six years of compulsory education (grades 1-6). These grades are further
grouped (informally) accordingly into: primary level, which includes the first three grades
(grades 1-3), and intermediate level, which includes the last three grades (grades 4-6).
The elementary school education covers a smaller but wider than the junior and senior high
school because of the spiral approach educational technique.
In public schools, the core/major subjects that is introduced starting grade 1
includemathematics, Filipino, and Makabayan (until grade 3, this subject is synonymous tosocial
studies, but also incorporate values education and the fundamentals of political
science). English is only introduced after the 2nd semester of grade 1. Science is only introduced
starting grade 3. Heograpiya (geography), kasaysayan (history), and sibika(civics) (abbreviated
as HEKASI), is only introduced starting grade 4 (similar also tosocial studies but focuses more on
the subjects earlier stated). Minor subjects then include music, arts, physical education,
and health (abbreviated as MAPEH). In private schools, subjects in public schools also include
those of the public schools, with the additional subjects including: computer education and
HELE (stands for homeeconomics and livelihood education; while in Christian schools or in
Catholic schools, religious education. International schools also have their own subjects in their
own language and culture.

13. From grades 1-3, students will be taught using their mother tongue, meaning the
regionallanguages of the Philippines (also called as dialects) will be used in some subjects
(except Filipino and English) as a medium of instruction. It may be incorporated as a separate
subject. But from grade 4, Filipino and English as a medium of instruction will then be used.
On December 2007, Philippine president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo announced that Spanish is to
make a return as a mandatory subject in all Filipino schools starting in 2008 but it didn't come
into effect.[28][29]
DECS Bilingual Policy is for the medium of instruction to be Filipino for: Filipino, Araling
Panlipunan, Edukasyong Pangkatawan, Kalusugan at Musika; and English for: English, Science
and Technology, Home Economics and Livelihood Education.[30] Article XIV, Section 7 of the
1987 Philippine constitution mandates that regional languages are the auxiliary official
languages in the regions and shall serve as auxiliary media of instruction therein.[31] As a result,
the language actually used in teaching is often a polyglot of Filipino and English with the
regional language as the foundation, or rarely the local language. Filipino is based on Tagalog, so
in Tagalog areas (including Manila), Filipino is the foundational language used. Philippine
regional languages are used in the provinces in the teaching of Makabayan. International English
language schools use English as the foundational language. Chinese schools add two language
subjects, such as Min Nan Chinese and Mandarin Chinese and may use English or Chinese as the
foundational language. The constitution mandates that Spanish and Arabic shall be promoted on
a voluntary and optional basis. Following on this, a few private schools mainly catering to the
elite include Spanish in their curriculum. Arabic is taught in Islamic schools.[31]
Until 2004, primary students traditionally sat for the National Elementary Achievement Test
(NEAT) administered by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS). It was
intended as a measure of a school's competence, and not as a predictor of student aptitude or
success in Secondary school. Hence, the scores obtained by students in the NEAT were not used
as a basis for their admission into Secondary school. During 2004, when DECS was officially
converted into the Department of Education (DepEd), and also, as a result of some
reorganization, the NEAT was changed to National Achievement Test (NAT) by the Department
of Education (DepEd). Both the public and private elementary schools take this exam to measure
a school's competency. As of 2006, only private schools have entrance examinations for
Secondary school.
The DepEd expects over 13.1 million elementary students to be enrolled in public elementary
schools for school year 2009–2010.[32]

14. Though elementary schooling is compulsory, latest official figures show 27.82% of Filipino
elementary-aged children either never attend or never complete elementary schooling,[33] usually
due to the absence of any school in their area, education being offered in a language that is
foreign to them, or financial distress. In July 2009 DepEd acted to overcome the foreign
language problem by ordering all elementary schools to move towards mother-tongue based
learning initially. The order allows two alternative three-year bridging plans. Depending on the
bridging plan adopted, the Filipino and English languages are to be phased in as the language of
instruction for other subjects beginning in the third and fourth grades.[34]
[edit]Secondary education
PSHS Main Campus. Note the disparity between rural and urban education facilities in the Philippines.
Secondary school in the Philippines, more commonly known as "high school"
(Filipino:paaralang sekundarya, sometimes mataas na paaralan), consists of four levels largely
based on the American schooling system as it was until the advent of the comprehensive high
schools in the US in the middle of last century. The Philippine high school system has not moved
much from where it was when the Philippines achieved independence from the US in 1946. It
still consists of only four levels with each level partially compartmentalized, focusing on a
particular theme or content.
DepEd specifies a compulsory curriculum for all high schooling, public and private. The first
yearof high school has five core subjects, Algebra I, Integrated Science, English I, Filipino I, and
Philippine History I. Second year has Algebra II, Biology, English II, Filipino II, and Asian
History. Third year has Geometry, Trigonometry, Chemistry, Filipino III, and World History and
Geography. Fourth year has Calculus, Advanced Algebra, Physics, Filipino IV, Literature, and
Economics. Minor subjects may include Health, Music, Arts, Technology and Home Economics,
and Physical Education.
In selective schools, various languages may be offered as electives, as well as other subjects such
as computer programming and literary writing. Chinese schools have language and cultural

15. electives. Preparatory schools usually add some business and accountancy courses, while science
high schools have biology, chemistry, and physics at every level.
Secondary students used to sit for the National Secondary Achievement Test (NSAT), which was
based on the American SAT, and was administered by DepEd. Like its primary school
counterpart, NSAT was phased-out after major reorganizations in the education department.
Now the National Achievement Test is administered to second year students. Higher education
institutions, both public and private, administer their own College Entrance Examinations
(CEE). Vocational colleges usually do not have entrance examinations, simply accepting the
Form 138 record of studies from high school, and enrolment payment.
[edit]Technical and vocational education
Technical and vocational education is offered to enhance students' practical skills at institutions
usually accredited and approved byTESDA. Institutions may be government operated, often by
provincial government, or private. The vast majority are privately operated and most call
themselves colleges. They may offer programs ranging in duration from a couple of weeks to
two year diploma courses. Programs can be technology courses like automotive technology,
computer technology, and electronic technology; service courses such as caregiver, nursing aide,
hotel and restaurant management; and trades courses such as electrician, plumber, welder,
automotive mechanic, diesel mechanic, heavy vehicle operator & practical nursing. Upon
graduating from most of these courses, students may take an examination from TESDA to obtain
the relevant certificate or diploma.
[edit]Tertiary education
Main article: Higher education in the Philippines
Tertiary education in the Philippines is increasingly less cosmopolitan. From a height of 5,284
foreign of students in 1995–1996 the number steadily declined to 2,323 in 2000–2001, the last
year CHED published numbers on its website.[35]
[edit]Other schools
There are other types of schools such as private schools, preparatory schools, international
schools, laboratory high schools andscience high schools. Several foreign ethnic groups,
including Chinese, British, Americans, Koreans, and Japanese operate their own schools.
[edit]Chinese schools
Main article: List of Chinese schools in the Philippines

16. Chinese schools add two additional subjects to the core curriculum, Chinese communication arts
and literature. Some also add Chinese history, philosophy and culture, and Chinese mathematics.
Still, other Chinese schools called cultural schools, offer Confucian classics and Chinese art as
part of their curriculum. Religion also plays an important part in the curriculum. Some Chinese
schools were founded by American evangelists. Some Chinese schools have Catholic roots.
[edit]
Pre-
HispaniceducationinthePhilippineswasnotformal•E
ducationwasoral,practical,andhands-
on•Theobjectivewasbasicallytopromotereverencefo
r,andadorationofBathala,respectforlaws,customs,an
dauthoritiesrepresentedbyparentsandelders•Whenth
eSpaniardsarrivedinthePhilippinestheyencounteredi
slanderswhoknewhowtoreadandwrite.
EducationduringtheSpanishRegime•The
Friarsestablishedparochialschoolslinkedwithchurch
estoteachcatechismtothenatives•Instructionwasinthe
dialect•Educationwasmanaged,supervised,andcontr
olledandthefriars•Educationinthecountrywasnotunif
orm•Thesystemofschoolingwasnothierarchicalnorst
ructured,thustherewerenogradelevels

17. JapaneseRegime•6basicprinciplesofjapane
seEducation1.RealizationofNEWORDERandpro
motefriendlyrelationsbetweenJapanandthePhilip
pinestothefarthestextent2.FosteranewFilipinocul
turebased3.Endeavortoelevatethemoralsofpeople
,givingupoveremphasisofmaterialism4.Diffusion
oftheJapaneselanguageinthephilippines5.Promot
ionofVOCATIONALcourse6.Toinspirepeoplew
iththespirittoloveneighbor

18. Curriculum•Schoolcalendarbecamelonger•
Nosummervacationforstudents•Classsizeincreas
edto60•Deletedanti-
asianopinions,bannedthesingingofamericansong
s,deletedamericansymbols,poemsandpictures•Ni
hongoasameansofintroducingandcultivvatinglov
eforJapaneseculture•SocialStudies