The United States had a different approach dictated by what the Americans considered to be

their principal goal in coming to the Philippines – “to educate and to train in the science of self-
government.”

Consequently, it was not surprising that the United States considered educating the Filipinos as
one of its top priorities in the Philippines. Even while US troops were consolidating their
foothold in Manila in 1898, schools were already opened in the city. But unlike the Spaniards
who neglected to propagate their language, the Americans made it a point to teach English to
the Filipinos. The American soldiers were the first teachers of the Filipinos.

In January 1901, free primary education was provided and a school for Filipino teachers was
established. It called for the recruitment of trained teachers in America. It abolished
compulsory religious instruction.

The Americans gave bright young Filipino students opportunity to take up higher education in
American colleges and universities. These Filipinos came to be known as “pensionados” for their
education in the United States was financed by the government in the Philippines. Hundreds of
Filipino pensionados were able to study in the US until 1928. From the ranks of
these pensionados came the future civic, business and political leaders of our country.
Hungry for education, the Filipinos flocked to public and private schools in large numbers.

Education under the Japanese

Schools and churches were also used as propaganda tools of the Japanese. Nippon-go, the Japanese
language, was made a compulsory subject in all schools. In government and private offices, classes
in Nippon-go were opened to propagate the Japanese language and culture. Japanese Catholic
priests were sent to the Philippines to help promote the idea that Japan, being an Asian country, was
a friend of all Asian people’s including the Filipinos.