Maria Nella Jowaher L.

Alunan

Advanced Philosophy of Education

Activity 3

I. Research on the current Philosophy of Education in the following countries. Discuss the
philosophy of education of the countries that you have chosen very briefly.
a. American countries- choose 2 countries
 United States of America
According to Melissa Wells in her book “Foundations of American
Education: A Critical Lens”, the 4 key educational philosophies are
perennialism, essentialism, progressivism, and social reconstructionism.
Perennialism focuses on classic knowledge and traditions of the community
that should be passed on to new generation while focusing on intellectual
and cultural literacy development. Essentialism focuses on teaching basic
literacy and morality. Progressivism encourages students to engage in real-
world problem-solving activities conducted in a democratic and
collaborative environment. Social reconstructionism examines
controversial issues and political and economic changes to have cultural
renewal which favors multicultural education.
 Brazil
According to Euvaldo Gomes in his article “Philosophy and Its Course in
History of Brazilian Education (2017), a humanistic approach is the
prevalent philosophy of Education in Brazil. Humanism is a school of
progressive philosophy which affirms a human’s ability and responsibility
to have ethical lives for the greater good, without any supernatural beliefs.
As a philosophical perspective in education, this is applied in a student-
centered learning environment, in which students are inspired to be self-
motivated to learn to reach their full potential and personal growth.
b. European countries- choose 2 countries
 France
According to Wise, the philosophy of education that is dominant in France
is the one that makes the teacher as the classroom authority. This
philosophy is perennialism in which a perennial teacher is the authority
figure in the classroom that is responsible for teaching and disseminating
the truth by being liberally educated and morally exemplary.
 Finland
According to the Council for Creative Education of Finland, the philosophy
of education that is dominant is the one that focuses on student-centered
education. This is also called as progressivism wherein it encourages
 students to engage in real-world problem-solving activities conducted in a
democratic and collaborative environment.
c. African countries—choose 2 countries
 South Africa
According to Elza Venter in her article “Philosophy of Education in a new
South Africa, the dominant philosophy of education is progressivism with
pluralistic approach. The education is problem-centered wherein students
are encouraged to engage in real-world problem-solving activities.
Pluralism encourages unity despite being diverse in classes, culture, races,
and religions.
 Ethiopia
According to Aweke Shishigu in his article “Foundation of Curriculum in
Ethiopia: Historical, Philosophical, Psychological and Sociological
Perspectives, the Ethiopian education is rooted in the philosophical
education theory of idealism. Idealism develops the intellectual capabilities
of the students by teaching them to value ideas and principles. An idealist
teacher teaches concepts, ideas, and principles from the classics, and
promotes critical thinking to students.
d. Australian countries- choose 2 countries
 Australia
According to Farangis Shahidzade et al., (2019) in their article “The
Philosophy of Education in Australia”, idealism based from Plato is the
dominant philosophy of education in the country. Plato, a key philosopher
of this concept encourages reasoning of the mind. In this concept, ideas are
constant throughout time. As a philosophical perspective in education,
idealism develops the intellectual capabilities of the students by teaching
them to value ideas and principles.
 New Zealand
According to the Education Department of the Government of New
Zealand, the philosophy of their education is that it should be student-
centered for the continuous growth of their students. This is shown in the
humanist approach. As a philosophical perspective in education, this is
applied in a student-centered learning environment, in which students are
inspired to be self-motivated to learn to reach their full potential and
personal growth. According to Georgina Steward and Peer Roberts in their
article “Philosophy of Education, dialogue and academic life in Aotearoa-
New Zealand (2015), the pragmatic traditional approach is also applied.
Pragmatists believe that the best way to learn in life is through experience.
As a philosophical perspective in education, pragmatism is applied in
hands-on problem solving, experiments, and projects.
 e. Asian countries- choose 2 countries
 Japan
According to Tamotsu Tokunaga in his article “Japan: Conversion of the
Philosophy and Aim of Basic Education” (2013), Japan focuses on a
lifelong learning approach which is also observed in the progressivism
approach. Progressivism encourages the students to be independent
thinkers to have an active experience that lead to lifelong learning.
 South Korea
According to the Middlebury Institute, the education in South Korea is
based on Confucius school of thought which develops strong family
structure, frugality, and hard work. The Japanese influence of
progressivism is also evident in the South Korean education. Perennialism
is also observed due to the fact that teachers are seen as the important
authority in the classroom.

II. In each of the 10 countries that you have chosen, discuss their current education system.
 United States of America
o The educational structure in the USA consists of primary and
secondary schools for a total of 12 years. According to Study USA,
after primary and secondary school, students go to college or
university which is also known as higher education. Homeschooling is
also popular in this country. Standardized tests are also mandated
especially for those who will pursue higher education. Modern
technology is also now incorporated in the whole educational system
of the country.
 Brazil
o According to Study Country, Brazil’s education system has 5 levels:
pre-primary, primary, lower secondary, upper secondary, and tertiary
education. Primary and lower secondary education are compulsory. As
a developing country, public classrooms in most areas in Brazil still
lack educational materials which can lead to negative impacts to the
overall learning of the students.
 France
o According to Fullbright, France has three stages of education: primary,
secondary, and higher education. Education from 3 to 16 years old is
mandatory. Ranked as the 5th most student-friendly country in Europe,
international students often choose this country for exchange student
programs.
 Finland
o According to Council for Creative Education, Finland’s educational
system starts from early childhood education and care to universities.
Basic education is mandatory in Finland. Most schools don’t have
 tuition policies since the goal of Finnish education is to give citizens
opportunities to receive a good education.

 South Africa
o Despite South Africa’s goal to give quality education, their education
system is still unequal. According to Teach Africa Organization, only
those children in the top schools receive quality education compared to
those others in the other left behind schools. South Africa also
experiences a learning crisis due to the lack of teachers.
 Ethiopia
o Education in Ethiopia is maintained by the Ethiopian Orthodox
Church. According to UNESCO, the first cycle of primary education in
Ethiopia focuses on functional literacy while the second cycle focuses
on preparation for secondary education. Teachers are still undervalued
and underpaid, contributing to the decrease of quality education in the
country. Most children who enroll in primary school do not progress to
higher education.
 Australia
o According to Study Australia, the education system in the country has
primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. The primary and secondary
levels are compulsory. Vocational education is also available to those
who will choose to not pursue tertiary and higher education. For
tertiary education, most of the universities are public with subsidized
tuition fees.
 New Zealand
o According to the Ministry of Education, the education system in New
Zealand has three levels: early childhood, primary and secondary, and
further education. The country boasts high quality education for all
levels since it is supported by the government and other different
agencies. Zoning, an enrolment scheme in the country, allows students
to have a guaranteed spot in the school that is close to them.
 Japan
o According to Japan National Tourism Organization, Japan has a 9-year
compulsory education which runs from elementary to junior high
school. Educational travel is also common in Japan wherein school
exchanges are implemented in junior and high schools.
 South Korea
o South Korea’s education system is composted of elementary, middle
school, high school, and tertiary school. According to the Ministry of
Education of Korea, elementary and middle school are compulsory for
students. The national curriculum is also monitored and revised every
5 to ten years to acknowledge changes that happen in Korean society.
III. Determine the similarities and differences of these 10 countries in terms of their
education systems, and how they are similar and different to the present education system
in the Philippines.

Almost all countries have compulsory education that starts from elementary or primary
school up to high school. This is to ensure that children in every nation have basic
literacy skills and knowledge that are fundamental for their next stages of education.
Ethiopia has one of the unique educational systems since it is mostly dominated by their
Orthodox Church which is not the same case for the other countries. Furthermore, the
quality of education differs from each country depending on their economic status and
development. For example, the developed countries such as USA, France, Finland,
among others, have state of the art technologies that are incorporated into their high-
quality educational system. However, in countries such as Ethiopia and Brazil, there are
overcrowding of students in classrooms, lack of teachers and basic educational materials
that lead to negative impacts to their education.

As with the Philippines, the country also mandates education from kindergarten to senior
high school. Public and private institutions are available for all levels of education. For
the tertiary level, there are state colleges and universities wherein tuition fees are
subsidized. However, the country is also considered as a developing country. With this, it
also experiences the hardships of other developing countries in the aspect of education.
Classrooms, teachers, and other basic learning materials are still lacking. Furthermore,
overcrowding in classrooms is very common. Technology is also already being
incorporated into classrooms. However, not all schools have access to these
advancements, that is why the educational gap is very observable.

IV. Read on the History of the System of Education in the Philippines and discuss ONLY the
highlights, or which you consider significant:
a. System of education in ancient Philippines (pre-colonization)
According to DepEd, the precolonial education in the Philippines was
informal. Vocational training was the main focus of the parents of the different
tribes to teach their children. The Babaylan and Katalonan were considered as
the educators during this period. It was common back then that fathers teach
their sons farming, hunting, fishing, while others were trained to be warriors
or datu. The mothers teach their children cooking, farming, and other
household chores. The method of writing back then was called Baybayin.
b. Education during colonization
- Education under the Spaniards
 o During the Spanish period, education was mainly religion centered.
According to K12 Academics, the educators were mainly those in the
religious orders. Spanish language, culture, and writing systems were
taught. It was also the Spanish missionaries who first established the first
schools and universities in the country. It was common back then that
schools for boys and girls were separated. The Educational Decree of 1863
paved the way to have a free public education system in the country.
- Education under the Americans
o After the Philippine-American War, the school structures were badly
damaged. The Americans revamped the educational system in the country.
According to DepEd, it was the Americans who brought 600 teachers from
the USA called Thomasites to teach Filipinos as a response to the heavy
shortage of teachers. During this period, English became the main medium
of instruction.
- Education under the Commonwealth
o According to Teacher PH, it was during the Commonwealth period that
President Manuel Quezon established the National Council of Education
which oversees all educational matters. During this period, vocational and
adult education was the main focus. Filipino was developed to be the
common national language during this time. Significant education system
changes were also done during the Commonwealth such as reducing the
starting age for elementary course, school calendar, and incorporation of
President Quezon’s Code of Ethics.
- Education under the Japanese
o According to LET Reviewer Education, the Japanese aimed to teach
Filipinos to stop patronizing western countries. Vocational education also
proliferated during this period. Love for work and labor was also
emphasized. Nippongo and pro-Japanese books were taught in all levels of
education.
c. Education after Philippine Independence in 1946
After all the colonizers, it was the American system of education that
dominated the Philippines. According to LET Reviewer Education, after
independence, schools were categorized into public and private types. It was
in 2001 when the Department of Education was formally redeveloped from
Department of Education, Culture, and Sports.
d. Education today (Modern-day Education)
a. The present education system today increased the number of years of basic
education into adding 2 years of senior high school. Known as the K-12
Education, the compulsory education was increased to 13 years. According to
K12 Academics, kindergarten was made compulsory, while senior high school
was added to ensure that those who will not pursue tertiary education will still
have job opportunities in the country and even abroad. Technological
 advancements were also incorporated in the current curriculum to provide
more effective methods of teaching and learning.

V. Discuss the benefits that an educator like you will derive in studying the history of
Philippine education.

As an educator, I believe that studying the history of Philippine education will not
benefit myself, but also my students. By understanding the roots of the field that I
pursued, I will develop a deeper understanding of the society I live in. I will also learn
how past societies, systems, and governments functioned and how they adapted to the
changing world. By studying its history, I can have a more developed knowledge of the
changing aspects of life. Furthermore, I can share these with my students to teach them
how things have worked and changed.

By studying the history of Philippine education, I will be able to gain knowledge

and wisdom by looking at the past, to be better in the present and avoid mistakes in the
future. As an educator, I understand that it is very important to learn from our past
mistakes, and not see them as failures, but as steppingstones for the betterment of our
methods as educators. Furthermore, my identity as a teacher is connected also to the
teachers of the past for the reason that education in the country has been focused to
achieve the same goal, to transfer knowledge and wisdom to Filipino students.
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