The Historical Development

of Teaching as a Profession
in the Philippines
Activity: Let’s Do These!
 Let’s find out how much you know about the history of
teaching in the country.
 Thumbs up () if the statement is correct and thumbs
down () if it is wrong.
1. As early as the Spanish period, teaching was
considered a profession.
2. It was the Americans who elevated teaching in the
Philippines as a profession.
3. Teaching was elevated to a profession only in
1994 with the passage of RA 7836.
4. There is no other legal document that
professionalized teaching other than The Teachers’
Professionalization Act of 1994.
Pre-Hispanic Period
 There was no established formal schooling in the country
 No formal preparation for teachers
 The mothers and fathers and tribal leaders served as
teachers at home and in the community.
Spanish Period
 Educational Decree of 1863
 Free public-school system was established
 There was one school for boys and another school for girls
in every municipality.
 Spanish missionaries served as teachers
Spanish Period
 Educational Decree of 1863
— Provided normal school run by the Jesuits to educate male
teachers (maestros) in Manila
— Normal schools for women (maestras) were not
established until 1875
— It was the Spaniards who started training teachers in
normal schools.
American Regime
 American soldiers served as first teachers
 Act 74 of 1901 by the Philippine Commission
— Created the Department of Public Instruction
— Laid the foundations of the public-school system
— Offered free primary education for Filipinos
American Regime
 Shortage of teachers
— Bring 600 teachers from USA (Thomasites)
— the Americans gave bright young Filipino students opportunity
to take up higher education in American colleges and
universities financed by the Philippine Government
(pensionados)
American Regime
 Act 74 of 1901
— Provided the establishment of Philippine Normal School
(PNS) in Manila (September 1901)
— An institution for the training of teachers
Philippine Normal School (PNS)
[2 decades] PNS offered a two-year general secondary education program

[1928] became a junior college offering a two-year program to graduates of

secondary schools

[1949] renamed Philippine Normal College, offered the four-year Bachelor

of Science in Elementary Education
Presidential Decree 1006 [1976]
• Decree Professionalizing Teaching
• Issued by President Ferdinand E. Marcos
• The teachers in the Philippines became professionalized
• “…in recognition of the vital role of teachers in nation-building
and as an incentive to raise the morale of teachers, it is
imperative that they be considered as professionals and teaching
be recognized as a profession.”
Republic Act 7836 [1994]
• Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994
• “…promote quality education by proper supervision and
regulation of the licensure examination and professionalization
of the practice of the teaching profession.”

1. As early as the Spanish period, teaching was
considered a profession.

2. It was the Americans who elevated teaching in the
Philippines as a profession.

3. Teaching was elevated to a profession only in
1994 with the passage of RA 7836.

4. There is no other legal document that
professionalized teaching other than The Teachers’
Professionalization Act of 1994.
Group Activity
1. Make a Vlog.

2. Divide the class into three (3) groups.

3. Do the activity on page 12.