History of Education in the Philippines

 Pre-Colonial Period
 Spanish Period
 First Republic
 Second Republic
 American Republic
 Third to Fifth Republic
Pre-Colonial Period
• education was decentralized
• children were provided with vocational training but little in
the way of traditional academics
• schools were supervised by parents, tribal tutors or those
for specific, specialized roles within their communities( ex.
the Babaylan)
*Babaylan refers to the pre-colonial Philippine tradition of female mystical
healers whose spiritual connectedness was a source of political and social
power.
Educational Aims:

• survival
• conformity
• enculturation - process where an individual learns the
traditional content of a culture and assimilates its
practices and values
Educational Methods:

• show and tell

• observation
• trial and error
• imitation
Educational types:

• informal education
• practical training
• theoretical training
Spanish Period (1521–1898),

• During the early years of

Spanish colonization, education
was mostly run by the Church.
Spanish friars and missionaries
educated the natives and converted
indigenous populations to the
Catholic faith
• Formal education was brought to
the Philippines
• School for boys and for girls were
opened.
• The Educational Decree of 1863 provided a free public education system in
the Philippines, managed by the government.
• The decree mandated
*the establishment of at leaast one primary school for boys and one for
girls in each town.
*the establisment of a normal school for male teachers under the
supervision of the Jesuits.

• Primary education was also declacred free and available to every Filip[ino,
regardless of race and social class and the teaching of Spanish was
compulsory.
Educational Aims:

• to promote Christianity
• Promotion of Spanish Language
• Imposition of Spanish culture
Educational Methods:

• Dictation
• Memorization
• Moro-moro/cenaculo
• Theater presentation
Educational Types:

• Formal Education
• Religious Education:Religion plus education
• Catechism
• Doctrine
• Vocational courses
Spanish Curriculum:
• 3R’s- reading, writing and religion
• schools were parochial and convent
• reading materials were the cartilla and the catecismo
• Subjects:
– Christian doctrine
– values
– history
– reading and writing in Spanish
– Mathematics
– Agriculture
– Etiquette
– Spanish History
Schools Built:
• Colegio de San Ignacio:1590-1768(Manila)- first college for boys
• Colegio de San Ildefonso:(1595- 1769)-It is claimed now as the
University of San Carlos (Cebu)
• Colegio de Sta. Potenciana (1589)- first college for girls
• Colegio de Nuestra Senora del Santisimo Rosario(1611) -now the
University of Santo Tomas
• Colegio de San Juan de Letran(1620)- oldest college in the
Philippines
• Escuela Pia de Manila91859)- Ateneo de Manila
First Republic (1899-1901)
• The First Philippine Republic was formed after thePhilippine
Declaration of Independence and the events of the collapse of the
Spanish rule over the Philippines.
• The schools maintained by Spain for more than three centuries
were closed briefly, but were reopened on August 29,1898,by the
Secretary of Interiors.
• Article 23 of the Malolos Constitution mandated that public
education would be free and obligatory in all schools of the nation.
• Tagalog was established as the national language by the
Constitution of Biak-na-Bato.
Educational Aim:
• Love of Country and God
• Teach the duties of citizenship; and  Develop moral
character, self-discipline, and scientific, technological
Highlights:
and vocational efficiency . • improvement of educational system
• curricular reforms • disproportionate focus on religion
• secularization of education • discourage the attempt of Filipino
• greater attention to natural science students to speak in Spanish
• design of relevant curriculum • lack of pedagogical skills
• improvement of higher centers of • irrelevant courses in the curriculum
learning
Schools Built:

• Instituto Burgos( Burgos Institute)

– country’s first law school
• Academia Militar(Phil.Military Academy)
– established by Aguinaldo to train great soldier of the republic
– country’s first military school
• Universidad de Literaria de Filipinas(Literary University of the Philippines)
– First Philippine state university
– provided courses in LAW, Medicine, Surgery, Pharmacyand Notarianship
American Period (1898-1946)

• There were three levels of education during the American

period. The "elementary" level consisted of four primary
years and 3 intermediate years. The "secondary" or high
school level consisted of four years; and the third was the
"college" or tertiary level. Religion was not part of the
curriculum of the schools.