Science High Schools In The Philippines
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Education in the Philippines is provided by
public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...
and
private school Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
s,
college A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offering ...
s,
universities A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
, and technical and vocational institutions in the country. Funding for public education comes from the national government. For the academic year 2017–2018, about 83% of
K–12 K–12, from kindergarten to 12th grade, is an American English expression that indicates the range of years of publicly supported primary and secondary education found in the United States, which is similar to publicly supported school grade ...
students attended public schools and about 17% either attended private schools or were home-schooled. With the "trifocalization" of the educational system in the country, three government agencies handle each level of education. At the basic education level, the
Department of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
(DepEd) sets overall educational standards and mandates
standardized tests A standardized test is a test that is administered and scored in a consistent, or "standard", manner. Standardized tests are designed in such a way that the questions and interpretations are consistent and are administered and scored in a predete ...
for the
K–12 K–12, from kindergarten to 12th grade, is an American English expression that indicates the range of years of publicly supported primary and secondary education found in the United States, which is similar to publicly supported school grade ...
basic education system, although private schools are generally free to determine their own curriculum in accordance with existing laws and Department regulations. At the
higher education Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completi ...
level, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) supervises and regulates colleges and universities. Meanwhile, the
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA ; fil, Pangasiwaan sa Edukasyong Teknikal at Pagpapaunlad ng Kasanayan) serves as the Philippines' Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) authority. As a government a ...
(TESDA) regulates and accredits technical and vocational education programs and institutions in the country. By law, education is
compulsory Compulsion may refer to: * Compulsive behavior, a psychological condition in which a person does a behavior compulsively, having an overwhelming feeling that they must do so. * Obsessive–compulsive disorder, a mental disorder characterized by i ...
for thirteen years (kindergarten and grades 1–12) and is grouped into three levels:
kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cent ...
,
elementary school A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ed ...
(grades 16),
junior high school A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school ...
(grades 710), and
senior high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
(grades 1112). They may also be grouped into four key stages: 1st key stage (kindergarten– grade 3), 2nd key stage (grades 4–6), 3rd key stage (grades 7–10) and 4th key stage (grades 11–12). Children usually enter kindergarten at age 5. Institutions of
higher education Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completi ...
may be classified as either public or private college or university; public institutions of higher education may further be subdivided into two types: state universities and colleges and
local colleges and universities Local colleges and universities (LCUs) are higher educational institutions that are being run by local government units in the Philippines. A local government unit (LGU) maybe a barangay, a municipality, city, or a province that puts up a post-se ...
.


History


Pre-colonial period

During the pre-colonial period, most children were provided with solely vocational training, which was supervised by parents, tribal tutors or those assigned for specific, specialized roles within their communities (for example, the
babaylan Filipino shamans, commonly known as (also ''Balian'' or , among many other names), were shamans of the various ethnic groups of the pre-colonial Colonialism is a practice or policy of control by one people or power over other people or a ...
). In most communities, stories, songs, poetry, dances, medicinal practices and advice regarding all sorts of community life issues were passed from generation to generation mostly through oral tradition. Some communities utilized a writing system known as
baybayin (, ''pre-kudlít'': , ''virama-krus-kudlít'': , ''virama-pamudpod'': ; also formerly commonly incorrectly known as alibata) is a Philippine script. The script is an abugida belonging to the family of the Brahmic scripts. Geographically, it ...
, whose use was wide and varied, though there are other syllabaries used throughout the archipelago.


Spanish period

Formal education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Vari ...
was brought to the Philippines by the Spaniards, which was conducted mostly by
religious order A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practi ...
s. Upon learning the local languages and writing systems, they began teaching
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
, the Spanish language, and Spanish culture. These religious orders opened the first schools and universities as early as the 16th century. Spanish missionaries established schools immediately after reaching the islands. The
Augustinian Augustinian may refer to: *Augustinians, members of religious orders following the Rule of St Augustine *Augustinianism, the teachings of Augustine of Hippo and his intellectual heirs *Someone who follows Augustine of Hippo * Canons Regular of Sain ...
s opened a parochial school in
Cebu Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 ...
in 1565. The
Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...
s, took to the task of improving literacy in 1577, aside from the teaching of new industrial and agricultural techniques. The
Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...
s followed in 1581, as well as the Dominicans in 1587, setting up a school in
Bataan Bataan (), officially the Province of Bataan ( fil, Lalawigan ng Bataan ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Its capital is the city of Balanga while Mariveles is the largest town in the province. Occupying the entir ...
. The church and the school cooperated to ensure that Christian villages had schools for students to attend. Schools for boys and for girls were then opened. ''Colegios'' were opened for boys, ostensibly the equivalent to present day senior high schools. The
Universidad de San Ignacio The Universidad de San Ignacio was a university in the city of Manila which existed during the Spanish colonial era in the Philippines. It was founded in 1590 and is one of the earliest educational institutions built by Europeans in East Asia wh ...
, founded in
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
by the
Jesuits The Society of Jesus ( la, Societas Iesu; abbreviation: SJ), also known as the Jesuits (; la, Iesuitæ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
in 1589 was the first ''colegio''. Eventually, it was incorporated into the University of Santo Tomas, College of Medicine and Pharmacology following the
suppression of the Jesuits The suppression of the Jesuits was the removal of all members of the Society of Jesus from most of the countries of Western Europe and their colonies beginning in 1759, and the abolishment of the order by the Holy See in 1773. The Jesuits were ...
. Girls had two types of schools – the ''beaterio'', a school meant to prepare them for the convent, and another, meant to prepare them for secular womanhood. The Spanish also introduced printing presses to produce books in Spanish and Tagalog, sometimes using ''baybayin''. The first book printed in the Philippines dates back to 1590. It was a
Chinese language Chinese (, especially when referring to written Chinese) is a group of languages spoken natively by the ethnic Han Chinese majority and many minority ethnic groups in Greater China. About 1.3 billion people (or approximately 16% of the wor ...
version of ''
Doctrina Christiana The ''Doctrina Christiana'' ( eng, Christian Doctrine) was an early book on the catechism of the Catholic Church, written in 1593 by Fray Juan de Plasencia, and is believed to be one of the earliest printed books in the Philippines. Title ...
''.
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
and Tagalog versions, in both
Latin script The Latin script, also known as Roman script, is an alphabetic writing system based on the letters of the classical Latin alphabet, derived from a form of the Greek alphabet which was in use in the ancient Greek city of Cumae, in southern Italy ...
and the locally used ''baybayin'' script, were later printed in 1593. In 1610,
Tomas Pinpin Tomas may refer to: People * Tomás (given name), a Spanish, Portuguese, and Gaelic given name * Tomas (given name), a Swedish, Dutch, and Lithuanian given name * Tomáš, a Czech and Slovak given name * Tomas (surname), a French and Croatian su ...
, a Filipino printer, writer and publisher, who is sometimes referred to as the "Patriarch of Filipino Printing", wrote his famous "''Librong Pagaaralan nang manga Tagalog nang Uicang Castilla''", which was meant to help Filipinos learn the Spanish language. The prologue read: 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 least one primary school for boys and one for girls in each town under the responsibility of the municipal government, and the establishment of a
normal school A normal school or normal college is an institution created to Teacher education, train teachers by educating them in the norms of pedagogy and curriculum. In the 19th century in the United States, instruction in normal schools was at the high s ...
for male teachers under the supervision of the
Jesuits The Society of Jesus ( la, Societas Iesu; abbreviation: SJ), also known as the Jesuits (; la, Iesuitæ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
. Primary education was also declared free and available to every Filipino, regardless of race or social class. Contrary to what the
propaganda of the Spanish–American War Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loade ...
tried to depict and current popular media, they were not religious schools; rather, they are schools that were established, supported, and maintained by the Spanish government. After the implementation of the decree, the number of schools and students increased steadily. In 1866, the total population of the Philippines was 4,411,261. The total number of public schools for boys was 841, and the number of public schools for girls was 833. The total number of children attending those schools was 135,098 for boys, and 95,260 for girls. In 1892, the number of schools had increased to 2,137, of which 1,087 were for boys, and 1,050 for girls. By 1898, enrollment in schools at all levels exceeded 200,000 students.Country Studies: Philippine Education
Retrieved January 24, 2009.
There was some opposition to universal education from Spanish priests, and only 1.6% of the population gained more than a primary school education. Among those who benefited from the free public education system were a burgeoning group of Filipino intellectuals: the ''
Ilustrado The Ilustrados (, "erudite", "learned" or "enlightened ones") constituted the Filipino educated class during the Spanish colonial period in the late 19th century. Elsewhere in New Spain (of which the Philippines were part), the term ''gente de r ...
s'' ('enlightened ones'), some of whom included
José Rizal José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda (, ; June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896) was a Filipino nationalist, writer and polymath active at the end of the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines. He is considered the national he ...
,
Graciano López Jaena Graciano López y Jaena (; December 18, 1856 – January 20, 1896), commonly known as Graciano López Jaena, was a Filipino journalist, orator, reformist, and national hero who is well known for his newspaper, ''La Solidaridad''. Philippine h ...
,
Marcelo H. del Pilar Marcelo Hilario del Pilar y Gatmaitán (; ; August 30, 1850July 4, 1896), commonly known as Marcelo H. del Pilar and also known by his pen name Pláridel,.''Filipinos in History: Volume II'', National Historical Institute, 1990, p. 101 was a ...
,
Mariano Ponce Mariano Ponce y Collantes (March 22, 1863 – May 23, 1918) was a Filipino physician, writer and active member of the Propaganda Movement. In Spain, he was among the founders of ''La Solidaridad'' and ''Asociación Hispano-Filipino''. Among his ...
, and
Antonio Luna Antonio Narciso Luna de San Pedro y Novicio Ancheta (; October 29, 1866 – June 5, 1899) was a Filipino army general who fought in the Philippine–American War before his assassination in 1899. Regarded as one of the fiercest generals of his ...
—all of whom played vital roles in the
Propaganda Movement The Propaganda Movement encompassed the activities of a group of Filipinos who called for political reforms in their land in the late 19th century, and produced books, leaflets, and newspaper articles to educate others about their goals and is ...
that ultimately inspired the founding of the
Katipunan The Katipunan, officially known as the Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan or Kataastaasan Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK; en, Supreme and Honorable Association of the Children of the Nation ...
. Some schools established during this period were founded by non-Spaniards, and were therefore not colonial creations. Damian Domingo, a Chinese mestizo, established in 1823 a fine arts school known as the ''
Academia de Dibujo y Pintura The Academia de Dibujo y Pintura ( en, Academy of Drawing and Painting) was an institution for artistic instruction in Manila, Philippines founded in 1821 by Damián Domingo with the support of the Real Sociedad Economica Filipina de los Amigos del ...
'', which is now the Fine Arts College of the University of the Philippines. In 1868, Doña Margarita Roxas de Ayala, also of Chinese mestizo ancestry, established the girls' school '' La Concordia''.


First Republic

The defeat of Spain following the
Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...
led to the short-lived Philippine Independence movement, which established the
First Philippine Republic The Philippine Republic ( es, República Filipina), now officially known as the First Philippine Republic, also referred to by historians as the Malolos Republic, was established in Malolos, Bulacan during the Philippine Revolution against ...
. 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. The ''Instituto Burgos'' (Burgos Institute), the ''Academia Militar'' (the country's first
military academy A military academy or service academy is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps. It normally provides education in a military environment, the exact definition depending on the country concerned. ...
), and the ''Universidad de Literaria de Filipinas'' (Literary University of the Philippines) were established. Article 23 of the
Malolos Constitution The Political Constitution of 1899 ( es, Constitución Política de 1899), informally known as the Malolos Constitution, was the constitution of the First Philippine Republic. It was written by Felipe Calderón y Roca and Felipe Buencamino as ...
mandated that public education would be free and obligatory in all schools of the nation under the
First Philippine Republic The Philippine Republic ( es, República Filipina), now officially known as the First Philippine Republic, also referred to by historians as the Malolos Republic, was established in Malolos, Bulacan during the Philippine Revolution against ...
. However, the
Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
hindered its progress. Established in the American-occupied zone, Colegio Filipino (now National University) is a Philippine college which dates from this period which has survived to the present. There also existed for many decades the Rosa Sevilla Memorial School, which was originally founded on July 15, 1900, as the ''Instituto de Mujeres'', an all-girls private school.


American period

About a year after having secured Manila, the Americans were keen to open up seven schools with army servicemen teaching with army command-selected books and supplies. In the same year, 1899, more schools were opened, this time, with 24 English-language teachers and 4500 students. In that system, basic education consisted of 6 years elementary and 4 years secondary schooling which, until recently, prepared students for tertiary level instruction for them to earn a degree that would secure them a job later on in life. A highly centralized, experimental public school system was installed in 1901 by the
Philippine Commission The Philippine Commission was the name of two bodies, both appointed by the president of the United States, to assist with governing the Philippines. The first Philippine Commission, also known as the Schurman Commission, was appointed by Preside ...
and legislated by Act No. 74. The law exposed a severe shortage of qualified teachers, brought about by large enrollment numbers in schools. As a result, the Philippine Commission authorized the Secretary of Public Instruction to bring more than 1,000 teachers from the United States, who were called the ''
Thomasites The Thomasites were a group of 600 American teachers who traveled from the United States to the newly occupied territory of the Philippines on the U.S. Army Transport ''Thomas''. The group included 346 men and 180 women, hailing from 43 differe ...
'', to the Philippines between 1901 and 1902. These teachers were scattered throughout the islands to establish ''
barangay A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolitan ...
'' schools. The same law established the Philippine Normal School (now the
Philippine Normal University The Philippine Normal University (PNU; fil, Pamantasang Normal ng Pilipinas) is a public coeducational teacher education and research university in the Philippines. It was established in 1901 through Act No. 74 of the Philippine Commission '' ...
) to train aspiring Filipino teachers. The high school system was supported by provincial governments and included special educational institutions, schools of arts and trades, an agricultural school, and commerce and marine institutes, which were established in 1902 by the
Philippine Commission The Philippine Commission was the name of two bodies, both appointed by the president of the United States, to assist with governing the Philippines. The first Philippine Commission, also known as the Schurman Commission, was appointed by Preside ...
. Several other laws were passed throughout the period. In 1902, Act No. 372 authorized the opening of provincial high schools. while in 1908, Act No. 1870 initiated the opening of the
University of the Philippines The University of the Philippines (UP; fil, Pamantasan ng Pilipinas Unibersidad ng Pilipinas) is a state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by Republic Act No. 9500 (UP Charter of 200 ...
, now the country's ''
national university A national university is mainly a university created or managed by a government, but which may also at the same time operate autonomously without direct control by the state. Some national universities are associated with national cultural or po ...
''. The emergence of high school education in the Philippines, however, did not occur until 1910. It was borne out of rising numbers in enrollment, widespread economic depression, and growing demand by big businesses and technological advances in factories and the emergence of electrification, and the growing need for 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; the investment in human capital caused employees to become more efficient, which lowered costs for the employer, and skilled employees received a higher wage than those employees with just primary educational attainment. However, a steady increase in enrollment in schools appeared to have hindered any revisions to the then-implemented experimental educational system. Act No. 1801, also known as Gabaldon Law, was passed in 1907, which provided a fund of a million pesos for the construction of concrete school buildings and is one of many attempts by the government to meet this demand. Inline as well with the ''Filipinization'' policy of the government, the Reorganization Act of 1916 provided that all department secretaries except the Secretary of Public Instruction must be a natural-born Filipino. A series of revisions (in terms of content, length, and focus) to the curriculum began in 1924, the year the Monroe Survey Commission released its findings. After having convened in the period from 1906 to 1918, what was simply an advisory committee on textbooks was officiated in 1921 as the Board on Textbooks through Act No. 2957. The Board was faced with difficulties, however, even up to the 1940s, but because financial problems hindered the possibility of newer adaptations of books. The
Moro Province Moro Province was a province of the Philippines consisting of the regions of Zamboanga (province), Zamboanga, Lanao (province), Lanao, Cotabato (historical province), Cotabato, Davao (province), Davao, and Sulu Archipelago, Jolo. It was later spl ...
originally had its own Department of Public Instruction, separate from the national system. Education rapidly expanded, with the number of teachers rising from 74 in 1904 to 239 by 1914. The number of schools rose from 52 in 1904 to 366 in 1920, with a corresponding increase in enrollment from 2114 to over 33,000. Such enrollment was primarily made up of first and second year students, after which attendance decreased. This increase also disproportionately benefited Christian inhabitants of the province, and most staff were Christians from elsewhere in the Philippine Islands. Perhaps less than 10% of Muslim children attended public schools in 1920, with attendance remaining low throughout the American period. Education was primarily in English, and aimed to introduce American values in the local population. The Department of Public Instruction moved under the control of the national Bureau of Education in 1915, and was fully integrated into the national system by 1922, part of a process of transferring government to local Filipinos as part of a pathway towards independence. Educational materials, when they began to incorporate stories and cultural aspects from the Philippines, represented the mainstream Christian narrative. Under the
Commonwealth of the Philippines The Commonwealth of the Philippines ( es, Commonwealth de Filipinas or ; tl, Komonwelt ng Pilipinas) was the administrative body that governed the Philippines from 1935 to 1946, aside from a period of exile in the Second World War from 1942 ...
, the national curriculum served as a tool to inoculate a single national identity across the diverse ethnolinguistic groups of the archipelago.


Japanese period and Second Republic

During the Japanese occupation, education was used for indoctrinating the public to inculcate Japanese ideologies, causing low enrollment rates. The Japanese Military Administration's Order No. 2 of February 17, 1942, had six basic points: the propagation of
Filipino culture The culture of the Philippines is characterized by cultural diversity. Although the Ethnic groups in the Philippines, multiple ethnic groups of the Philippine archipelago have only recently established a shared Filipinos, Filipino Filipino natio ...
; the dissemination of the principle of the
Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere The , also known as the GEACPS, was a concept that was developed in the Empire of Japan and propagated to Asian populations which were occupied by it from 1931 to 1945, and which officially aimed at creating a self-sufficient bloc of Asian peo ...
; the spiritual rejuvenation of the Filipinos; the teaching and propagation of Nippongo; the diffusion of vocational and elementary education; and "the promotion of the love of labor". After having been closed following the outbreak of the
Pacific War The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War, was the theater of World War II that was fought in Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and Oceania. It was geographically the largest theater of the war, including the vast ...
, elementary schools followed by vocational and normal schools reopened. Colleges offering courses in agriculture, medicine, fisheries, and engineering also resumed teaching, however, law courses were not instructed. Textbook passages concerning American ideologies of democracy were censored. Educational reforms required teachers to obtain licenses following rigid examinations. All heads of educational institutions were also required to obtain licenses. Also, the teaching of Tagalog, Philippine History, and character education was reserved for Filipinos. The Japanese created the following educational institutions: the Training Institute, for former USAFFE soldiers; the Normal Institute; the Preparatory Institute of Government Scholars to Japan; the Government Employees Training Institute; the New Philippines Cultural Institute; Constabulary Academy No. 1, at the Mapa High School Building in Bagumpanahon; Constabulary Academy No. 2, at the former Araullo High School Building in Bagumbayan; Constabulary Academy No. 3 at the Torres High School Building in Bagumbuhay; and Constabulary Academy No. 4 at the
Legarda Elementary School The Legarda Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Sampaloc in the City of Manila. Built in 1922, the school is notable for its main school building that has managed to retain its pre-war architecture, making its building the ...
in Bagumpanahon. During this period the Philippine Nautical School, now known as the
Philippine Merchant Marine Academy The Philippine Merchant Marine Academy ( fil, Akademiya sa Bapor Pangkalakalan ng Pilipinas) also referred to by its acronym PMMA) is a maritime higher education institution operated by the Philippine government in San Narciso, Zambales. Student ...
, remained in operation and its student population was even increased by the Japanese authorities. A school established during the Japanese period which still exists is
St. Paul College of Makati St. Paul College of Makati, also referred to as SPCM or SPC Makati, is a private, co-educational, Catholic educational institution located at D.M. Rivera Street, Poblacion, Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines, and administered by the Sisters of S ...
.


Third to Fifth Republic

The education sector of the country had undergone several changes throughout the years after the relinquishment of the United States of its authority all over the Philippines in 1947. Then President
Manuel Roxas Manuel Acuña Roxas (born Manuel Roxas y Acuña; ; January 1, 1892 – April 15, 1948) was a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the fifth president of the Philippines, who served from 1946 until his death due to heart attacks in 194 ...
issued Executive Order No. 94 which renamed Department of Instruction into Department of Education with the regulation and supervision of public and private schools belonging to the Bureau of Public and Private Schools. After the war, the public school system was rebuilt with the launching of the Philippine Community School program, which has received worldwide recognition. As early as 1953, the educational development in the Philippines drew attention from neighboring Asian countries, with several groups of Asian educators visiting the country to observe and study the vocational industrial schools. Following independence Islamic schools began to spread in Mindanao, creating a parallel educational structure all the way up to
higher education Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completi ...
. Under the Marcos administration, the Department of Education became the Department of Education and Culture and consequently Ministry of Education and Culture through ''
Proclamation No. 1081 Proclamation No. 1081 was the document which contained Ordinance Power of the President of the Philippines#Proclamations, formal proclamation of martial law in the Philippines by President of the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos, as announ ...
'' and ''Presidential Decree No. 1397'', respectively. The Education Act of 1982 provided for an integrated system of education covering both formal and non-formal education at all levels. Section 29 of the act sought to upgrade educational 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. Section 41 provided for government financial assistance to private schools. After the ratification of the 1987 constitution, the fundamental aims of education in the Philippines were defined and most importantly, elementary schooling was made compulsory for all children. Meanwhile, the enactment of the Free Public Secondary Education Act of 1988 or Republic Act 6655, mandated free public secondary education commencing in the school year 1988–1989.Doris D Tulio, ''Foundations of Education 2'', 2nd Ed, National Book Store, Mandaluyong, 2008, p124 In 1987, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports again became the Department of Education, Culture, and Sports under Executive Order No. 117 and remained practically unchanged until 1994. According to the 1991 report by the Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM), the department was recommended to be divided into three parts. Thus, the passage of the Republic Acts 7722 and 7796 in 1994 led the "trifocalization" of the educational system in the Philippines. Republic Act 7722 or the Higher Education Act of 1994 created the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), which assumed the functions of the Bureau of Higher Education and supervised tertiary degree programs Republic Act 7796 or the Technical Education and Skills Development Act of 1994, created the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), which absorbed the Bureau of Technical-Vocational Education as well as the National Manpower and Youth Council, and began to supervise non-degree technical-vocational programs. Meanwhile, the Department of Education, Culture, and Sports retained responsibility for all elementary and secondary education.


Contemporary period

The start of the twenty-first century saw a major change in the Philippine education system. In August 2001, Republic Act 9155, otherwise called the Governance of Basic Education Act, was passed. This act changed the name of department to the current Department of Education (DepEd) and redefined the role of field offices (regional offices, division offices, district offices and schools). The act provided the overall framework for school empowerment by strengthening the leadership roles of headmasters and fostering transparency and local accountability for school administrations. The goal of basic education was to provide the school age population and young adults with skills, knowledge, and values to become caring, self-reliant, productive, and patriotic citizens. In January 2009, the Department of Education signed a memorandum of agreement with the
United States Agency for International Development The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government that is primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance. With a budget of over $27 bi ...
(USAID) to seal $86 million assistance to Philippine education, particularly the access to quality education in the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao ( tl, Rehiyong Awtonomo ng Muslim Mindanao; ar, الحكم الذاتي الاقليمي لمسلمي مندناو ''Al-ḥukm adh-dhātī al-'iqlīmī li-muslimī Mindanāu''; abbreviated as ARMM) was ...
(ARMM), and the
Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
and
Central Mindanao Soccsksargen (officially stylized in all caps; ), formerly known as Central Mindanao, is an administrative region of the Philippines, designated as Region XII. Located in south-central Mindanao, its name is an acronym that stands for the region ...
regions. In 2010, then-Senator
Benigno Aquino III Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III (; February 8, 1960 – June 24, 2021), also known as Noynoy Aquino and colloquially as PNoy, was a Filipino politician who served as the 15th president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016. The son of ...
expressed his desire to implement the
K–12 K–12, from kindergarten to 12th grade, is an American English expression that indicates the range of years of publicly supported primary and secondary education found in the United States, which is similar to publicly supported school grade ...
basic education cycle to increase the number of years of compulsory education to thirteen years. According to him, this will "give everyone an equal chance to succeed" and "have quality education and profitable jobs". After further consultations and studies, the government under President Aquino formally adopted the K–6–4–2 basic education system—one year of kindergarten, six years of elementary education, four years of junior high school education and two years of senior high school education. Kindergarten was formally made compulsory by virtue of the Kindergarten Education Act of 2012, while the further twelve years were officially put into law by virtue of the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013. Although DepEd has already implemented the K–12 Program since SY 2011–2012, it was still enacted into law to guarantee its continuity in the succeeding years. In 2011, the Department of Education started to implement the new K-12 educational system, which also included a new curriculum for all schools nationwide. The K-12 program has a so-called "phased implementation", which started in School Year 2011–2012. The Philippines had a simple
literacy Literacy in its broadest sense describes "particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing" with the purpose of understanding or expressing thoughts or ideas in written form in some specific context of use. In other words, huma ...
rate of 98.3% as of 2015, and a
functional literacy Functional illiteracy consists of reading and writing skills that are inadequate "to manage daily living and employment tasks that require reading skills beyond a basic level". Those who read and write only in a language other than the predominant ...
rate of 90.3% as of 2013. In 2017, the
Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act The Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, officially designated as Republic Act 10931, is a Philippine law that institutionalizes free tuition and exemption from other fees in state universities and colleges (SUCs), and local univer ...
was signed by President
Rodrigo Duterte Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson ...
mandating the government through all state universities and colleges (SUCs) to provide
free Free may refer to: Concept * Freedom, having the ability to do something, without having to obey anyone/anything * Freethought, a position that beliefs should be formed only on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism * Emancipate, to procur ...
tertiary education for all Filipino citizens. The mandate does not include private schools. However, certain
subsidies A subsidy or government incentive is a form of financial aid or support extended to an economic sector (business, or individual) generally with the aim of promoting economic and social policy. Although commonly extended from the government, the ter ...
for students enrolled in private higher education institutions are available. In January 2021, the alternative learning system (ALS) was institutionalized by a law signed by President Duterte.


Formal education

Formal education is the hierarchically structured, chronologically graded 'education system', running from primary school through the university and including, in addition to general academic studies, a variety of specialized programs and institutions for full-time technical and professional training. K-12 and tertiary education from colleges are characterized as formal education. This does not include the informal education in the Philippines learned from daily experience and the educative influences and resources in his or her environment. Nor does this include non-formal education like the alternative learning systems provided by the Department of Education (DepEd), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and other programs from educational institutions.


Education system used from 1945 to June 4, 2012

The former system of basic education in the Philippines from 1945 to June 4, 2012, consists of one-year preschool education, six-year elementary education and four-year high school education. Although public preschool, elementary and high school education are provided free, only primary education is stipulated as compulsory according to the 1987 Philippine Constitution. Pre-primary education caters to children aged five. A child aged six may enter elementary schools with, or without pre-primary education. Following on from primary education is four-years of secondary education, which can theoretically be further divided into three years of lower secondary and one year of upper secondary education. Ideally, a child enters secondary education at the age of 12. After completing their secondary education, students may progress to a technical education and skills development to earn a certificate or a diploma within one to three years, depending on the skill. Students also have the option to enroll in higher education programs to earn a baccalaureate degree. Although the implementation of the K-12 curriculum was started on June 6, 2011, when Kindergarten became compulsory, the pre-university education retained its 10 year-cycle until the implementation of K-12 on Grades 1 and 7 which caused First to Fourth Year was changed to Grades 7 to 10 upon the start of School Year 2012–2013 on June 4, 2012, and Grades 11 and 12 were added on SY 2016-2017 and 2017–2018, respectively, and the educational system that has been in use since 1945 is still in effect until the old curriculum was entirely phased out on June 5, 2017, when K-12 curriculum was implemented on Grade 6. Final batch of high school and elementary students under this educational system and old curriculum were graduated in 2015 and 2017, respectively


K-12

K-12 K-1 is a professional kickboxing promotion established in 1993, well known worldwide mainly for its heavyweight division fights and Grand Prix tournaments. In January 2012, K-1 Global Holdings Limited, a company registered in Hong Kong, acquired ...
is a program that covers kindergarten and 12 years of basic education to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship.


Implications of the change in the system

Senior High School, an important feature of the new K-12 program, creates several opportunities. Standard requirements will be applied to make sure graduates know enough to be hirable. Senior High School students will now be able to apply for TESDA Certificates of Competency (COCs) and National Certificates (NCs) to provide them with better work opportunities. Partnerships with different companies will be offered for technical and vocational courses. Senior High School students can also get work experience while studying. Aside from these, entrepreneurship courses will now be included. Instead of being employed, one can choose to start his or her own business after graduating, or choose to further one's education by going to college. Senior High School, as part of the K to 12 Basic Curriculum, was developed in line with the curriculum of the Commission of Higher Education (CHED) – the governing body for college and university education in the Philippines. This ensures that by the time one graduates from Senior High School, one will have the standard knowledge, skills, and competencies needed to go to college. Because of the shift of the curriculum in K-12, the College General Education curriculum will have fewer units. Subjects that have been taken up in Basic Education will be removed from the College General Education curriculum.


Curriculum

* In kindergarten, the pupils are mandated to learn the alphabet, numbers, shapes and colours through games, songs, pictures and dances, but in their
native language A first language, native tongue, native language, mother tongue or L1 is the first language or dialect that a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period. In some countries, the term ''native language'' or ''mother tongu ...
; thus after Grade 1, every student can read on his/her native tongue. ** The 12 original mother tongue languages that have been introduced for the 2012–2013 school year are Bicolano, Cebuano,
Chavacano Chavacano or Chabacano is a group of Spanish-based creole language varieties spoken in the Philippines. The variety spoken in Zamboanga City, located in the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao, has the highest concentration of speakers. ...
, Hiligaynon, Ilocano,
Kapampangan Kapampangan, Capampañgan or Pampangan may refer to: *Kapampangan people of the Philippines *Kapampangan language Kapampangan or Pampangan is an Austronesian language, and one of the eight major languages of the Philippines. It is the primary ...
, Maguindanaoan,
Maranao The Maranao people (Maranao: mәranaw Filipino: ''Maranaw''), also spelled Meranao, Maranaw, and Mëranaw, is the term used by the Philippine government to refer to the southern indigenous people who are the "people of the lake", a predomin ...
, Pangasinense, Tagalog, Tausug and Waray-Waray. ** 7 more mother tongue languages have been introduced for the 2013–2014 school year. These are Aklanon, Ibanag, Ivatan,
Kinaray-a The Karay-a language ( krj, label=none, Kinaray-a, krj, label=none, Binisayâ nga Kinaray-a or krj, label=none, Hinaraya; en, Harayan) is an Austronesian regional language in the Philippines spoken by the Karay-a people, mainly in Antique, Il ...
,
Sambal Sambal is an Indonesian chilli sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of a variety of chilli peppers with secondary ingredients, such as shrimp paste, garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. ''Sambal'' is an Indo ...
, Surigaonon and
Yakan Yakan may refer to: * Yakan people, a community of the Philippines * Yakan language, a language of the Philippines * Cape Yakan, in Russia People with the name * Adly Yakan Pasha (1864–1933), Egyptian politician * Fathi Yakan (1933–2009), Le ...
. * In Grade 1, the subject areas of
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
and
Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
are taught, with a focus on "oral fluency". * In Grade 4, the subject areas of English and Filipino are gradually introduced, but now, as "languages of instruction". * The
Science Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...
and
Mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...
subjects are now modified to use the spiral progression approach starting as early as Grade 1 which means that every lesson will be taught in every grade level starting with the basic concepts to the more complex concepts of that same lesson until Grade 10. * The high school from the former system will now be called ''
junior high school A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school ...
'', while ''
senior high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
'' will be the 11th and 12th year of the new educational system. It will serve as a specialized upper secondary education. In the ''senior high school'', students may choose a specialization based on aptitude, interests, and school capacity. The choice of career track will define the content of the subjects a student will take in Grades 11 and 12. ''Senior high school'' subjects fall under either the ''core curriculum'' or ''specific tracks''. ** ''Core curriculum'' learning areas include
language Language is a structured system of communication. The structure of a language is its grammar and the free components are its vocabulary. Languages are the primary means by which humans communicate, and may be conveyed through a variety of met ...
s,
humanities Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture. In the Renaissance, the term contrasted with divinity and referred to what is now called classics, the main area of secular study in universities at the t ...
,
communication Communication (from la, communicare, meaning "to share" or "to be in relation with") is usually defined as the transmission of information. The term may also refer to the message communicated through such transmissions or the field of inquir ...
,
physical education Physical education, often abbreviated to Phys Ed. or P.E., is a subject taught in schools around the world. It is usually taught during primary and secondary education, and encourages psychomotor learning by using a play and movement explorati ...
,
mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...
,
philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...
,
natural sciences Natural science is one of the branches of science concerned with the description, understanding and prediction of natural phenomena, based on empirical evidence from observation and experimentation. Mechanisms such as peer review and repeatab ...
and
social sciences Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of soci ...
. ** There are four choices that are available to be chosen by the students — or the so-called "''specific tracks''". These are: ::* ''Academic'', which includes four strands which are: ::# ''Accountancy, Business & Management (ABM)'' – for those interested in pursuing college or university education in fields of accountancy, business management, business administration, office management, economics, or entrepreneurship. ::# ''Humanities & Social Sciences (HUMSS)'' – for those interested in pursuing college or university education in fields of languages, mass communication and journalism, literature, philosophy, history, education, liberal arts, and the rest of humanities and social sciences. ::# ''Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM)''- for those interested in pursuing college or university education in fields of basic and applied sciences, biological sciences, physical sciences, laboratory sciences, nutrition and allied medicine, mathematics, and engineering. ::# ''General Academic Strand (GAS)'' – for those interested in pursuing college or university education but are not sure of what field to pursue as a career. ::* ''Technical-Vocational-Livelihood'', which specializes in technical and vocational learning. A student can obtain a National Certificate Level II (NC II), provided he/she passes the competency-based assessment of the
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA ; fil, Pangasiwaan sa Edukasyong Teknikal at Pagpapaunlad ng Kasanayan) serves as the Philippines' Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) authority. As a government a ...
. This certificate improves employability of graduates in fields of: ::#
Home Economics Home economics, also called domestic science or family and consumer sciences, is a subject concerning human development, personal and family finances, consumer issues, housing and interior design, nutrition and food preparation, as well as texti ...
like tourism, culinary art, cosmetology, clothing, handicraft, housekeeping, etc. ::#
Industrial Arts Industrial arts is an educational program that features the fabrication of objects in wood or metal using a variety of hand, power, or machine tools. Industrial Arts are commonly referred to as Technology Education. It may include small engine rep ...
like automotive services, carpentry and construction, masonry, plumbing, machining, electricity and electronics, etc. ::# Agricultural and Fishery Arts like agriculture, animal production, horticulture, food processing, aquaculture, fish capture, landscaping, etc. ::#
Information and Communications Technology Information and communications technology (ICT) is an extensional term for information technology (IT) that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals) and computers, ...
like animation, illustration, technical drafting, medical transcription, programming, and computer services. ::* ''Arts and Design'', which is helping interested ''senior high school'' students in the particular fields of
journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the "news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (profes ...
, broadcast art, and mass media;
media Media may refer to: Communication * Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass el ...
and entertainment;
creative writing Creative writing is any writing that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature, typically identified by an emphasis on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary ...
like poetry, fiction writing, and playwriting;
studio arts A studio is an artist or worker's workroom. This can be for the purpose of acting, architecture, painting, pottery (ceramics), sculpture, origami, woodworking, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, industrial d ...
like drawing, painting, sculpture, and printmaking,
media arts New media art includes artworks designed and produced by means of electronic media technologies, comprising virtual art, computer graphics, computer animation, digital art, interactive art, sound art, Internet art, video games, robotics, 3D pri ...
like animation,photography, graphic design, illustration, layout design, digital painting, music production, sound design, game design, application design, film and videography;
applied arts The applied arts are all the arts that apply design and decoration to everyday and essentially practical objects in order to make them aesthetically pleasing."Applied art" in ''The Oxford Dictionary of Art''. Online edition. Oxford Univers ...
or
decorative arts ] The decorative arts are arts or crafts whose object is the design and manufacture of objects that are both beautiful and functional. It includes most of the arts making objects for the interiors of buildings, and interior design, but not usual ...
like fashion design, industrial design, product and packaging design, jewelry design, clothing and accessories, set and costume design, and ceramics;
dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...
like folk dance, classical and modern ballet, ballroom and Latin dances, hip-hop, contemporary and popular dances, and choreography;
theater arts Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...
like acting, theater design, technical theater, and directing; and
music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...
like instrumental music, vocal music, ensemble and chamber music, and composition and music production. Art forms offered especially in visual and media arts depends on schools' capacity, faculty, resident artists and designers in immediate or local community, equipment and resources. ::* ''Sports'', which is responsible for educating ''senior high school'' students in the fields of
sports Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, th ...
,
physical education Physical education, often abbreviated to Phys Ed. or P.E., is a subject taught in schools around the world. It is usually taught during primary and secondary education, and encourages psychomotor learning by using a play and movement explorati ...
, fitness. With pursued professions such as sports athlete, sports coach, fitness coach, sports officiator, sports activity or event manager, sports tournament manager, fitness leader and expert, fitness instructor, gym instructor, sports expert, recreation leader and expert, physical and massage therapist, physical education instructor, physical education instructor, MAPEH instructor, and sports scientist.


Implementation

K-12's implementation began on June 6, 2011, when kindergarten became compulsory. It continued by fully implementing the system for Grades 1 and 7 on June 4, 2012, for grade 11 in 2016, and for grade 12 in 2017. From June 6, 2011, to June 5, 2017, both the old and K-12 curriculum were concurrently in use. The old curriculum was entirely phased out upon the implementation of K-12 curriculum for grade 6 on June 5, 2017. There are four "phases" during the implementation of the new system. These are: * Phase I: ''Laying the Foundations''. Its goal is to finally implement the universal
kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cent ...
, and the "development of the (entire) program". * Phase II: ''Modeling and Migration''. Its goal is to promote the enactment of the basic education law, to finally start of the phased implementation of the new curriculum for Grades 1 to 10, and for the modeling of the ''senior high school''. * Phase III: ''Complete Migration''. Its goal is to finally implement the Grades 11 and 12 or the ''senior high school'', and to signal the end of migration to the new educational system. * Phase IV: ''Completion of the Reform''. Its goal is to complete the implementation of the K–12 education system The Department of Education's justifications in this change, in implementing 13 years of basic education, is that the Philippines is the only country in Asia and one of the four countries worldwide with a 10-year pre-university cycle (Angola, Djibouti and Myanmar are the other three), and that the 13-year program is found to be the best period for learning under basic education. It is also the recognized standard for students and professionals globally.


Primary education

Elementary school, sometimes called primary school or grade school (
Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
: ''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) after compulsory pre-school education called Kindergarten. In public schools, the core/major subjects that were introduced starting in Grade 1 include
Mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...
,
Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
, and ''Araling Panlipunan'' (synonymous to Social Studies).
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
is only introduced after the second semester of Grade 1.
Science Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...
is only introduced starting Grade 3. Other major subjects then include
Music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...
,
Arts The arts are a very wide range of human practices of creative expression, storytelling and cultural participation. They encompass multiple diverse and plural modes of thinking, doing and being, in an extremely broad range of media. Both hi ...
,
Physical Education Physical education, often abbreviated to Phys Ed. or P.E., is a subject taught in schools around the world. It is usually taught during primary and secondary education, and encourages psychomotor learning by using a play and movement explorati ...
, and
Health Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...
(abbreviated as MAPEH), TLE (Technology and Livelihood Education) for Grade 6, EPP (Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan) for Grades 4 and 5, Mother Tongue (Grades 1–3) and ''Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao'' (synonymous to Ethics, Values or Character Education). In private schools, subjects in public schools are also included with the additional subjects including: Computer Education as a separate subject, though it is included in EPP and TLE through its ICT component. In Christian and Catholic schools,
Religious Education In secular usage, religious education is the teaching of a particular religion (although in the United Kingdom the term ''religious instruction'' would refer to the teaching of a particular religion, with ''religious education'' referring to te ...
is also part of the curriculum. Islamic schools like Madrasa schools have a separate subjects for Arabic Language and for Islamic Values or abbreviated as ALIVE. Chinese schools may also have subjects in Chinese Language and Culture. International schools also have their own subjects in their own language and culture. From Kindergarten until Grade 3, students will be taught using their
mother tongue A first language, native tongue, native language, mother tongue or L1 is the first language or dialect that a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period. In some countries, the term ''native language'' or ''mother tongu ...
, meaning the regional
languages of the Philippines There are some 120 to 187 languages spoken in the Philippines, depending on the method of classification. Almost all are Malayo-Polynesian languages native to the archipelago. A number of Spanish-influenced creole varieties generally called C ...
will be used in some subjects (except Filipino and English) as a medium of instruction. Aside from being incorporated as a language of instruction, it is also a separate subject for Grades 1–3. But from Grade 4, Filipino and English as a medium of instruction will then be used. In December 2007, President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, House Deputy Spe ...
announced that Spanish would make a return as a mandatory subject in all Filipino schools starting in 2008, but this did not come into effect. Prior to the adoption of the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) system in school year 2012–2013, the Deped followed a Bilingual Policy. This called 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. Article XIV, Section 7 of the 1987 Philippine constitution mandates that
regional languages * A regional language is a language spoken in a region of a sovereign state, whether it be a small area, a federated state or province or some wider area. Internationally, for the purposes of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Lan ...
are the auxiliary official languages in the regions and shall serve as auxiliary media of instruction therein. 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. International English language schools use English as the foundational language. Chinese schools add two language subjects, such as Min Nan Chinese and
Mandarin Chinese Mandarin (; ) is a group of Chinese (Sinitic) dialects that are natively spoken across most of northern and southwestern China. The group includes the Beijing dialect, the basis of the phonology of Standard Chinese, the official language of ...
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 Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
is taught in Islamic schools. In July 2009, the Department of Education moved to overcome the foreign language issue by ordering all elementary schools to move towards initial mother-tongue based instruction (grades 1–3). 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. Until 2004, primary students traditionally took 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, the NEAT was changed to the
National Achievement Test The National Achievement Test (NAT) is a standardized set of examinations taken in the Philippines by students in Grades 3, 6, 10, and 12. The test is designed to determine their academic levels, strength and weaknesses, as well as their knowledge ...
(NAT) by the Department of Education. 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 schools.


Secondary education

Secondary school in the Philippines, more commonly known as "high school" (
Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
: ''paaralang sekundarya'', sometimes ''mataas na paaralan''), consists of 4 lower levels and 2 upper levels. It formerly consisted of only four levels with each level partially compartmentalized, focusing on a particular theme or content. Because of the K-12 curriculum, the high school system now has six years divided into 2 parts. The lower exploratory high school system is now called "Junior High School" (Grades 7–10) while the upper specialized high school system is now called "Senior High School" (Grades 11 and 12). Secondary students used to sit for the National Secondary Achievement Test (NSAT), which was based on the American
SAT The SAT ( ) is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. Since its debut in 1926, its name and scoring have changed several times; originally called the Scholastic Aptitude Test, it was later called the Schol ...
, and was administered by the Department of Education. Like its primary school counterpart, NSAT was phased out after major reorganizations in the education department. Its successors, the National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) and
National Achievement Test The National Achievement Test (NAT) is a standardized set of examinations taken in the Philippines by students in Grades 3, 6, 10, and 12. The test is designed to determine their academic levels, strength and weaknesses, as well as their knowledge ...
(NAT) were administered to 3rd and 4th Year students respectively, before the implementation of the K-12 system. The National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) is now being administered for Grade 9 and the
National Achievement Test The National Achievement Test (NAT) is a standardized set of examinations taken in the Philippines by students in Grades 3, 6, 10, and 12. The test is designed to determine their academic levels, strength and weaknesses, as well as their knowledge ...
(NAT) is being administered at Grades 3, 6, 10, and 12. Neither the NSAT nor NAT have been used as a basis for being offered admission to higher education institutions, partly because pupils sit them at almost the end of their secondary education. Instead, higher education institutions, both public and private, administer their own College Entrance Examinations (CEE) (subjects covered will depend on the institutions). Vocational colleges usually do not have entrance examinations, simply accepting th
Form 138
record of studies from high school, and enrollment payment.


= Junior high school

= Students graduating from the elementary level automatically enroll in junior high, which covers four years from grades 7 to 10. This level is now compulsory and free to all students attending public schools. There are two main types of high school: the general secondary school, which enroll more than 90 percent of all junior high school students, and the vocational secondary school. In addition, there are also science secondary schools for students who have demonstrated a particular gift in science at the primary level as well as special secondary schools and special curricular programs. Admission to public school is automatic for those who have completed six years of elementary school. Some private secondary schools have competitive entrance requirements based on an entrance examination. Entrance to science schools, art schools, and schools with special curricular programs is also by competitive examination sometimes including interviews, and auditions. The
Department of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
specifies a compulsory curriculum for all junior high school students, public and private. There are five core subjects: Science, Mathematics, English, Filipino, and Araling Panlipunan (Social Studies). Other subjects in all levels of junior high school include MAPEH (a collective subject comprising Music, Art, Physical Education and Health),
Character Education Character education is an umbrella term loosely used to describe the teaching of children and adults in a manner that will help them develop variously as moral, civic, good, mannered, behaved, non-bullying, healthy, critical, successful, traditiona ...
(''Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao'') and
Technology and Livelihood Education Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) is one of the learning areas of the Secondary Education Curriculum used in Philippine The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pil ...
(TLE). In other public schools or private secondary schools offers specialized curricular programs for students with gifts and or talents as well as aptitude in fields of: sciences and mathematics, sports, the arts, journalism, foreign language, or technical-vocational education. These are under the DepEd with the latter in partnership with TESDA. These special programs for special schools are: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program (STEM, formerly called ESEP); Special Program in Sports (SPS); Special Program in the Arts (SPA); Special Program in Journalism (SPJ);
Special Program in Foreign Language Special or specials may refer to: Policing * Specials, Ulster Special Constabulary, the Northern Ireland police force * Specials, Special Constable, an auxiliary, volunteer, or temporary; police worker or police officer Literature * ''Specia ...
(SPFL); and Technical-Vocational-Livelihood Program (TVL). These programs offers comprehensive secondary education in a particular academic or career pathway field. Because of being career-pathway oriented, special and advanced subjects are offered in replace of TLE subject and sometimes includes even more time and subjects for specialized learning and training. In selective schools, various languages may be offered as electives like in an SPFL program, as well as other subjects such as computer programming and literary writing like in STEM schools or Laboratory High Schools. Chinese schools have language and cultural electives. International Schools offer electives or subjects like writing, culture, history, language, art, or a special subject unique to the school. Preparatory schools like technical vocational schools or schools with TVL Programs usually add some business, entrepreneurship, and accountancy courses. Special science high schools like those of PSHS System (administered by DOST) and RSHS System (administered by
DepEd The Department of Education (abbreviated as DepEd; fil, Kagawaran ng Edukasyon) is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for ensuring access to, promoting equity in, and improving the quality of basic education. It ...
) have biology, chemistry, and physics at every level and or exclusive and advanced science and math subjects as well as subjects in technology, pre-engineering, and research. These science schools are more exclusive and with higher standards compared to general high school's STEM Program. PSHS or RSHS students may transfer to a STEM program school but not the way around. PSHS students may also transfer to an RSHS and vice versa only for the incoming sophomore year. Both PSHS and RSHS students must maintain an average grade especially in their advanced sciences and math subjects on a quarterly basis or else will lose the chance of continuing education in these schools, therefore, will make students transfer to a STEM Program school or a general high school. This system makes sure the quality and exclusiveness of science high schools. In special government-run art school such as
Philippine High School for the Arts The Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA) is a specialized public high school in the Philippines offering arts-focused education established in 1978 by virtue of Presidential Decree 1287. An attached agency of the Department of Education, it ...
, which is administered by the Cultural Center of the Philippines in coordination with the Department of Education, and as well as the National Commission for Culture and the Arts offers a much specialized and exclusive curricular program than general high school's SPA Program. Like the PSHS and RSHS to STEM schools system, students from PHSA should maintain grades in their art field of specialization or will transfer to a SPA school or a general high school. But SPA students can enroll in PHSA only for incoming sophomores passing the exclusive test, auditions, and interviews, and not from general high schools but from SPA school only. Both schools of Philippine Science High School System and the Philippine High School for the Arts are administered by government agencies apart from DepEd but still is in coordination with it. These schools offer scholarships for students with high aptitude and talents in science fields or the art fields granting those who pass rigorous and exclusive tests with many special benefits like free board and lodging, free books, a monthly stipend, and classes taught by experts, masters, and active practitioners of their respective fields among others.


= Vocational school

= Formal technical and vocational education starts at secondary education, with a two-year curriculum, which grants access to vocational tertiary education. 5/sup> However, there is also non-formal technical and vocational education provided as alternative learning programs. Vocational schools offer a higher concentration of technical and vocational subjects in addition to the core academic subjects studied by students at general high schools. These schools tend to offer technical and vocational instruction in one of five main fields: agriculture, fisheries, trade-technical, home industry, and ‘non-traditional’ courses while offering a host of specializations. During the first two years, students study a general vocational area, from the five main fields mentioned. During the third and fourth years they specialize in a discipline or vocation within that area. Programs contain a mixture of theory and practice. Upon completion of Grade 10 of Junior High School, students can obtain Certificates of Competency (COC) or the vocationally oriented National Certificate Level I (NC I). After finishing a Technical-Vocational-Livelihood track in Grade 12 of Senior High School, a student may obtain a National Certificate Level II (NC II), provided he/she passes the competency-based assessment administered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority(TESDA).


= Senior high school

= The new high school curriculum includes core classes and specialization classes based on student choice of specialization. Students may choose a specialization based on aptitude, interests, and school capacity. Classes or courses are divided into two: Core Curriculum Subjects and Track Subjects. There are eight learning areas under the core curriculum. These are Language, Humanities, Communication, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Philosophy, and PE and Health. These will make up 15 core courses with the same contents and competencies but with allowed contextualization based on school's location despite of specializations of tracks and strands. Track subjects will be further divided into Applied or Contextualized Subjects and the Specialization Subjects. There would be 7 Applied Subjects with competencies common to tracks and strands or specializations but with different contents based on specialization, and there would be 9 Specialization Subjects with unique contents and competencies under a track or strand. All the subjects (core, applied and specialized) are having 80 hours per semester each, except for Physical Education and Health, having 20 hours per semester. And for the subjects under General Academics Strand (GAS), Humanities 1 and 2 will be chosen from the HUMSS track subjects 1 to 4, and for the Social Science 1 will be chosen from HUMSS track subjects 5 to 8. For their specialization classes, students choose from four tracks: Academic; Technical-Vocational-Livelihood; Sports; and the Arts and Design. The Academic track includes five strands of specializations: * Accountancy and Business Management (ABM) which will prepare students for college courses in the business-related careers such as accountancy, business management, office administration, finance, economics, marketing, sales, human resource management, business operations, entrepreneurship, etc. * Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) which will prepare students to college courses in the fields of humanities like language arts, literature, history, philosophy, religious studies, and the liberal arts as well as in the field of social sciences and applied social sciences like anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, sociology, criminology, geography, counseling, social work, journalism and communications, etc. * Science and Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) which will prepare students for college courses in the fields of natural and physical sciences, applied sciences, allied medicine, computer studies, architecture, engineering, mathematics, etc. * General Academic (GA) is a generic strand for students who are not yet sure of what to study in college or what track and strand to take with much like liberal arts subjects like electives from humanities and social sciences, applied business and science courses, and a freedom to choose electives from any track or strand offered by the school * The new Pre-Baccalaureate Maritime Strand which is an academic maritime field preparatory strand with pre-engineering courses lie pre-calculus, calculus, and physics as well as one chemistry and introductory maritime courses, preparing students who wishes to pursue higher education in a maritime-related field. The Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) track includes current five specializations from which TESDA-based courses can be chosen: * Home Economics * Agri-Fishery Arts * Industrial Arts * Information and Communications Technology * The new field of TVL Maritime (a Technical-Vocational-Livelihood counterpart of the Pre-Baccalaureate Maritime of Academic Track). A mixture of specialization courses from these four fields can also be done, depending on the curricular program and offerings offered by schools who offers TVL track. Sports track will prepare students with sports science, sports-related, physical education-related, health-related, and movement-related courses which will let them explore and specialize in fields like sports fundamental coaching, student-athlete development, sports officiating and activity management, recreational and fitness or sports leadership. This will be with courses in safety and first aid, fitness testing and basic exercise programming, psychosocial aspects of sports and exercise, and human movement. Students will have an immersion or practicum in a sports, fitness, exercise, or recreation specialization of one will be in-campus practicum and one will be off-campus apprenticeship. This track will prepare students with careers in sports athletics, fitness, exercise, recreational leadership, sports event management, coaching, and physical therapy. Arts and Design Track will prepare student for the creative industries in various creative and artistic fields such as but not limited to: music, dance, creative writing and literature, visual arts, global media arts, broadcast arts, film and cinema, applied arts, architecture and design, theater, entertainment, etc. Students will be trained with lectures and immersions in arts appreciation and production and the performing arts. They will also learn and be prepared with physical and personal development which will help them with physical, personal, and health factors in the arts fields as an introduction to workplaces; integration of elements and principles of art which will deepen their understanding about art elements and principles and their applications; building cultural and national identity in arts which will help them appreciate cultural icons and traditional or indigenous materials, techniques, and practices in their art field. Students also will be immersed to an art field of their choice: music, theater, literary art, visual art, or media art under apprenticeship with practitioner/s of the field and will culminate showcasing their skills and talents in either a performing arts performance, a visual and media art exhibit, or a literary art production. Senior High School "completes" basic education by making sure that the high school graduate is equipped for work, entrepreneurship, or higher education. This is a step up from the 10-year cycle where high school graduates still need further education (and expenses) to be ready for the world. There are 334 private schools with Senior High School permits beginning in SY 2014 or 2015. Last March 31, 2015, provisional permits have been issued to 1,122 private schools that will offer Senior High School in 2016. Senior High School will be offered free in public schools and there will be a voucher program in place for public junior high school completers as well as ESC beneficiaries of private high schools should they choose to take Senior High School in private institutions. This means that the burden of expenses for the additional two years need not be completely shouldered by parents. All grade 10 completers from a public Junior High School who wish to enroll in a private or non-DepEd Senior High School automatically get a voucher.


Tertiary education

Tertiary education matters are outside of the jurisdiction of DepEd and is instead governed by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). , there are over 1,975 higher education institutions (HEIs) in the country (excluding satellite campuses of state universities and colleges) which can be divided into public and private institutions. There are 246 public higher education institutions which account for of all HEIs. 1,729 private institutions account for of all HEIs. Public HEIs are further divided into state universities and colleges (SUCs),
local colleges and universities Local colleges and universities (LCUs) are higher educational institutions that are being run by local government units in the Philippines. A local government unit (LGU) maybe a barangay, a municipality, city, or a province that puts up a post-se ...
(LUCs), and Other Government Schools (OGS, CSI HED Supervised Institution Special HEIs). State universities and colleges are administered and financed by the government as determined by the Philippine Congress. LUCs are established by the local government units that govern the area of the LUC. The local government establish these institutions through a process and number of ordinances and resolutions, and are also in charge of handling the financing of these schools. Special HEIs are institutions that offer courses and programs that are related to public service. Examples of these include the
Philippine Military Academy The Philippine Military Academy ( fil, Akademiyang Militar ng Pilipinas / es, Academia Militar de Filipinas) also referred to by its acronym PMA is the premier military academy for Filipinos aspiring for a commission as a military officer of ...
(PMA),
Philippine National Police Academy The Philippine National Police Academy ( tl, Akademiyang Pampulisya ng Pilipinas) or PNPA, is a public safety school whose graduates are assigned as officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJ ...
(PNPA), and the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP). These institutions are controlled and administered through the use of specific laws that were created for them. Finally, government schools are public secondary and post-secondary technical-vocational education institutions that offer higher education programs. Private HEIs are established, and governed by special provisions by a Corporation Code, and can be divided into sectarian and non-sectarian. Non-sectarian are characterized by being owned and operated by private entities that have no affiliation with religious organizations; while sectarian HEIs are non-profit institutions that are owned and operated by a religious organization. Of the 1,729 institutions as of Academic Year 2019–2020, are sectarian, and are non-sectarian. According to the last CHED published statistics on its website, there were 7,766 foreign nationals studying in various higher education institutions in the Philippines as of 2011–2012. Koreans were the top foreign nationals studying in the country with 1,572. The rest were Iranian, Chinese, American and Indian.


Other types of schools

There are other types of schools, aside from the general public school, such as private schools, preparatory schools,
international school An international school is an institution that promotes education in an international environment or framework. Although there is no uniform definition or criteria, international schools are usually characterized by a multinational student body a ...
s, laboratory high schools, and science high schools. Several foreign ethnic groups, including
Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
, British,
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
ans,
Americans Americans are the Citizenship of the United States, citizens and United States nationality law, nationals of the United States, United States of America.; ; Although direct citizens and nationals make up the majority of Americans, many Multi ...
,
Koreans Koreans ( South Korean: , , North Korean: , ; see names of Korea) are an East Asian ethnic group native to the Korean Peninsula. Koreans mainly live in the two Korean nation states: North Korea and South Korea (collectively and simply refe ...
, and
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
operate their own schools.


Science high schools

Science high schools are special schools for the more intellectually promising students, with the objective of fostering the problem-solving approach of critical thinking. They are separate high schools and not merely special classes in regular secondary schools. As such, they have certain characteristics not found in regular high schools, although any private or public high school can aspire to meet these special minimum standards and be considered as science high schools. The
Philippine Science High School System The Philippine Science High School System ( fil, Sistemang Mataas na Paaralang Pang-agham ng Pilipinas) is a research-oriented and specialized public high school system in the Philippines that operates as an attached agency of the Philippine Dep ...
is a specialized public system that operates as an attached agency of the Philippine Department of Science and Technology. There are a total of 16 regional campuses, with the main campus located in Diliman, Quezon City. Students are admitted on a selective basis, based on the results of the PSHS System National Competitive Examination. They are granted scholarships and are prepared for a career in science. As well as following the general secondary curriculum, there are advanced classes in science and mathematics. The PSHSS system offers an integrated junior high and senior high six-year curriculum that is different from the curriculum being offered by DepEd schools. Students who successfully completed a minimum of four years of secondary education under the pre-2011 system were awarded a Diploma (Katibayan) and, in addition, the secondary school Certificate of Graduation (Katunayan) from the Department of Education. Students are also awarded a Permanent Record, or Form 137-A, listing all classes taken and grades earned. Under the new K-12 system, the permanent record will be issued after the completion of senior high school.


Chinese schools

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. American evangelists founded some Chinese schools. Some Chinese schools have Catholic roots.


Islamic schools

In 2004, the Department of Education adopted ''Department Order No. 51'', establishing the inclusion of Arabic Language and Islamic Values in the standard curriculum for Muslim children in public schools. The same order authorized the implementation of the ''Standard Madrasa Curriculum'' (SMC) in the private '' madaris''. While there has been recognized Islamic schools—i.e., Ibn Siena Integrated School (Marawi), Sarang Bangun LC (Zamboanga), and Southwestern Mindanao Islamic Institute (Jolo)—their Islamic studies curriculum varies. With the Department of Education-authorized SMC, the subject offering is uniform across these private madaris. Since 2005, the
AusAID Australian Aid is the brand name used to identify projects in developing countries supported by the Australian Government. As of 2014 the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has been responsible for Australia's official development ...
-funded Department of Education project Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao (BEAM) has assisted a group of private madaris seeking government permit to operate (PTO) and implement the SMC. The SMC is a combination of the RBEC subjects (English, Filipino, Science, Math, and ''Makabayan'') and the teaching of Arabic and Islamic studies subjects. For school year 2010–2011, there are forty-seven (47) madaris in the ARMM alone.


Alternative Learning System

The alternative learning systems in the Philippines caters to the needs of the following: elementary and secondary school dropouts, kids that are older than the normal age for a specific grade level (this may be a 12 year old in grade 4), unemployed adults that haven't finished their education degree,
indigenous people Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...
, people with disabilities or are mentally challenged, and inmates. It is possible to have both informal and formal references for these alternative learning systems because these are apart from the formal teaching institutions. Although similarly to the formal teaching institutions, there will be a diagnostic test for everyone that will participate in order to gauge the level they are at in terms of the skills needed per grade level. If there are people that do not have the basic skills such as reading and writing there will be an additional program that will help them first learn the basics before taking the diagnostic test. There will be a specific number of hours that is required of the student in order for him/her to be able to finish the program. There will be a final assessment to test the comprehensive knowledge of the student. If the students passes he/she will be given a certificate that is signed by the secretary of the department of education allowing the student to apply for college degrees, work, formal training programs, and can re-enroll in elementary/secondary education in formal teaching institutions. According to DepEd, ALS is a laddered and modular non-formal education program for dropouts in elementary and secondary schools. The program enables students to attend classes according to their desired timetables, especially for those who are currently employed. There are other avenues of alternative learning in the Philippines such as the Radio-Based Instruction (RBI) Program. This is designed to give the lectures through a radio transmission making it easier for people to access wherever they are. The goal is for the listeners to receive the same amount of education that people that sit in classroom lectures. Non-formal technical and vocational education is assumed by institutions usually accredited and approved by
TESDA The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA ; fil, Pangasiwaan sa Edukasyong Teknikal at Pagpapaunlad ng Kasanayan) serves as the Philippines' Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) authority. As a government a ...
: center-based programs, community-based programs and enterprise-based training, or the Alternative Learning System (ALS). The Institutions may be government operated, often by provincial government, or private. 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 The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA ; fil, Pangasiwaan sa Edukasyong Teknikal at Pagpapaunlad ng Kasanayan) serves as the Philippines' Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) authority. As a government a ...
to obtain the relevant certificate or diploma. In the country, there are a number of people particularly kids that do not receive proper education from formal education institutions because of various reasons. These reasons usually pertain to financial problems.


Issues

Most of the Philippines faces challenging issues when it comes to the educational system. The education system struggles with policy implementation and many government schools lack classroom space, textbooks, desks and learning equipment such as libraries, computers and science laboratories. The majority of government schools are run in two or three shifts, with large class sizes. These bureaucratic weaknesses are compounded by a local context of political and socio-religious tensions and a high rate of school principal turnover. The Human Rights Measurement Initiative (HRMI) finds that the Philippines is fulfilling 79.0% of what it should be fulfilling for the right to education based on the country's level of income. HRMI breaks down the right to education by looking at the rights to both primary education and secondary education. While taking into consideration the Philippines' income level, the nation is achieving 87.8% of what should be possible based on its resources (income) for primary education but only 70.2% for secondary education.


Affordability

A prevalent issue the Philippine educational system continuously encounters is the affordability of education. A big disparity in educational achievements is evident across various social groups. Socioeconomically disadvantaged students, otherwise known as students who are members of high and low-income poverty-stricken families, have higher drop-out rates in the elementary level.


Mismatch

There is a large mismatch between educational training and actual jobs. This stands to be a major issue at the tertiary level and it is furthermore the cause of the continuation of a substantial amount of educated yet unemployed or underemployed people.


Brain drain

Brain drain is a persistent problem evident in the educational system of the Philippines, due to the modern phenomenon of globalization, with the number of
Overseas Filipino Workers Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) is a term often used to refer to Filipino migrant workers, people with Filipino citizenship who reside in another country for a limited period of employment. The number of these workers was roughly 1.77 million be ...
(OFWs) who worked abroad at any time during the period April to September 2014 estimated at 2.3 million."Overseas Filipinos , Philippine Statistics Authority"
Psa.Gov.Ph, last modified 2016, accessed May 10, 2016.
This ongoing mass emigration subsequently induces brain drain alongside grave economic implications.


See also

;Main links * Distance e-Learning in the Philippines *
Higher education in the Philippines The higher education in the Philippines is offered through various degree programs (commonly known as courses in the Philippines) by a wide selection of colleges and universities—also known as higher education institutions (HEIs). These are ad ...
*
List of universities and colleges in the Philippines A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to: People * List (surname) Organizations * List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America * SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
* List of Catholic universities and colleges in the Philippines *
List of the oldest schools in the Philippines This is a list of educational institutions in the Philippines arranged according to the dates of their foundation. It comprises the list of the oldest schools in the Philippines sorted in various categories, and gives an overview of the develo ...
* Aiducation ;Categories * :Filipino educators * :Medical schools in the Philippines * :Graduate schools in the Philippines * :Law schools in the Philippines * :Liberal arts colleges in the Philippines * :Business schools in the Philippines * :Private universities and colleges in the Philippines * :Military education and training in the Philippines


References


Further reading

*
owwa scholarship


External links


Department of EducationWorld Data on Education, UNESCO-IBE (2011)
– overview of the education system
TVET in the Philippines, UNESCO-UNEVOC (2014)
– overview of the technical and vocational education system {{Philippines topics