The Philippines recently underwent a major overhaul of its education system, extending basic education from 10 to 13 years to bring it in line with the education systems of other Asian countries. As a result, young graduates in the Philippines are becoming increasingly competitive in the jobs market, both at home and abroad. Here, we take a look at education in the Philippines, from pre-colonial times to the present day.
A brief history of the Philippines education system
Before the Spanish arrived in 1521, there was little formal education in the Philippines. Fathers taught their sons how to obtain food, while mothers taught their daughters how to do household chores.
A Spanish influence
Education was with the arrival of the Spanish; Spaniards, mestizos (mixed Spanish/Filipino people) and wealthy Filipinos were given priority, creating an educational mismatch in the Philippines. Most native people were excluded from the more prestigious educational institutions, as the colonists believed that quality education might threaten their hold over the population. The curriculum at the time involved the study of Christian doctrine, Spanish language and history, mathematics, agriculture, geography, etiquette, and singing; girls were also taught sewing.
At the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898, the Americans took over the Philippines. English was adopted as the primary language of education, and schools became more.
A public school system in 1901, with 1,000 teachers brought over from the USA to make up for a shortage of teachers at home. Education from age seven and up became compulsory, and school supplies were provided to students for free.
During WWII
When the Japanese occupied the Philippines in 1942 during the Second World War, they attempted to discourage the use of English and adopt Japanese as the medium of education. However, school was low, as families felt that their children were safer at home during this time.
The Japanese also established the Department of Instruction, which would later become the Department of Education in 1947. The Japanese departed the Philippines in 1946, and the Philippines finally gained full independence.
Modern Philippines
Today’s education system in the Philippines most closely resembles the American model. English remains the primary medium of instruction, although bilingual teaching of science and literature (in English and Tagalog) was introduced under Ferdinand Marcos in 1974.
The establishment of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority in 1994 reflected a shift in government focus toward vocational education, with courses offered in practical skills such as vehicle repair and bartending.
Facts about education in the Philippines
There are three agencies that handle the different levels of the Philippines education system: The Department of Education oversees basic (pre-university) education. The Commission on Higher Education manages tertiary and graduate education, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority oversees technical-vocational courses and middle education.
Most of the problems in the Philippines education system stem from a lack of funding: low teacher salaries, a shortage of classrooms and lack of facilities such as laboratories. Additionally, there is a lack of educational equality between regions: government policy tends to schools near Manila, with regions farthest from the capital (such as Mindanao) showing lower levels of student performance.
Despite these issues, the education system in the Philippines is still seen as one of the most developed in Asia: rates of basic education completion, higher education participation and adult literacy are comparable to far more developed economies in Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea.
Like many other developing countries, one of the major problems in the Philippine education system is that of ‘brain drain’ – the departure of talented students, graduates and teachers to other countries. Until the opportunities at home equal the number of skilled graduates coming out of the education system, this is a problem that looks set to continue.
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