The Evolution of Philippine Education

Post date: Feb 9, 2017 12:09:18 AM

ANA MARIA I. GARCIA

ESHT – III

Puerto Rivas Elementary School

It is undeniably true that the education system in our country has undergone different development as much as the history book is concerned. During our childhood days, our history teachers taught us that even before the colonization came in the Philippines, there were already existing education system in our country.

Before the Spanish times, our ancestors had informal kind of education. During that time Science, Mathematics, Biology and other related subjects were inexistent. But there were already tribe tutors who taught on skill-inclined learnings.

When the Spanish conquered the Philippines, they replaced this kind of education to a more formal one but only the rich and the elite people had the access of education. Missionaries substituted the tribe tutors thus focusing the education on religion. Education then was controlled especially by the Jesuits.

Years after when the Americans ruled the country, they introduced to the Filipinos the free public schooling. The Philippine Commission then established the highly centralized public school system in 1901. A formal type of education was finally introduced to the Filipinos.

Years later, the Basic Education Curriculum was implemented in the Philippines. However, Philippine education is still too far from the education system with the rest of the world. In 2012, the only countries that have ten years of the education were Angola and Djibouti. In short, Filipino graduates are not globally competitive with regard to education.

On May 15, 2013 the Republic Act 10533 also known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act 2013 was signed into law. This gave birth to the existing K to 12 education in our country.

K to 12 education system is promising to produce globally competitive, knowledgeable and skilled graduates as an answer to the flourishing demand of industrialization worldwide. K to 12 will start at the Kindergarten stage followed by six years of elementary education. This covers study on Language, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Civics, Music, Arte and P. E., Health, technology and History or Geography.

Then, there will be junior High School or Grades 7 to 10. There are two types of high schools, one is the general secondary school and the other one is the vocational secondary school which is focused on technical and vocational subjects aside from the core academic subjects.

Additional two years will be added for Senior High School. The curriculum includes of course the core classes and their chosen specialization class. They may choose according to aptitude, interests and school capacity.

Indeed, the education system in the Philippines has been consistently changing for the better. The government tries to elevate our skills and knowledge through this major educational reform.

Sources: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLHsjKetBzI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNF3MTyrrwc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJv7_4sQZSo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_mWIw4PY78

DepEd Order No. 31 S. 2012

DepEd Order No. 20 S. 2014