Education in the Philippines during Spanish

rule
During the Spanish Colonial Period of the Philippines (1521-1898) the culture of the archipelago
experienced a major transformation from a variety of native Asian and Islamic cultures and traditions,
including animist religious practices, to a unique hybrid of Southeast Asian and Western culture,
particularly Spanish, including the Spanish language and the Catholic faith.
Spanish education played a major role in that transformation. The oldest universities, colleges,
vocational schools and the first modern public education system in Asia were created during the colonial
period. By the time Spain was replaced by the United States as the colonial power, Filipinos were among
the most educated subjects in all of Asia.