Final Paper in Politics and Governance

“Comparison between the American Colonization in the

Philippines and the British Colonization in Malaysia in terms
of its Education System”

Baleros, Angel Nicole

Bass, Angelo F.

Castillo, Bridgette Anne P.

Gallardo, Ed John Paul

Majaducon, Gerald

Misa, Sherwin

Portem, Chelo

Zapanta, Dave

Group 5 | BSIT 1-3

Submitted to:

Mr. Erick Calata

 I. Introduction

Various nations and countries have experienced a lot of pain and destruction
through the years. An ocean-full of blood, sweat, and tears were shed just for the sake
of claiming one’s rightful freedom and independence from those who invaded and
colonized other countries just for their own benefit. One of which is our very own, the
Philippines. It was invaded not only once, but thrice namely by the Spanish, Americans,
and lastly the Japanese. Another country is Malaysia who was also colonized by the
British and the Japanese. Both countries have experienced great sacrifices and
sufferings in which affected their culture, way of living, and of course, education.

One of the most important things in life is education. This system helps people in
their daily lives, not just only for the sake of the tradition – have a diploma and have a
great job that will support you and your family until you die – but also, it gives you the
opportunity to have knowledge in so many things, not only academically but also in
survival and facing the reality called, life. But back in the history of many nations,
education was sometimes discovered early but some experienced it late for they were
deprived by receiving such right to education. And with that, education has been one of
the known contributions by colonizers. Some may have even been colonized through it,
and some examples are Malaysia and our own country, the Philippines. It is believed
that the Americans’ way of colonizing the Philippines is through education in which the
Filipinos were deprived from during the Spanish Colonization. Same goes with
Malaysia, in which during the British Colonization, they were also introduced about the
education system. Educated people will and have become useful for the colonizers.
They are taught how to do certain matters to help the colonizers. With them having
enough knowledge, it will also become easier for the colonizers. May they admit it or
not, when the time comes, these educated people will be obligated to work for them.

In this comparison paper, the differences and similarities of the American

Colonization to the Philippines and the British Colonization to Malaysia in terms of
education will be discussed through their history, their influencers, and laws during the
said period.
 II. Basis
a.) Leaders/Influencers

Philippines

 John Dewey

During the American colonization of the Philippines, Dr. John Dewey – a

graduate from the University of Vermont in 1879 – was one of the people who tried to
change the educational system in the Philippines. Industrial education was prioritized
from 1909 to 1930 by American education policy makers in the Philippines. Students
were taught to make handicrafts for earning and also new farming techniques.
Gardening and learnings that refer to botanical development were taught because
Americans’ education was more industrial and could contribute to the social and
intellectual development of their students which is different from Dewey’s visions and
educational thoughts specially when the system in the Philippines were focused on
economic function of industrial education.

When the Philippines became an independent country, John Dewey’s influence

on Philippine education started to become more noticeable and augmented to the
education system of the Philippines. Students’ councils and student governments have
become widely extended to the school discipline as a norm. In 1957, the National Union
of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) was established. It is an alliance of student
governments committed to the enhancement of students’ democratic rights and welfare
nationwide. John Dewey defined and explained the educational process and how
important the presence and engagement of student voice to it. In his book Democracy
and Education, he explained the importance of student experience and perspectives in
the school curriculum and why it is necessary to be engaged by students. He stated that
the idea of the wanting for freedom is the catalyst for students which will push an
individual to make his own unique tributes to an interest from a group as well as to
“partake of its activities in such ways that social guidance shall be a matter of his own
mental attitude, and not a mere authoritative dictation of his acts as this would satisfy
the need of such rules by making students experience education to accumulate
learnings about leadership and democracy.”.
Malaysia

By means of British Colonization to Malaysia, the British had a great interest on

their economic and territorial control as it was considered the most powerful colonizer in
India. The British Governor Stamford Raffles acquired Singapore from the Sultan of
Johor to the exchange of the British colony. They allowed the Britain to control the
trading system through the straits of Malacca. British has a great influence on Malaysia
to which British made a counterweight it was formalized by the Anglo-Dutch Treaty that
rule and divided the Malay Archipelago between Britain and the Netherlands. As the
British controlled the Penang, Malacca, Singapore and other parts of Malaysia they
establish the crown colony of the Straights Settlements. The British controls the
Malaysia when they threw out the Dutch.

The education system of Malaysia has never been well-polished during the
British colonization when they began to widen their influences on the Malaya. Kok Loy
Fattis the person who studied the educational progress in Malaysia and when he
examined the British colonial records, he found out that the Colonial Office never had a
time to laid down a clear policy on education for the residents. It has lack of a clear
education policy in Malay States; the gap between each states of education in Malaysia
was further ahead. The British felt that large-scale teaching of English would estrange
children from their parents and give them an inflated sense of their own importance
that’s why they’ve decided that English had to be taught only within limits. This policy
later accounted for the British Government playing a negligible role in the development
of education in English before the early twentieth century. In 1872 the first inspector
who was appointed is A.M Skinner that advocates the value of vernacular – the
language or dialect that is spoken – education. The vernacular education aids the
Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools were stopped and the government itself directed
to have a dual system of Malay vernacular and English education. The English
education’s purpose is to the meet the demand for commercial, administrative services
and to meet the labor needs of the colonial power

The British influenced a parliamentary democracy with a largely ceremonial

monarch. Mahathir Mohamad wrote: “The British did not send a ‘governor’ to our
country, but an official they called a ‘British Advisor’. The British formed a semi-colonial
rule which makes a well-organized administration and a well-developed infrastructure
such as a building and the equipment that they use. It has a burden too which worry that
the European could only govern the country effectively. They felt that they are inferior to
them which will cause a grammatical loss in terms of handling the country and
leadership because Europe has such a big country like Russia who governs every
nation successfully, although up until now the British Colonization in Malaysia has a
great effect on governing the country, also the education system was very effective
even when there are different ethnic groups that had been there which taught them the
roles that they will accomplish to have a great nation.

b.) Policies/Laws

Philippines

In the Philippines, Commonwealth government was established less than a

decade before the Second World War. This forced reorientation in the Philippine
educational system and the period of readjustment for augmentation of new learning
methods. For the requirements of the new Constitution, educational rules and policies
were altered. All schools shall “aim to develop moral character, personal discipline, civic
conscience, vocational efficiency and to teach the duties of citizenship” according to the
provisions of the year 1935 version of Constitution of the Philippines which was
approved and later used by the Commonwealth of the Philippines (1935–1946) and
embraced by the Third Republic (1946–1972) after some time.

The Americans started the task of teaching the Filipinos as soon as they landed
in the country. The first American teachers came from the military and the first
established school was built on the militarily historic island of Corregidor. The American
soldiers were not prepared for the immediate task of teaching, there were problems
encountered which was the same as when the Spanish came where there were lack of
teachers, virtually nonexistent funding, scarce instructional materials, and an education
devoted to making the natives obedient to God and the Spanish king. Also, there was
only one teacher for every 4,179 individuals when the Americans arrived. Desperate
situations demanded desperate solutions. The early teachers had to improvise even as
they used untested instructional materials imported from the United States.

 THE THOMASITES

In the 1900’s, the government of the Philippines emphasized the urgency of

having more number of teachers and primary schools. In solution, between January
1901 and September 1902, the U.S. government assigned 1,074 teachers, sending
them to Manila on board of cruisers from San Francisco. The teachers sent were
boarded to the ship called Thomas. It is said that they are the first large number of
teachers that arrived. They were also called as Thomasites which came all over from
United States and represented higher education institutions like University of California,
University of Michigan, Indiana University, University of Chicago, University of Kansas,
Harvard, Cornell, Stanford, Yale, Georgetown, Purdue, Colby, Dartmouth, and
Nebraska.

There were problems between May and September 1902, the teachers that
arrived were reduced because of a lot of factors: Hundreds were separated because of
death, sickness (or their family is sick), marriage, and others resigned to engage in
business, and others.

Ten years after the Thomasites landed in Manila, more than 4,000 schools were
constructed in the country with an elementary enrollment of 355,722 and a high school
enrollment of 3,404. In 1920, the enrollment had more than doubled and was fast
approaching the million mark. The 3,404 high school students had increased to 17,335.
 THE PENSIONADO PROGRAM
On August 26, 1903, the passage of Act No. 854 by the Philippine Commission
the launched the scholarship program for the Filipinos knows as the “pensionado”
program. William Sutherland, the superintendent of students when the pensionado
program was launched said that “The plan of sending students from one country to
another is an old one, but most many enterprises have been small-scale and usually
they are backed by private enterprise.” The administrators of the pensionado program
looked to U.S. schools to share the cost of hosting Filipino students. The universities
were asked to waive tuition fees; the colonial government would pay for transportation
and maintenance of the students. The obligation of the pensionados was to render
service to the government on their return from United States.

Candidates for the pensionado program were selected on the basis of individual
merit. The selection criteria included:

- Natural ability
- Mental and physical fitness and promise
- Moral criteria
- Ages 16 to 21

Before being nominated officially for an award, a pensionado was required to sign an
agreement that he/she would join the Philippine civil service immediately upon return to
the Philippines; the period of service should be equal to the time the scholar spent in the
United States at government expense.

The pensionado awards were grant based “roughly on the school population and
the importance in industrial lines of the respective provinces.”. In 1903–1904, the
distribution of grants was as follows:

Abra 1 Camarines 2

Albay 2 Capiz 2

Antique 1 Cavite 3

Bataan 1 Cebu 4

Batangas 3 Ilocos Norte 3

Bohol 1 Ilocos Sur 4

Bulacan 3 Iloilo 5

Cagayan 1 Isabela 1

Laguna 2 Pangasinan 4

La Union 3 Paragua (Palawan) 1

 Leyte 2 Rizal 2

Manila 5 Sorsogon 2

Masbate 1 Surigao 1

Nueva Ecija 2 Tarlac 3

Occ. Negros 3 Tayabas 2

Or. Negros 2 Zambales 1

Pampanga 2

 THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

The English language was introduced as the language of instruction as soon as

the Americans opened primary schools and it was found that the great majority of
Filipinos were “ignorant of Spanish.”

The early American teachers did not fully realize then how the nation would
be embroiled later in a debate on the impact of the continued use of the
English language on national identity. At least two serious views have emerged from
this debate. The late nationalist historian Renato Constantino considered the English
language a wedge that divided social classes. In contrast, a prominent scholar and
highly respected educator Bonifacio Sibayan would call it a leveler of classes.

The Americans used education as one of the most effective means of pacifying
the natives. Schools were established all over the country, the natives were taught how
to read and write by their American teachers. The natives learn American geography,
American history, sang their national anthem and learned the English language. The
Filipinos consider education as the most effective medium for social mobility. The
Americans made education accessible for anyone, regardless what status you are in life
which made Filipinos appreciate the Americans more.

Although, the Americans claimed that education has succeeded in the

Philippines because it had somehow transformed, the once ignorant people, into a
literate population, imbued in them the values of civic consciousness, had lessened
disease and epidemic, it failed to develop the moral and political leadership, the
country so desperately needs. On the one hand, it is undeniable that the establishment
of the public school system was beneficial to the Filipinos and to the Philippines. On the
other hand, it is indisputable that the establishment of the public school system was
beneficial and useful to the Filipinos and to the Philippines. The success of public
education during the American period was an achievement cited by Filipino leaders as
proof of their capacity for self-government.

On the other hand, American education was the water that gradually diminished
the spark of burning Filipino nationalism. The educational system established by the
Americans was not solely for giving the Filipinos the gift of literacy, but more so for their
economic and political purposes. This was clearly seen in the Benevolent Assimilation
decree of President William McKinley which states, among others, “.....to provide the
Filipinos the gift of civilization either by assimilation or conquest.”

Malaysia

During the British Colonization there was no clear policy on education. British
were contented to let the various types of schools, which were already in existence,
carry on with their activities. They divided the rule and policy although the British did not
intend to establish a close relationship to the Malaya (Malaysians) through a
standardized system means that it has a long process of implementing and developing
technical standards.

It is also said that many language schools are present during that time, different
people who are in the period and different ethnic groups run by the missionaries,
rubber, and local resident association. Different ethnic groups had been educated by
the British and it is already enough to choose their path on how they will handle things
in life, on what role, places, and other such things that they will do in their daily lives.
British will conduct a policy, actions, or such as what we call “to govern”. The Malay will
cultivate the fields, the Chinese were to run the mining industry and businesses
because Chinese people are good when it comes to business, while the Indians would
be confined to plantation and estates. They are identified with their economic activities
and well governed in British Colonization. In this table it shows the number of Malay
schools in the straits settlements, federate Malay states and unfederated Malay states
in 1916.

STATES Number Of Enrollment Attendance

Schools
The Straits 9 12,934 11,034
Settlements
The federated 365 18,034 14,535
Malay States
The Unfederated 137 >7,923 >6,940
Malay States
The Education system in Malaysia today has one ultimate objective; it is the
achievement of national integration and unity among various races. “Education in
Malaysia is an on-going effort towards further developing the potential of individuals in
holistic and integrated manner, so as to produce individuals who are intellectually,
spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced and harmonious, based on firm belief in
and devotion of God. Such an effort is designed to produce Malaysia Citizens who are
knowledgeable and competent, who possess high moral values, and who are
responsible and capable of achieving a high level of personal well-being as well as
being able to contribute to the harmony and betterment of the family, the society, and
the nation of large” (Ministry of Education, Malaysia, 1997) As of until now, The
Malaysia education is the responsibility of the federal government and they are well
perform through a system of committees

According to (Malaysian Development Experience, Changes & Challenges, INTAN,

Kuala Lumpur. 1994)

The Progress of the implementation of Malay as the medium of instruction from

1957 to 1983:

1957: Malay language was made compulsory in all government-aided primary and
secondary schools.
1958: Introduction of Malay-medium classes attached to selected English- medium
secondary schools.

1963: Establishment of the first Malay-medium fully-residential secondary school,

Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Alam Shah.

1968: First batch of Malay-medium students graduated from the University of Malaya.

1968: Malay-medium classes introduced at secondary vocational schools 1968

Conversion from English to Malay as the medium of instruction for Standard 1 to III in
national-type (English) primary schools.

1973: All subjects in the Arts stream, from Form 1, in national-type secondary schools
were taught in Malay.

1975: The conversion programme from English to Malay as the medium of instruction in
all national-type (English) schools was completed.

1980: University first-year Arts courses were conducted in Malay.

1982: Conversion program from English to Malay as the medium of instruction in

national-type (English) secondary schools was completed 1983 All university courses in
arts, science, engineering, medicine and etc., were conducted in Malay.

III. Analysis

Colonization period

During the colonization of Americans in the Philippines, the change in the

education system was very abrupt, this change was a part of their so called “Benevolent
Assimilation” thus it aims to help the Philippines into their independency.

Based on the information above only the nobles or rich people could attain an
education, but it was changed when the Americans came as they opened public schools
three weeks after the capitulation of Manila. The education in the Philippines was a
major concern of the United States since it teaches their cultural values, particularly the
English language to the Filipino people, and American history and instruction in English
arises. In regards of Filipino Nationalism, they omitted teaching religion. American
soldiers took part of being the first teachers and superintendents until August 23, 1901
and 766 teachers hired from the United States came, the most popular Thomasites.
Thomasites are mostly young, vigorous, and full of enthusiasm for the work. They had
been gathered from all walks of life hurriedly. A fair proportion were college graduates
and most of them had some experience in teaching, composed of 365 males and 165
females, who sailed from United States on July 23, 1901. The U.S. government spent
about $105,000 for the expedition. More American teachers followed the Thomasites in
1902, making a total of about 1,074 stationed in the Philippines.

Another thing the American Education system consists of three levels primary,
secondary and tertiary. Aside from these students who excelled are brought to the U.S
to continue their studies and serve the U.S government after they have graduated.
These students are called “pensionados” because the American Government shoulders
all their expenses in education as a result of the effectivity of the Pensinado Act of 1903.

Comparing these to the education system of Malaysia during the colonization of

the British Empire there was also change. Because of the divide and rule policy of the
British Empire it standardized the education system, hence there were no clear policy
for education and vernacular schools were presented in different ethnic groups run by
missionaries, local residents’ associations and owners of coffee and rubber plantations.
Each ethnic group was taught with their own language and was educated to accept their
role in life.

In the Philippines, the Americans opened public schools, in Malaysia vernacular

schools were opened to teach the fundamentals of reading, writing, and arithmetic.
However the Malay culture was still taught unlike in the Philippines the Filipinos are
being brainwashed with the American Culture. But still it aims to have the younger
generation instill a future ahead. But this system got a low preference for the subjects
are not used in the daily lives of the villagers and children are expected to do duties in
home and fields. To solve this issue, parents are required to send their children in
schools under the act of compulsory education.

Aside from these their education system at this time has 4-types of schools
namely, Malay-medium for ethnic groups, English-medium for nobles such as princes,
Chinese-medium for Chinese people who manages the business in rubber plantation
and tin mining and Tamil-medium for residing Indians also has primary, secondary and
tertiary level but some school types only offers primary level particularly the Malay-
medium and it is somewhat alike in the Philippines, however in the tertiary education the
system offers teacher training courses for there would be a future teacher for the next
generations.

In summary, the education system of the Philippines and Malaysia during their
colonization period was almost the same the only difference is the subjects and the
strategies on how to educate each and every citizen, giving each a privilege to be
educated and become part of creating a better future for the next generations and also
for the wealth of their country. Both colonizers have the same purpose, the purpose to
help the colonized country to have a future of their own.

Post colonization

After colonization, the law discarded the religious bias in the system of education.
It also promulgated the use of English language as the official medium of instruction in
all public schools and the teaching of the concept of democracy. In effect, the lasting
legacy of American educational reforms in the Philippines would later on be felt until
today, with the Filipinos; they continued English language proficiency and their undying
support for democracy. A proclamation by United States (U.S.) President William
McKinley stating that the mission of the U.S. was not to conquer and suppress
individual rights and liberties which was recently won by Filipinos from Spain, rather,
absorb the Filipino society into a new culture (i.e., American), as an act of benevolence
(kindness) from the American people. In essence, this was just a euphemism, to justify
the U.S. colonization of the Philippines

In Malaysia, after the colonization they instilled the education compulsory stating
that sending their children in school will help improve the wealth of the country. They
established universities offering science, mathematics and teaching courses including
English subjects so that Malays will not be left behind in globalization.
 All in all, globalization is what both countries wanted to conquer; by adopting the
educational system of the colonizers, the Filipinos and Malays will absolutely be globally
competitive.

IV. Conclusion

Though the education systems in Philippines and Malaysia when they we’re
colonized had their differences, both had experienced being persuaded and tempted by
their oppressors. Education was something of more value than money back in the day,
to be offered such a thing was a great deal not only for the people but for the whole
country as well. It is a source of knowledge that could boost the country’s economy, the
people’s skills and knowledge of certain aspects in academics and most of all, the
potential for the country to govern themselves without foreign help or supervision.

What the Spanish colonization didn’t give to the Filipinos back in the days was
offered and taken advantage of by the new colonizers, the Americans. It transformed
Filipinos from the once ignorant people to a literate population. To the Malaya,
education had already been implemented and many languages are used in teaching
that is why the British had not been able to establish a very close relationship to the
people in terms of using education because it already exists in the country. The use of
education as a way to get the trust of the people is a smart move for the Americans,
they did get lucky because most of the Filipinos we’re easily swayed by their false
ideologies and plans. The Malaya on the other hand, was still enslaved and colonized in
some other ways other than implementing some of the British cultures and traditions
onto the people.

Through the years, education has been a very crucial part of society. For people
to learn things that they would someday use in their professions, basic skills in fields
such as knitting or cooking food, and also the influence of foreign traditions and cultures
being added or mixed into our own ways are what made us into who we are today.
Despite the cruel way of being manipulated and mistreated, people still tend to do what
is necessary in order for them to continue living. Making people believe that they would
someday lead and rule their own country, give birth to new cultures and traditions, and
finally be free from the grasps of a foreign aid was always a weakness, today it is not.
Education is essential to our lives and without it, society as a whole will crumble down to
the ground. To gain true independence is to not rely on the aid of the old oppressors,
but to rely on the country’s own strength and ability to stand on its own.

V. References

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Locard, Craig A. (2018, March 14). Retrieved from Url:

https://www.britannica.com/place/Malaysia

McFerson, H. (2002), Mixed Blessing: The Impact of the American Colonial Experience
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McFerson, H. (2002), Mixed Blessing: The Impact of the American Colonial Experience
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McFerson, H. (2002), Mixed Blessing: The Impact of the American Colonial Experience
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McFerson, H. (2002), Mixed Blessing: The Impact of the American Colonial Experience
on Politics and Society in the Philippines, p. 90-91
McFerson, H. (2002), Mixed Blessing: The Impact of the American Colonial Experience
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Papong, E. (2014). The Influence of John Dewey's Educational Thought on Philippine

Education. Bulgarian Journal of Science and Education Policy, 8(1), 62.

Rosman H. (2010, March) retrieved from url:

https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/NorhidayuRosman/development-of-education-
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content/uploads/131029-779.pdf