RADIA, ABDUL-RAHMAN N.

Assignment # 1
Sci Ed 205 October 23, 2021

Historical Development of the Philippines Educational System

Education in the Philippines has undergone several stages of development from the
pre-Spanish times to the present. In meeting the needs of society, education serves as the
focus of emphases/priorities of the leadership at certain periods/epochs in our national
struggle as a race.

As early as in pre-Magellanic times, education was informal, unstructured, and

devoid of methods. Children were provided more vocational training and fewer academics
(3 Rs) by their parents and in the houses of tribal tutors.

The pre-Spanish system of education underwent major changes during the Spanish
colonization. The tribal tutors were replaced by the Spanish Missionaries. Education was
religion oriented. It was for the elite, especially in the early years of Spanish colonization.
Access to education by the Filipinos was later liberalized through the enactment of the
Educational Decree of 1863 which provided for the establishment of at least one primary
school for boys and girls in each town under the responsibility of the municipal
government; and the establishment of a normal school for male teachers under the
supervision of the Jesuits. Primary instruction was free and the teaching of Spanish was
compulsory. Education during that period was inadequate, suppressed, and controlled.

The defeat of Spain by American forces paved the way for Aguinaldo’s Republic
under a Revolutionary Government. The schools maintained by Spain for more than three
centuries were closed for the time being but were reopened on August 29, 1898, by the
Secretary of Interior. The Burgos Institute in Malolos, the Military Academy of Malolos,
and the Literary University of the Philippines were established. A system of free and
compulsory elementary education was established by the Malolos Constitution.

An adequate secularized and free public school system during the first decade of
American rule was established upon the recommendation of the Schurman Commission.
Free primary instruction that trained the people for the duties of citizenship and avocation
was enforced by the Taft Commission per instructions of President McKinley. Chaplains
and non-commissioned officers were assigned to teach using English as the medium of
instruction.

The high school system supported by provincial governments, special educational

institutions, school of arts and trades, an agricultural school, and commerce and marine
institutes were established in 1902 by the Philippine Commission. In 1908, the Philippine
Legislature approved Act No. 1870 which created the University of the Philippines.
The Reorganization Act of 1916 provided the Filipinization of all department secretaries
except the Secretary of Public Instruction.

Japanese educational policies were embodied in Military Order No. 2 in 1942. The
Philippine Executive Commission established the Commission of Education, Health and
Public Welfare and schools were reopened in June 1942. On October 14, 1943, the
Japanese – sponsored Republic created the Ministry of Education. Under the Japanese
regime, the teaching of Tagalog, Philippine History, and Character Education was reserved
for Filipinos. Love for work and dignity of labor was emphasized. On February 27, 1945,
the Department of Instruction was made part of the Department of Public Instruction.

In 1947, by virtue of Executive Order No. 94, the Department of Instruction was
changed to Department of Education. During this period, the regulation and supervision of
public and private schools belonged to the Bureau of Public and Private Schools.

In 1972, it became the Department of Education and Culture by virtue of

Proclamation 1081 and the Ministry of Education and Culture in 1978 y virtue of P.D. No.
1397. Thirteen regional offices were created, and major organizational changes were
implemented in the educational system.

The Education Act of 1982 created the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports
which later became the Department of Education, Culture and Sports in 1987 by virtue of
Executive Order No. 117. The structure of DECS as embodied in EO No. 117 has
practically remained unchanged until 1994 when the Commission on Higher Education
(CHED), and 1995 when the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
(TESDA) were established to supervise tertiary degree programs and non-degree technical-
vocational programs, respectively.

The Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM) report provided the

impetus for Congress to pass RA 7722 and RA 7796 in 1994 creating the Commission on
Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
(TESDA), respectively.

The trifocal education system refocused DECS’ mandate to basic education which
covers elementary, secondary and nonformal education, including culture and sports.
TESDA now administers the post-secondary, middle-level manpower training and
development while CHED is responsible for higher education.

Year Official Name of Department Legal Bases

Superior Commission of Primary
1863 Educational Decree of 1863
Instruction
1901-1916 Department of Public Instruction Act. No. 74 of the Philippine Commission, Jan. 21, 1901
1916-1942 Department of Public Instruction Organic Act Law of 1916 (Jones Law)
Year Official Name of Department Legal Bases
Department of Education, Health Renamed by the Japanese Executive Commission, June
1942-1944
and Public Welfare 11, 1942
Department of Education, Health
1944 Renamed by Japanese Sponsored Philippine Republic
and Public Welfare
1944 Department of Public Instruction Renamed by Japanese Sponsored Philippine Republic
Department of Public Instruction
1945-1946 Renamed by the Commonwealth Government
and Information
1946-1947 Department of Instruction Renamed by the Commonwealth Government
1947-1975 Department of Education E.O. No. 94 October 1947 (Reorganization Act of 1947)
Department of Education and
1975-1978 Proc. No. 1081, September 24, 1972
Culture
1978-1984 Ministry of Education and Culture P.D. No. 1397, June 2, 1978
Ministry of Education, Culture and
1984-1986 Education Act of 1982
Sports
Department of Education, Culture
1987-1994 E.O. No. 117. January 30, 1987
and Sports
Department of Education, Culture RA 7722 and RA 7796, 1994 Trifocalization of Education
1994-2001
and Sports Management
2001– RA 9155, August 2001 (Governance of Basic Education
Department of Education
present Act)

In August 2001, Republic Act 9155, otherwise called the Governance of Basic
Education Act, was passed transforming the name of the Department of Education, Culture
and Sports (DECS) to the Department of Education (DepEd) and redefining the role of
field offices (regional offices, division offices, district offices and schools). RA 9155
provides the overall framework for (i) school head empowerment by strengthening their
leadership roles and (ii) school-based management within the context of transparency and
local accountability. The goal of basic education is to provide the school age population
and young adults with skills, knowledge, and values to become caring, self-reliant,
productive and patriotic citizens.

The Chronology of Basic Education Curricular Reforms

Table 1: Basic Education Curricular Reforms

Grade Level 1946 - 1956 1957 - 1972 1973 -1988 1989 - 2001 2002 - 2011 2012 - 2013
Grade 10 2-2 Plan Revised
New 2002 Basic Roll-Out
Grade 9 Secondary
Secondary Education implementation
Grade 8 General Education
Education Curriculum of Grade 1 and
Education Program
College Prep. Curriculum Grade 7 of the
Curriculum
Grade 7 Curriculum 2010 K to 12
-Electives Curriculum
(NSEC) Secondary
Offered
 Vocational Education
Curriculum Curriculum
Grade 6 1957-1982 1983-2001 2002-2011 2012
Grade 5 New
Revised R.A 10157
Grade 4 Elementary 2002 Basic
Elementary Kindergarten
Grade 3 School Education
Education Education
Grade 2 Curriculum Curriculum
Curriculum Act
Grade 1 (NESC)
Kindergarten 2011 Kindergarten

1946 - 1956

The establishment the Commonwealth, called for a reorientation of educational

plans and policies to conform to the requirements of a revised form of government. The
1935 Constitution provided certain educational objectives such as the development of
moral character, personal discipline, civic conscience, vocational efficiency and citizenship
training. To carry out the Constitutional mandate a revision of the elementary curriculum
was made to include the teaching of the National Language obligatory It was first offered
as a subject in 1930-1940 in the public Before

The Commonwealth no effort was made to give importance to the native dialects
for it was believed that English should the basic official language. With full autonomy
given to the Commonwealth government, there was a need to make Filipino pupils and
students aware of learning a common native tongue.

Another development was the shortening of the elementary curriculum from seven
to six years in order to admit more children of school age. The Educational Act of 1940,
then called the educational “Magna Carta” of the Philippines, provided for the system of
public elementary education and its matter of financing. Among other things, the Act
provided, subject to certain conditions, for compulsory attendance in the primary grades,
the nationalization of the support of the elementary grades, except the elementary grades
in chartered cities. The latter remained under the support of the city government (Philippine
Educational System, 1901-1976).

Legislations affecting basic education were passed included the following:

1. Commonwealth Act No. 586 Approved on August 7, 1940. An Act to Provide for
the Revision of the System of Public Elementary Education in the Philippines
including the Financing Thereof.
2. Commonwealth Act No. 589 Approved on August 19, 1940. An Act Establishing
a School Ritual in All Public and Private Elementary and Secondary Schools.
(Section 2 of this Act provides "the school ritual shall consist of solemn and
patriotic ceremonies and shall mainly include the singing of the Philippine National
hymn and the recitation by the pupils or students assembled of a patriotic pledge
by a committee provided for in this Act)
3. Republic Act No- 896 Approved on June 20, 1953. An Act to Declare the Policy
on Elementary Education in the Philippines.
The fundamental objectives of education were as follows:
1. To inculcate moral, and spiritual values inspired by an abiding faith in God.
2. To develop enlightened, patriotic, useful and upright citizenry in a democratic
society.
3. To instill habits of industry and thrift, and to individuals to contribute to the
economic development and wise conservation of the Nation's natural resources.
4. To maintain family solidarity, to improve community life, to perpetuate all that is
desirable in our national heritage, and to serve the cause of world peace.
5. To promote the' sciences, arts and letters for the enrichment of life and recognition
of the dignity of the human person
Objectives of Elementary education:
The elementary school should offer adequate education for our children to prepare
them for democratic citizenship. It should give instruction in basic knowledge, develop
basic skills and attitudes, and inculcate ideals necessary for the promotion of national
solidarity, and for the development of an enlightened, patriotic, useful, and upright
citizenry in a democracy. Giving emphasis to the culture, desirable traditions, and virtues
of our people, it. should prepare the child for effective participation in his community and
for better understanding of an expanding society.

Objectives of secondary education:

The secondary school shall continue the unifying functions of elementary education
by providing general education and shall seek to discover the varying abilities, interests
and aptitudes of the youth, and offer courses in the different fields of productive endeavor
according to the talents of the youths and in the light of community needs. It shall also
initiate' a program designed to develop community leadership.

Taking into consideration the economic needs of country, the school must cultivate
vocational efficiency which Will help the students become effective members of their
family and the community. For those who will continue in the colleges and universities the
secondary school must offer courses to the students for an effective study in the institutions
of the higher learning.

Curriculum for elementary and secondary levels were labeled General Education
Curriculum while core curriculum with work education as the core was implemented.

1957 - 1982
Elementary Education
The Revised Elementary Education Curriculum was gradually effected beginning
the school year 1957 - 1958.
In the Revised Elementary Education Curriculum, the vernacular was the auxiliary
medium of instruction in Grade 1 and 2; Filipino and English were offered as subjects.
The Continuous Progression'Scheme (CPS) was implemented in the elementary
during the SY 1970 - 1971 but due to some misconceptions. It was literally construed as
mass promotion; hence many non- readers were promoted to the next grade level. The non-
cooperation of many parents for their children to attend summer tutorial classes added to
the non-institutionalization of the CPS.
Table 2: Minimum Time Allotment for the Elementary School Curriculum
Number of Minutes a Day
Subject Areas I -II III - IV V - VI
Social Studies 40 50 50
Work Education 40 60 80
Health and Sciences 40 40 50
Language and Arts 110 110 120
Arithmetic 50
Arts & Physical Education 40 40 50
TOTAL 310 340 400

1957 - 1972
Secondary Education
One feature of the 1957 - 1972 reform was the offering of Character Education and
Good Manners and Right Conduct as a separate subject in the elementary and secondary
curricula in all public and private schools, effective at the beginning of the second semester
of SY 1958 - 1959 as follows
a. Elementary level – Good manners and Right Conduct – everyday in the most
suitable language in all grade levels during the opening exercises.
b. Character Education and Right Conduct shall be given in English for a period of 40
minutes once a week. (Department Order No. 5, series of 1958 dated August 1,
1958).

The 2 -2 Plan Curriculum was by the Swanson Survey Team, in theory and
philosophy as an “advanced step in the improvement of high school curriculum” but
problems in the implementation due to lack of funds, equipment, vocational teachers and
guidance counselors were not resolved.
Streaming the students into college preparatory and vocational was deemed "unfair'’
by parents who disregarded the capabilities of their children to go to higher education and
streamed in the education.
The minimum requirements for completion of the secondary general curriculum and
the 2 – 2 plan
Table 3: Curriculum Under the 2 -2 Plan
Subjects Common College Prep. Curr. Vocational
I - II III IV Year III IV Total
Year Year Year Year
English 2 2 2 6 1 1 4
Filipino 2 1 1 4 ½ ½ 3
 Social Sciences 2 1 1 4 1 1 4
Guidance Service
Mathematics 2 2 2 6 1 1 4
Science 2 2 2 6 1 1 4
Health, PE, PMT 2 1 1 4 ½ ½ 3
Work experiences or
Vocational Education for
4 4 4 4 12
boys or Home Economics for
Girls
Total 16 9 9 34 9 9 34

1973 - 1988
Secondary Education
The Revised Secondary Education Program (RSFP) replaced the 2 - 2 Plan in 1973.
Among the objectives of the curriculum was “to acquire the basic occupational skills
acknowledge and information essential for gainful employment and for making intelligent
choice of occupation or career”. Electives were included, exploratory courses were
offered that would expose the students to specialization in the third and fourth years.
The RSLP implemented starting SY 1973-1974 introduced the by the hour
programming instead of 40 minutes per learning area.

The Bilingual Education Policy was likewise issued as Dept- Order NO. 25, s. 1974.
It was interesting to note that with basic education reforms, the Bureau of Higher
Education then, issued the Revised Teacher Education Curriculum embodied in Dept.
Order No. 8, s. 1970 based on the following principles: reorientation of teacher education
to Philippine needs, conditions. and aspirations; coordination and freedom as a necessary
safeguard against proliferation both in content and procedure; institutional cooperation
and sharing through participation of teacher education institutions in a system of
educational consortium; quality "control" through an adequate system of "control" with
respect to standards or instruction and instructional facilities; recruitment by encouraging
young people from all walks of life to enroll in teaching profession; selective admission
and retention by admitting to the teacher education institutions students who belong to the
upper 50% of the graduating class of secondary schools; teacher education all levels and
disciplines which involves teacher preparation at all levels and in all areas; and observance
of professional ethics and morality.

1989 2001
The New Secondary Education Curriculum
The conceptualization of the New Secondary School Curriculum (NSEC) began in
1982 in preparation for the graduates of the New Elementary School Curriculum (NESC)
implemented starting SY 1982-83 in Grade I. The new elementary curriculum was put in
place one grade upwards every year thereafter through the six grades of elementary
school, under the Program for Decentralized Education Development (PRODED).
 The first full beneficiaries of the new elementary school curriculum were
graduated in March 1989 and they also became the first beneficiaries of the NSEC under
the Secondary Education Development Program (SEDP).

The NSEC was implemented in all secondary schools in the Philippines starting
with First Year in SY 1989-90. However, the curriculum underwent a macro tryout from
1985 to 1989. During that four-year period, each curricular year level was tried out using
a pretest-posttest two-group design. Subsequently from SY 1989 - 90 to SY 1992 – 93,
additional evaluation was carried out as the NSEC was implemented in the succeeding
year levels, one year level at a time. In SY 1992 - 93, all four year levels of the high
school curriculum were evaluated through achievement tests. In February 1994, further
testing was done to assess student achievement after the full implementation of the
NSEC.
Assessment of student achievement under the NSEC has been a major dimension
of the evaluation of SEDR (Llagas, 1994).
objectives Of the New Secondary Education Curriculum (NSEC):
1. Develop an enlightened commitment to the national ideals by cherishing.
preserving and developing moral, spiritual and socio-cultural values as well as other
desirable aspects of the Filipino heritage;
2. Obtain knowledge and form desirable attitudes for understanding the nature and
purpose of man and therefore, of one's own people, and other races, places and
times, thereby promoting a keen sense of self, of family and of national and
international situations;
3. Develop skills in higher intellectual operations and more complex comprehension
and expression activities, and in thinking intelligently, critically and creatively in
life's situations;
4. Acquire work skills, knowledge and information and a work ethic essential for
making an intelligent choice of the occupation for career and for specialized
training in specific occupations; and
5. Broaden and heighten one's abilities in and appreciation for the arts, and science
and technology as a means for maximizing one's potential for self-fulfillment and
for promoting the welfare of others.
Level of yearly implementation.
1989-1990 First Year 1992-1993 Fourth Year
1990-1991 Second Year 1993-1994 Project Completion Report
1991-1992 Third Year 1994-1995 Project Impact Report

For the first time values education was offered as a separate subject in high
school, hence the training of trainers and mass training of teachers included values
formation. A values education framework was put in place by Department of Education,
Culture and Sports (DECS). The teacher education institutions were encouraged to offer
values education as a specialization in BSE.
 Table 4: New Secondary Education Curriculum
Subjects Total
1st Year 2nd Year 3rd Year 4th Year
Number
Min. Unit Min. Unit Min. Unit Year Unit
of Units
English 200 1 200 1 200 1 200 1 4
Filipino 200 1 200 1 200 1 200 1 4
Science and
400 2 400 2 400 2 400 2 8
Technology
Mathematics 200 1 200 1 200 1 200 1 4
Social
200 1 200 1 200 1 200 1 4
Studies
PE, Health
200 1 200 1 200 1 200 1 4
and Music
Values
200 1 200 1 200 1 200 1 4
Education
Technology
and Home 400 2 400 2 400 2 400 2 8
Economics
Total 10 10 10 10 40

1983 - 2001
Elementary Education
The Final Report on the New Elementary Education Curriculum records the
historical background of the reform, to wit:
The need for reforms in elementary education became imperative when the results
of Survey of Outcomes in Elementary Education (SOUTELE) came out. A significant
finding for example, clearly showed that the average sixth grader across the nation has
mastered only 50% of he was expected to learn and that the leaned subjects the were the
3R’s.
Experimental Elementary Education Program (EEEP). To implement the
recommendation of SOUTELE the Experimental Elementary Education Program (EEEP)
was launched by the Bureau of Elementary Education in 1978. It was conducted for two
years on an experimental basis. Involved were 1500 classes in 125 School divisions
throughout the country. The EEEP offered fewer subjects in Grade I-III thereby allotting
more time to the development of the basic skills, traditionally called the 3R’s in the lower
grades.

The results of the EEEP pointed to the viability of the experimental curriculum in
developing the communications skills of children in view of the reduction of the number
of subjects and the increased time for instruction. The findings showed that the EEEP if
improved and refined could produce better results in terms of pupil achievement in
comparison to the 1970 Revised Education Program.
 The findings of these major research strengthened more than ever previous
indications that elementary education can stand considerable improvement. Among other
things, these studies gave directions to the development of the 1983 new curriculum.
Program for Comprehensive Elementary Education (PROCEED). The impact of the
research paved the way for the development of a 10-year (1980-1990) Program for
Comprehensive Elementary Education now better known for its acronym, PROCEED.

The Program for Decentralized Education Development (PRODED). To serve as a

launching pad for the major reform envisioned in PROCEED, a Program for Decentralized
Educational Development which became well-known for its acronym PRODED was
installed. PRODED covers the first 4 years of the 10-year development program
PROCEED. PRODED is a World Bank-assisted project geared towards the improvement
of the elementary education sector with focus on upgrading the quality of education and
increasing pupil participation and survival rates. This program also attempted to redress
disparities between and within regions in the delivery of services and allocation of
resources according to the degree of education deprivation of each region.
MEC Order No. 6, s. 1982 issued on January 29, 1982 set the implementation of the
NESC effective SY 1983 - 1984 following this timetable.
GRADE I – 1983
GRADE II – 1984
GRADE III – 1985
GRADE IV – 1986
GRADE V – 1987
GRADE VI - 1988

Enclosure to MEC Order No. 6 is the daily time allotment for the NESC.
Table 5: The New Elementary School Curriculum
Daily Time Allotment (in Minutes)
Subject Areas
I II III IV V VI
Character Building
20-30 20-30 20 20 20 20
Activities
Filipino 60 60 60 60 60 60
English 60 60 60 60 60 60
Mathematics 40 40 40 40 40 40
Sibika at Kultura 40 40 40 40 40 40
Heograpiya, Kasaysayan,
40 40 40
Sibika
Science and Health
Mga Sining at Edukasyong
Pagpapalakas
Edukasyong Pantahanan at
40 40 40 40
Pangkabuhayan
Total Minutes Daily 220-230 220-230 300 340 360 360
2002 - 2011
With the coming of a new leadership in 2001 the NESC and the NSEC were
replaced by the 2002 Basic Education Curriculum (BEC).
DepEd Order No. 25, s. 2002 dated on June 17, 2002 ordered the implementation of
the 2002 Basic Education Curriculum during the SY 2002 2003. Philippine Commission
on Educational Reforms (PCER) created on December 7, 1998 through Executive Order
No. 46. recommended the adoption of BEC. One feature of the curriculum is Makabayan,
integrating the learning areas of Values Education, PEHM, Araling Panlipunan, and
Technology and Home Economies.

The curriculum aims at empowering the Filipino learner to be capable of self-

development throughout one's life and to be patriotic, benevolent, ecologically aware, and
godly. This overall aim entails the acquisition skills, a reflective understanding and
internalization of principles and values, and the development of the person’s multiple
intelligences. Thus, in the restructured curriculum. training in the life skill, the
identification and analysis of values, and the recognition of multiple intelligences permeate
all the learning areas.

This curriculum promotes more mutual interaction between students and teachers,
between students themselves (collaborative learning), between students and instructional
materials, between students and multi-media sources, and between teachers of different
disciplines (collaborative teaching). Also, what makes this curriculum interactive is the
use of information technology and the greater emphasis on computer literacy in all the
learning areas in every school where equipment is available. (2002, BEC pp. 8-9)

2010 Secondary Education Curriculum

Per DepEd Order No. 76, s. 2010 dated June 4, 2010 the 2010 Secondary Education
Curriculum (SEC) was implemented in the first year level only. The second, third and
fourth years continued to undertake the BEC.

The refinement of the curriculum followed the Understanding by Design (UbD)

framework which covers three stages:
Stage I: Results/Desired Outcome;
Stage 2: Assessment; and
Stage 3: Learning/Instructional Plan
The first two stages are defined in the Curriculum Guide. The last stage is covered in the
Teaching Guide. -Both documents can be accessed at the BSE website.
(www.bse.portal.ph) e-library.

R.A 10157 entitled An Act Institutionalizing the Kindergarten Education into the
Basic Education System and Appropriating Funds Therefor was approved on January 20,
2012. The Declaration of Policy states that:

Kindergarten is “mandatory and compulsory for entrance to Grade I" DepEd Order
No. 21, s. 2012 dated March 20, 2012 detailed the Policies and Guidelines on the
Implementation of the Universal Kindergarten Education Program S.Y 2012 - 2073.
2012-2013
The Roll-out implementation of the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum for
Grade 1 and Grade 7 shall start during the SY 2012-2013. Preparation of instructional
materials and teaching guides for the training of trainers and regional training of Grade
1 and Grade 7 teachers are ongoing.

It could be noted that the 12-year Basic Education Cycle is first in the 10-point
agenda of President Benigno Aquino, to wit:
1. Expansion to a 12-year Basic Education Cycle
2. Universal Pre-school
3. Madrasah Education
4. Tech-Voc Education in Senior High School
5. Every Child a Reader by Grade 1
6. Proficiency in Math and Science
7. Assistance to Private School
8. Multilingual Education
9. Quality Textbooks
10. Covenant with LGUs to Build More Schools

References:
Bilbao, P. et. al (2015). The Teaching Profession. Lorimar Publishing Inc. Quezon city,
Metro Manila. 3rd Edition
https://www.deped.gov.ph/about-deped/history/