MA – 203 FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION

PHILIPPINE HISTORICAL FOUNDATION OF CURRICULUM

Pre-Spanish to Spanish Period
- Jovinson B. Lozano
Long before the arrival of the Spaniards, ancient Filipinos were living in scattered barangays and
ruled by different chieftains or Datu. Although, they were living separately, they were similar in
many ways, their religion, mode of dressing, houses, system of government and marriage
practices and economic activities, in short, they were refined and civilized; they possessed a
distinct culture that distinguish them from other race.
• The datus comprised the nobility. Then came the maharlikas (freemen), followed by the
aliping mamamahay (serfs) and aliping saguiguilid (slaves).
However, despite the existence of different classes in the social structure, practically everyone
had access to the fruits of the soil. Money was unknown, and rice served as the medium of
exchange.
Before 1521, there was no formal education. The education is informal.
This period is more on survival. Mothers teach their female children in housekeeping and other
agriculture-based activity. Fathers teach their male children to hunt.
The development of curricula in the Philippine Islands during the pre-Spanish period was a
complicated affair. While it is clear that there was some influence by Spanish culture and
language, there is also evidence that many native practices were preserved in their original
forms.
The first recorded curriculum was developed by the early Malay settlers on Mindanao. This was
a simple list of basic knowledge with no formal instruction of study component; students
memorized this list themselves, often through rote memorization.
The first recorded curriculum was developed by the early Malay settlers in Mindanao. This was a
simple list of basic knowledge with no formal instruction of study component; students
memorized this list themselves, often through rote memorization.
The next curriculum was developed by Chinese immigrants to the islands, who brought their
own language system with them. Their curriculum included lessons in reading and writing
Chinese characters, as well as math and other subjects such as geography, history, and law.
They also had a traditional system of martial arts training for boys called “kung fu” which
involved fighting techniques based on tai chi principles; girls also learned these techniques but
were not trained in fighting skills.
The Spanish arrived in 1521 and brought with them a written alphabet known as “Tagalog”
which was based on Spanish letters but with some unique modifications such as “j” instead of
“i”.
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The development of curriculum in the Philippines in the Spanish period was shaped by many
factors, including Spanish colonization and missionary work.
The Spanish colonization of the Philippines was a long process that took over 300 years to
complete. During this time, Spain tried to establish its authority over the country by making it a
colony and converting it into a Catholic nation. They introduced new laws, built roads, ports and
bridges, and made other changes to improve their control over the country.
In addition to these physical changes, Spanish missionaries brought new ideas about education to
their colonies. They believed that education was important for people’s health and future success
as well as for religious reasons. They wanted everyone in their colonies to learn how to read so
they could read the Bible and understand what God wanted them to do with their lives.
The missionaries also wanted everyone at least literate so they could read about God’s teachings
without having to go through an intermediary like a priest or priestess.
This combination of factors led to many changes in how education was taught in Spain’s
colonies around the world; one example is that schools were set up where there weren’t before.

January 2, 1555
• The Royal Decree of 1555 by King Carlos I mandated the following educational goals
during this period.
• Indoctrination of Christianity
• Promotion of Spanish language
• Imposition of Spanish culture

January 1, 1565
• Parochial Schools – Rise of parochial schools started by the Augustinians and
later by other religious Spanish orders.
• Among the first schools are Colegio de San Ignacio (1589), University of Sto.
Thomas (1611), Beaterio de Sta. Potenciana (1st only – girl school in 1594).
January 1, 1863
• Royal Decree of 1863 Establishment of Education Act of 1863 whereby which provided
for the establishment of at least one primary school for boys and girls in each town under
the responsibility of municipal government; and the establishment of a normal school for
male teachers under the supervision of the Jesuits.
This period also used Spanish as their medium of instruction in all their schools
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Primary instruction was free but usually for the elite. Education during that period was
inadequate, suppressed, and controlled.
Content: Christian doctrine; intro of parochial schools; severe discipline imposed;
authoritarianism type; teacher dominated.
Revolution Period
(1898 – 1901)
The Philippines has undergone a lot of changes in its curriculum throughout the years. In the pre-
colonial period, education was informal and unstructured. It was only during the Spanish
colonial period that a formal education was introduced. However, this system was only
accessible to the elite class. It wasn’t until the American colonial period that education became
more widespread.
Illustrados – led the propaganda movement, including reforms in education
Curricular reforms

• Design of a relevant curriculum

• Secularization of education
• Instruction of Spanish
• Greater attention to natural science
• Improvement of higher center of learning
• Improvement of education system
Jose Rizal – criticized the methods of instructions of the friars by telling it to his novels such as
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo
• Lack of pedagogical skills
• Irrelevant courses in curriculum
• Disproportion of focus in religion.
Rizal considered and suggested required courses for secondary schools:
Math, Science, History, Philosophy, Law, Language, Religion, Social Sciences.
August 29, 1898 – schools were reopened by the Interior Secretary as education was top priority
during Malolos Republic.
• Free and compulsory education
• Establishment of Burgos Institute of Malolos (Secondary)
• Establishment of Literary University of the Philippines (Tertiary) October 1898