The Philippine Education System: An Overview
“A nation cannot be built without education.” (Taylor-Kamara, 2010). According to
infed.org, education can be defined as the wise, hopeful and respectful cultivation of learning
undertaken in the belief that all should have the chance to share in life.
Over the years Philippine Education System drastically changed. Various countries
contributed in the development of Philippine Education System like Spain, America and Japan
these countries fuels education system and continuously progress up until now.
In the 300 years of colonization of the Spaniards in our country they educated us with
their religion to maintain the ignorance of our ancestors. Though that is their intention, they
impacted a lot in our education system up to this date. They introduced Christian doctrines which
were taught by the missionary teachers. Spanish Contribution started the formal education in the
Philippines from primary to tertiary. After them, the Americans started educating the Filipinos in
public schools using the materials from their country to control the Filipinos. American started
introducing their education system in the year 1598 up to 1935. During this time the Universities
opened and uniforms were prescribed. After the Americans, Japanese started educating the
Filipinos in the year 1941-1944 which aims to introduce their education system to us.
The Philippines experienced liberty from the suppressors in the year 1946 up to present
where we patterned our Education system to Spain and United States, and in the year 2010,
Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III signed the basic education act of 2013 known as K to 12
Education Program and put it into law. This law has gain different comments from parents,
students and community, because this program tends to add 2 years of education in the senior
high school level. We have embraced continuously trying to improve and develop the quality of
education we have from the pre-colonization period up to present, but there still arises some
problems that we need to address. But we cannot deny the fact that what we have right now, in
our education system has contributed by Spanish and Americans.
We have embraced the “gift” given to us by our oppressors and have been performing
their intended role for us very well until now. We Filipinos believe that education is our ticket to
get out from poverty and that the lack of it as a sure way to failure. That is why responsible
Filipino parents see to it that their children complete their schooling. In the Philippine setting, the
interest that school owners get is given higher priority than molding the minds of our children to
be good and productive citizens. And as an educator together with the government, let us work
hand in hand to give the best kind of education we can give to our students, the future or our
nation.
