PRE-SPANISH CURRICULUM (Before 1521)
The Barangay played a major role as to how the Early Filipinos were educated. What the Barangay already practiced and believed in were passed down from generation to generation. The curriculum was unsystematic, unplanned and spontaneous.
Aims of Education: Survival, Conformity, Enculturation
Type of Education: Informal Education, Practical Training, Theoretical Training
Education Methods: Show and Tell, Observation, Trial and Error, Imitation, Suggestion
Curriculum: More Vocational than Technical, Code of Kalantiao & Maragtas, Solidarity of the Family, Modesty of Women & Valor of Men, Belief in Bathala, Obedience & Respect for the Elders
Medium of Instruction: Alibata
Educators: People from the Barangay, Babaylan, Tribal Tutors, Parents
When the Spanish began to colonize the Philippines, the Spanish Missionaries played a major role as to how the Filipinos were educated and controlled. Religion was the tool Spain wielded to make the Philippines its colony. The Philippine Curriculum then was a lot more structured compared to what the Filipinos had before the Spaniards came. But the emphasis of the Spanish-taught curriculum was more on religion rather than the basic literacy skills, science and arts.
Aims of Education: Promote Christianity, Promotion of Spanish language, Imposition of Spanish culture
Type of Education: Formal Education, Religious Education, Catechism, Doctrine, Vocational Course
Educational Methods: Dictation, Memorization, Theater Presentation
Curriculum Organization: Subject Organization
Medium of Instruction: Spanish
Educators: Spanish Missionaries
Type of School: Parochial or Convent Schools
Education Levels: Basic (Entrada, Acenso, Termino), Tertiary, Secondary
Curriculum: Christian Doctrine, Values, History, Reading & Writing in Spanish, Mathematics, Agriculture, Etiquette, Singing, World Geography, Spanish History
After the Filipinos rebelled against Spain, America began to take the reins. The Philippines slowly underwent an American Acculturation and this was largely because of the Education the Americans provided. The Thomasites played a major role as to how the Filipinos were educated. Contrary to the Spanish Missionaries, the Americans did not make religious instruction compulsory. The Philippine Curriculum then evolved into a more organized, systematic and academe & skill-focused dynamism.
Aims of Education: Teach Democracy, Separation of Church & State, Westernization
Type of Education: Formal Education, Democratic Education
Educational Methods: Socialized Recitation, Participation, Debate, Games/Play, Curriculum Organization
Medium Instruction: English
Educators: Thomasites, Soldiers
Type of Schools: Public Schools
Education Levels: Elementary (Primary & Intermediate), Secondary, Tertiary
Curriculum: GMRC, Civics, Hygiene & Sanitation, Geography, English Grammar & Composition, Reading & Spelling, Science, Mathematics, Intensive Teaching of Geography
The Philippines was then beginning to prepare for its independence from America (Tydings-Mcduffie Act) and the expansion & reformation of the Philippine Curriculum began in this period. Filipino Teachers were empowered to improve the curriculum and as a result, content-rich and culture-specific courses were added. Patriotism was then also considered as an important factor in the Philippine Curriculum.
COMMONWEALTH ACT 586
Approved on August 7, 1940
Reorganized the Elementary School System by eliminating Grade 7 (Sec. 4)
Introduced the Double-Single Session for Elementary Students (Sec. 6) & Civic Training (Sec. 2) Educational Act of 1940
EXPANSION OF THE PHILIPPINE CURRICULUM
The Filipino Teachers who were trained by the Americans began introducing courses that were taught in American Schools
Secondary Normal Schools were elevated to the Collegiate Level by the Bureau of Education. 8 Regional Normal Schools were then formed
Aims of Education: Develop moral character, Civic Conscience, Vocational Efficiency, Preparation for Incoming Independence
Type of Education: Formal Education, Vocational Education
Educational Methods: Memorization, Recitation, Socialized Recitation
Curriculum Organization: Separe-Subject Organization
Medium of Instruction: Filipino
Educators: Filipino Teachers
Type of Schools: Public & Private Schools.
Education Levels: Elementary (Primary & Intermediate), Secondary, Tertiary
Curriculum: Farming, Trade, Business, Domestic Science, Teacher’s Collegiate Education
The growth of the Philippine Curriculum was stunted because of the Japanese Invasion. The Japanese tried to erase every influence of the Americans in the Philippine Society most especially in the Philippine curriculum.
Aims of Education: Eradicate Reliance on Western Nations, Love of Labor, Military Training
Type of Education: Formal Education, Vocational Training
Educational Methods: Stressed Dignity of Manual Labor, Emphasis on Vocational Education, Lectures with emphasis on Japaneses Culture and Sovereignty
Medium of Instruction: Nihongo
Educators: Japanese Imperial Tutors
Type of School: Public Schools
Education Levels: Education Levels: Elementary (Primary & Intermediate), Secondary, Tertiary
Curriculum: Filipino & Tagalog, Philippine History, Character Education to Filipino with the emphasis on love for work and dignity of labor, Agriculture, Medicine, Fisheries, Engineering, Nihongo
After the war, the Philippines started to recuperate and began modernizing. Likewise, the Philippine Curriculum started to gain some traction. More Filipino Educators began to experiment on the different types of curriculum and researches were then conducted to find out which type of curriculum would best suit the Filipino learners. But despite these efforts, the Philippine Curriculum gained only little expansion.
Aims of Education: Citizenship, Morality, Democracy, Industry, Family Responsibility, Helping the community, Cultural Heritage for Youth, Understanding of other nations
Type of Education: Formal Education, Vocational Training
Medium of Instruction: Filipino/ Vernacular
Type of Schools: Public and Private Schools
Education Levels: Elementary (Primary & Intermediate), Secondary, Tertiary
New Declarations: Academic freedom, Religious instruction in the public schools is optional, Creation of scholarships in the arts, science and letters was for specially gifted citizens and those that are unable to afford the cost of college education, Compulsory Flag Ceremony, Restoration of Grade VII
Curriculum: Moral Character, Vocational Efficiency, Productivity, Complete and Adequate system of Public Education, Subjects change with the changing time and needs of human beings
Research then became more prevalent and it greatly helped in facilitating the expansion and improvement of the Philippine Curriculum. The largely Traditional Curriculum of the Philippines then became more colored with the Progressivist’s methodology and mindset. Filipino Resources, Culture & Approaches were now melded into the education system.
Aims of Education: Appreciation of Philippine Culture, Preservation of Cultural Heritage, Character Education, Usage of Filipino Books and Literature, Citizen’s Increased Self Awareness, Bilingualism, Great Skill Specialization
Type of Education: Formal Education, Vocational Training
Medium of Instruction: Filipino/ Vernacular, Other Foreign Languages
Type of Schools: Public & Private Schools, Trade Schools
Education Levels: Elementary (Primary & Intermediate), Secondary, Tertiary
The late President Ferdinand V. Marcos issued the Educational Development Decree of 1972 which issued the Educational Development Decree of 1972 which greatly aided the development of the Philippine Curriculum. It ensured the constant responsiveness of the schools to the needs of the New Society and heavily articulated the need to teach Nationalism, Patriotism, Moral Values and Relevant Academic Courses.
Aims of Education: Love of country, Duties of Citizenship, Develop Moral Character, Self-discipline, Vocational Training
Type of Education: Formal Education, Vocational Training
Medium of Instruction: Filipino/ Vernacular, Other Foreign Languages
Education Levels: Elementary (Primary & Intermediate), Secondary, Tertiary
Presidential Decree 6-A Educational Development Decree of 1972
Achieve and maintain social and economic development progress
Assure maximum participation of all the people
Provide for a broad and general education
Attain his potential as a human being.
Enhance the range and quality of individual
Acquire the essential educational foundation
Train the nation’s manpower in the middle level skills
Develop the high level professions for the leadership of nation
Respond effectively to changing needs
As the Philippines continue to witness the result of all the underpinnings, research and happenings, internationally and locally, a more developed and globally competitive curriculum would naturally make itself known. The implementation of the K-12 system is a product of the need to compete with international standards.