Comparative Study in The Philippines
Comparative Study in The Philippines
I. Introduction
Education is primarily a regional and local endeavor (Wahlström,
Alvunger, & Wermke, (2018). Around the world, education systems are one of the
most visible symbols of a country's identity, as well as a reflection of the cultural,
economic, and social ideals that it seeks to cultivate and promote.
It is easy to discern how policymakers perceive their country's future in
its schools, as well as the difficulties that it is educating its population to face.
There are main goals and four main purposes of standardizing a curriculum as
stated from the Comparative Study of Education System of Philippines and England;
Aim 1: The school curriculum should be designed to give all students the
opportunity to study and succeed.
Aim 2: The school curriculum should support students' spiritual, moral, social,
and cultural growth while also preparing them for the possibilities,
responsibilities, and experiences that life has to offer.
Goal 1: Establish an entitlement
Goal 2: Establish norms
Goal 3: Promote continuity and consistency
Goal 4: Promote public comprehension
II. Objectives
1. To understand the issues and current events in the Philippines that has an
impact on our education?
2. To comprehend the Philippine educational system in respect to other
national education strategies facilitating our understanding of current
curriculum development
3. To compare other country’s educational system that can be emulated and
use in our own to generate globally competitive kids.
After nearly four centuries of Spanish domination, the Educational Decree of 1863
established a comprehensive educational system from primary to collegiate levels. It is in
this year, with the approval of the Education Reform Act in the Spanish Courts, the
Philippines' public school system was founded establishing separate schools for boys and
girls as a result of compulsory education for Filipino children (Musa, & Ziatdinov, 2012).
The decree allowed for the development of comprehensive secondary and college levels of
education, as well as government oversight and management of these schools and teacher
training institutions.
When the Americans invaded Manila in 1898, the schools were swiftly reopened. The
defeat of Spain by American soldiers created the ground for Aguinaldo's Republic to
establish itself as a Revolutionary Government. The schools that had been maintained by
Spain for more than three centuries were temporarily shuttered, but the Secretary of the
Interior reopened them on August 29, 1898. The Treaty of Paris, signed in 1898, legally
recognized the United States as a colonial authority with control over the Philippines.
Unlike European colonial powers, which were bound by moral obligations to their
indigenous peoples, the Americans envisioned themselves as a temporary colonial force,
with the Philippines poised to continue as an independent state.
The Burgos Institute at Malolos, the Malolos Military Academy, and the Philippine
Literary University were all founded. The Malolos Constitution established a system of free
and compulsory elementary education. The Schurman Commission recommended that a
sufficient secularized and free public education system be developed during the first decade
of American administration. The Taft Commission, acting on President McKinley's orders,
mandated free elementary education to prepare citizens for civic and vocational
responsibilities. The American government was established with a distinguished
comprehensive public educational system by the use of the English language, and chaplains
and non-commissioned officers were appointed to teach. By virtue of Act No. 74, the
Philippine Commission established a highly centralized public education system in 1901.
As a result of the Act's implementation, the Philippine Commission authorized the
Secretary of Public Instruction to bring 600 teachers from the United States to the
Philippines. The Thomasites were their name. The Philippine Commission established a
high school system funded by provincial governments, special educational institutions, a
school of arts and trades, an agricultural school, and commerce and marine institutes in
1902. The Philippine Legislature passed Act No. 1870 in 1908, establishing the University
of the Philippines.
Except for the Secretary of Public Instruction, all department secretaries were Filipinized
with the Reorganization Act of 1916.
The regime aspired to unite the archipelago, disseminate democratic values, and make
the colonial rule easier. During this time, the Philippine educational system, particularly the
public school system, became increasingly unified and organized, allowing all citizens to
benefit from education. This was also the era when the educational system was revamped,
with the elimination of grade 7 and the introduction of the double-session plan to
accommodate more learners.
During Japan's brief occupation (1941–44), the Japanese shifted the political and cultural
direction of education away from Western norms and toward Japanese values based on
neighborly affection. Vocational education was also established, as well as the use of
Niponggo as a medium of instruction. Physical education and music, particularly singing
Japanese songs, were also emphasized by the Japanese.
Military Order No. 2 of 1942 enshrined Japanese educational policies. The Commission
of Education, Health, and Public Welfare was founded by the Philippine Executive
Commission in June 1942, and schools were reopened. The Ministry of Education was
established on October 14, 1943, by the Japanese-sponsored Republic. Tagalog, Philippine
history, and character education were only taught to Filipinos during the Japanese
occupation. The importance of labor dignity and love for work was underlined. The
Department of Instruction was absorbed into the Department of Public Instruction on
February 27, 1945.
Please take a look at the table below, comparison of the education system of the
Philippines during different colonization periods (Musa, & Ziatdinov, 2012).
The Philippines' educational system was modeled after the American system, with
English as the primary medium of teaching. Public (government) and private (private)
schools are the two types of schools (non-government). Formal education generally follows
a four-stage process: Most private schools offer pre-primary education (nursery and
kindergarten); six years of primary education, followed by four years of secondary
education. College education often lasts four, five, or even eight years in some situations,
such as medical and law schools. Two or more years of graduate schooling are required.
Overall, formal education lasts about 14 years and is organized in a 6+4+4 system: 6 years
of primary school, 4 years of secondary school, and 4 years of higher education,
culminating in a bachelor's degree. This is one of the world's shortest periods of formal
schooling.
In the Philippines, classes begin in June and end in March. A total of 40 weeks is covered
throughout this span. The semester system is used by all higher education institutions, with
a fall semester, winter semester, and an optional summer term. The semestral calendar is
often used by colleges and universities from June to October and November to March.
Although English was the sole language of teaching in the Philippines from 1935
to 1987, the new constitution mandated that both Pilipino (Tagalog) and English be
used in education and communication. After primary school, however, English is
virtually always the language of instruction, particularly in the country's urban areas
and at the majority of the country's colleges.
The current reforms are being implemented by three educational bodies: the
Department of Education (DepED, a federal department with offices in each of the
country’s 13 regions) for primary and secondary education, the Technical Skills and
Development Authority (TESDA) for mid-level skills training, and the Commission on
Higher Education (CHED) for higher and postgraduate education. The former Philippine
educational system was known for having one of the shortest basic education cycles, at ten
years (as compared to other Asia Pacific countries such as Japan, Singapore, Brunei
Darussalam, and Hong Kong). The Revised Basic Education Curriculum (RBEC) was
replaced by the K-12 curriculum for basic education. Furthermore, there were several
improvements in higher education in terms of curriculum and program offerings to respond
to the Commission on Higher Education's mandate (CHED). Furthermore, there are
numerous accrediting bodies that require higher education schools to meet certain
requirements in order to be recognized.
1. DEPED
2. CHED
3. TESDA
The Governance of Basic Education Act, also known as Republic Act 9155, was
approved in August 2001, renaming the Department of Education, Culture, and Sports
(DECS) to the Department of Education (DepEd) and redefining the function of field
offices (regional offices, division offices, district offices and schools). RA 9155 establishes
the general foundation for I school head empowerment through strengthened leadership
positions, and (ii) school-based management in a transparent and localized manner. Basic
education's purpose is to provide students and young adults with the skills, information, and
values they need to become compassionate, self-reliant, productive members of society.
Basic education's purpose is to provide students and young adults with the skills,
information, and values they need to become compassionate, self-reliant, productive, and
patriotic citizens.
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) was created on May 18, 1994 through
the passage of Republic Act No. 7722, or the Higher Education Act of 1994. CHED, an
attached agency to the Office of the President for administrative purposes, is headed by a
chairperson and four commissioners, each having a term of office of four years. The
Commission En Banc acts as a collegial body in formulating plans, policies and strategies
relating to higher education and the operation of CHED.
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) was founded by
President Fidel V. Ramos signing Republic Act No. 7796, also known as the "Technical
Education and Skills Development Act of 1994," into law on August 25, 1994. This Act
aims to stimulate and mobilize business, labor, local government entities, and technical-
vocational institutions to fully participate and mobilize in the development of the country's
human resources. The construction of a comprehensive development plan for middle-level
people based on the National Technical Education and Skills Development Plan is a main
priority of TESDA. This proposal will establish a reformed industry-based training
program, which will include apprenticeships, dual training, and other comparable programs.
Overall, TESDA develops manpower and skills plans, establishes appropriate skills
standards and tests, coordinates and monitors manpower policies and programs, and
provides policy direction and guidelines for resource allocation for both private and public
sector technical-vocational education and training (TVET) institutions.
In 2018, the United Kingdom invested a total of USD 12 245 per student on primary to
tertiary institutions compared to USD 10 454 on average across OECD countries. This
represents 6.1% of GDP, compared to 4.9% on average across OECD countries.
In 2019, all 3-5 year-olds were enrolled in early childhood education and care
programmes and primary education in the United Kingdom, compared to 88% on
average across OECD countries.
Statutory salaries of teachers with maximum qualifications at the top of their salary
scales are 152% higher than those of teachers with the minimum qualifications at the
start of their career at pre-primary (ISCED 02), primary and general lower and upper
secondary levels in England (UK) and 26% higher in Scotland (UK). compared to 86% -
91% on average.
Philippines
In 2017, 26.3 million kids were enrolled in kindergarten, elementary, junior and senior
high schools in the public and private schools, state universities and colleges and local
universities and colleges. • Enrollees in TVET courses reached 2.27 million in 2016.
Females comprised 53.3% of the total number of enrollees, while male enrollees
comprised 46.9% of the total. (Table 2) • The number of enrollees in HEIs in AY 2017-
2018 reached 2.99 million. 55.6% of these enrollees were females. 44.4% were males. •
The number of graduates in HEIs in AY 2016-2017 was 703,327. 59.0% were females.
41% were males.
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/files/meetings/sdg-inter-workshop-jan-
2019/Session%2011.b.3_Philippines___Education%20Equality%20Assessment
FINAL4.pdf
V. Reaction
An emphasis on vocational and adult education was introduced in the early 20th
century, while bilingual teaching – with maths, science, and literature taught in English –
was introduced under Ferdinand Marcos in 1974. The commitment to bilingual education
and universal access was enshrined in the 1987 constitution.
The Philippines is a severely unequal and impoverished country, with 75% of the
population living in poverty (UNESCO, 2015). Traditionally, the government has found it
difficult to fully fund the entire education system. Because of that, most of the money
earmarked for education goes to the country’s primary schools (See figures 1 & 2). For
children from 5 to 15, the government provides free obligatory basic education (11 years
from preschool to secondary school). The Ministry of Education funds schools using a
formula that considers fixed expenses, per-student allocation, the number of teachers, the
number of classrooms, and the number of graduating students. However, schools serving
impoverished or marginalized groups do not receive more funds under the methodology.
It's no surprise that school quality has deteriorated rapidly in a country that previously had
one of Asia's highest literacy rates. Consequently, public school enrollment at the primary
level is about 90 percent, while at the secondary level enrollment typically hovers
somewhere around 75 percent.
Moreover, there is variance in the quality of education provided by the Philippine
educational system, as evidenced by comparisons between the highly urbanized city of Metro
Manila, which is not only the country's capital but also the country's largest metropolitan
area, and other parts of the country such as Mindanao and Eastern Visayas. Among ASEAN
countries, the Philippines continues to have one of the lowest education budget allocations.
Another persistent problem in the Philippine educational system is the cost of education (or
lack thereof).
The K-12 reform was implemented in 2016 with enhanced money, allaying concerns
that its execution would be hampered by a lack of resources and winning over new President
Rodrigo Duterte, who had been skeptical of the proposal at first. The redesigned curriculum
will considerably reduce general education requirements, as the prior curriculum
compensated for pupils entering with only 10 years of secondary education.
Many children who would normally have attended higher education after grade 10
now have to finish two extra years of school, the K-12 changes will inevitably result in lower
higher education enrollments, at least in the short term. Undergraduate enrollments fell by
12.7 percent between the 2015-16 and 2016-17 academic years, according to data from the
Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and are expected to drop by another 22 percent in
2017/18 before beginning to recover in 2018/19, when the first K-12 cohorts begin to enter
higher education.
According to DepEd data, there were 26.2 million registrants in SY 2020-2021, down
from 27.7 million prior to the epidemic. The coronavirus illness (COVID-19) pandemic is
once again the backdrop of the new school year, as it was last year. Students in elementary
school are required to learn their lessons at home using a variety of learning delivery
methods. Self-learning modules (SLMs) – both printed and offline – are intended to be used
by the majority of pupils. Those with access to technology can participate in online distance
learning sessions virtually. Learning through television and radio is also used in other areas.
Although countries like Philippines have greatly enhanced educational access since the
pandemic, attending school is not the same as learning. Apart from the school system's
unpreparedness for the change, remote education provided a significant difficulty for pupils
who lacked someone to help them learn at home or whose parents were unable to guide
them owing to a lack of information or lack of digital learning capacities.
According to a survey conducted by the civil society organization Movement for Safe,
Equitable, Quality, and Relevant (SEQuRe) Education, public school students, and teachers
say the shift to distance learning has burdened them with heavier workloads, caused
internet connectivity and cost issues, and limited resources. According to the SEQuRe poll,
seven out of ten students indicated they have missed a class due to device issues,
inadequate internet connections, or expensive internet services. Teachers said that they did
not receive enough financial aid to meet the costs of conducting distance learning, with
47.8% claiming that they did not receive enough financial aid (Retrieved from Manila
times, 20121)
VI. Conclusion
The Philippines' educational system has been heavily influenced by the country's
colonial history. There have been periods of Spanish, American, and Japanese rule and
occupation in that history. The Spanish, American, and Japanese governments all left an
indelible mark on the Philippine educational system.
In Spanish era, education during that period was inadequate, suppressed, and
controlled. Spanish colonialism was basically a crusade, with education serving
primarily as a means of spreading Christianity. During America's occupation of the
country, which began in 1898, the most significant and lasting contributions were
made. English was introduced as the major medium of instruction at this time, and the
first public education system was founded, modeled after the United States school
system and controlled by the newly established Department of Instruction.
Consecutively, the Japan administration concentrated on repairing the educational
system and preserving Filipino traditions after the Philippines gained independence
on July 4, 1946.
The Philippine educational system from the basic education level until the
tertiary or higher education level had undergone reform and overhaul. However,
while the Philippine educational system has long served as an example for other
Southeast Asian countries, this has changed in recent years, and the system has
deteriorated - a fact that is most visible and true in the country's more isolated
poverty-stricken regions.
President Duterte's dedication to making socioeconomic issues a priority in his
policies, the school system continues to suffer from profound inequities. The issue of
quality hasn't gone away. Addressing these issues would necessitate a continuous
commitment to increasing education investment, as well as an efficient method to
guarantee that the money is spent wisely.
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