Education in the Philippines changed radically, and was before patterned from both of educational systems of Spain and

the United States. However, after theliberation of the Philippines in 1946, Filipinos then had moved in various directions of its own. Elementary and high school education is compulsory, and is administered nationally by the Department of Education, along with the assurance of funding for school services and equipments, recruitment of teachers for all public schools, and the supervising and organization of the education curricula. Based on the current education system of the Philippines, students should enterelementary schools at the age of 6 or 7, and for a duration of 6 years. Then, at the age of 12 or 13, students then enter high schools for a duration 4 years, with a total of 10 years of compulsory education. However, recently, the Department of Education proposed the K-12 education system, along with the new curriculum for all students (see its section below). All public and private elementary schools, high schools and colleges and universities in the Philippines start classes from early-June to mid-June and end from mid-March to early-April.

During the 21st century

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). The act 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. In 2005, the Philippines spent about US$138 per pupil compared to US$3,728 in Japan, US$1,582 in Singapore and US$852 inThailand. In January 2009, DepEd signed a memorandum of agreement with the United States Agency for International Development to seal $86 million assistance to Philippine education, particularly the access to quality education in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), and the Western and Central Mindanao regions.

Implementation of the K-12 program

The implementation of the K-12 program is "phased". The first phase of the implementation will start on SY 2012-2013. During this school year, universal kindergarten will be finally offered, and will now be a part of the compulsory education system; and a new curriculum for Grade 1 and Grade 7 students would be introduced. By SY 2016-2017, Grade 11/Year 5 will be introduced, and Grade 12/Year 6 by SY 2017-2018; with the phased implementation of the new curriculum finished by the SY 2017-2018.. Students in 2nd year to 4th year high school this SY 2012-2013 are not included in the program. It is only applicable to students from Kinder to 1st year high school which is now called Grade 7. However, during the new educational cycle, from 2016 to 2018, college enrollment could slow down or could turn to nil because of the entrance of the lower-year students to the new educational system.

Education system
In the elementary and secondary levels, there are three modes on delivery of instructions; the normal education system and thealternative system which is a non-formal education system. In the formal classroom, a new mode is introduced which is the Alternative Delivery Mode. High school education is a prerequisite in vocational technical and college education.

Table
Year(s) in school 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Former Elementary school High school system Grade/ Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade 1st Year 2nd Year 3rd Year 4th Year (used until Year Grade 1 2 3 4 5 6 June 3, Age 67 78 89 910 1011 1112 1213 1314 1415 1516 2012) K12 syste Preschool m[3] Grade (used since Kinder June 4, 2012) Age 5 Elementary school Junior high school 11

Sen sch Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade Gr Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9 1 2 3 4 5 10 11 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Elementary school, sometimes called as primary school or grade school (Filipino:paaralang elementarya, sometimes mababang paaralan), is the first part of the educational system, and it includes the first six years of compulsory education (grades 1-6). These grades are further grouped (informally) accordingly into: primary level, which includes the first three grades (grades 1-3), and intermediate level, which includes the last three grades (grades 4-6).l The elementary school education covers a smaller but wider than the junior and senior high school because of the spiral approach educational technique. In public schools, the core/major subjects that is introduced starting grade 1 includemathematics, Filipino, and Makabayan (until grade 3, this subject is synonymous tosocial studies, but also incorporate values education and the fundamentals of political science). English is only introduced after the 2nd semester of grade 1. Science is only introduced starting grade 3. Heograpiya (geography), kasaysayan (history), and sibika(civics) (abbreviated as HEKASI), is only introduced starting grade 4 (similar also tosocial studies but focuses more on the subjects earlier stated). Minor subjects then include music, arts, physical education, and health (abbreviated as MAPEH). In private schools, subjects in public schools also include those of the public schools, with the additional subjects including: computer education and HELE (stands for homeeconomics and livelihood education; while in Christian schools or in Catholic schools, religious education. International schools also have their own subjects in their own language and culture. From grades 1-3, students will be taught using their mother tongue, meaning the regionallanguages of the Philippines (also called as dialects) will be used in some subjects (except Filipino and English) as a medium of instruction. It may be

incorporated as a separate subject. But from grade 4, Filipino and English as a medium of instruction will then be used. On December 2007, Philippine president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo announced that Spanish is to make a return as a mandatory subject in all Filipino schools starting in 2008 but it didn't come into effect. DECS Bilingual Policy is for the medium of instruction to be Filipino for: Filipino, Araling Panlipunan, Edukasyong Pangkatawan, Kalusugan at Musika; and English for: English, Science and Technology, Home Economics and Livelihood Education. Article XIV, Section 7 of the 1987 Philippine constitution mandates that regional languages are the auxiliary official languages in the regions and shall serve as auxiliary media of instruction therein.[30] As a result, the language actually used in teaching is often a polyglot of Filipino and English with the regional language as the foundation, or rarely the local language. Filipino is based on Tagalog, so in Tagalog areas (including Manila), Filipino is the foundational language used. Philippine regional languages are also used outside Manila in the teaching of Makabayan. International English language schools use English as the foundational language. Chinese schools add two language subjects, such as Min Nan Chinese and Mandarin Chinese and may use English or Chinese as the foundational language. The constitution mandates that Spanish and Arabic shall be promoted on a voluntary and optional basis. Following on this, a few private schools mainly catering to the elite include Spanish in their curriculum. Arabic is taught in Islamic schools. Until 2004, primary students traditionally sat for the National Elementary Achievement Test (NEAT) administered by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS). It was intended as a measure of a school's competence, and not as a predictor of student aptitude or success in Secondary school. Hence, the scores obtained by students in the NEAT were not used as a basis for their admission into Secondary school. During 2004, when DECS was officially converted into the Department of Education (DepEd), and also, as a result of some reorganization, the NEAT was changed to National Achievement Test (NAT) by the Department of Education (DepEd). Both the public and private elementary schools take this exam to measure a school's competency. As of 2006, only private schools have entrance examinations for Secondary school. The DepEd expects over 13.1 million elementary students to be enrolled in public elementary schools for school year 20092010. Though elementary schooling is compulsory, latest official figures show 27.82% of Filipino elementary-aged children either never attend or never complete elementary schooling, usually due to the absence of any school in their area, education being offered in a language that is foreign to them, or financial distress. In July 2009 DepEd acted to overcome the foreign language problem by ordering all elementary schools to move towards mother-tongue based learning initially. The order allows two alternative three-year bridging plans. Depending on the bridging plan adopted, the Filipino and English languages are to be phased in as the language of instruction for other subjects beginning in the third and fourth grades.
Secondary education

Secondary school in the Philippines, more commonly known as "high school" (Filipino:paaralang sekundarya, sometimes mataas na paaralan), consists of four levels largely based on the American schooling system as it was until the advent of

the comprehensive high schools in the US in the middle of last century. The Philippine high school system has not moved much from where it was when the Philippines achieved independence from the US in 1946. It still consists of only four levels with each level partially compartmentalized, focusing on a particular theme or content. DepEd specifies a compulsory curriculum for all high schooling, public and private. The first yearof high school has five core subjects, Algebra I, Integrated Science, English I, Filipino I, and Philippine History I. Second year has Algebra II, Biology, English II, Filipino II, and Asian History. Third year has Geometry, Trigonometry, Chemistry, Filipino III, and World History and Geography. Fourth year has Calculus, Advanced Algebra, Physics, Filipino IV, Literature, and Economics. Minor subjects may include Health, Music, Arts, Technology and Home Economics, and Physical Education. In selective schools, various languages may be offered as electives, as well as other subjects such as computer programming and literary writing. Chinese schools have language and cultural electives. Preparatory schools usually add some business and accountancy courses, while science high schools have biology, chemistry, and physics at every level. Secondary students used to sit for the National Secondary Achievement Test (NSAT), which was based on the American SAT, and was administered by DepEd. Like its primary school counterpart, NSAT was phased-out after major reorganizations in the education department. Now the National Achievement Test is administered to second year students. Higher education institutions, both public and private, administer their own College Entrance Examinations (CEE). Vocational colleges usually do not have entrance examinations, simply accepting the Form 138 record of studies from high school, and enrolment payment.
Technical and vocational education

Technical and vocational education is offered to enhance students' practical skills at institutions usually accredited and approved byTESDA. Institutions may be government operated, often by provincial government, or private. The vast majority are privately operated and most call themselves colleges. They may offer programs ranging in duration from a couple of weeks to two year diploma courses. Programs can be technology courses like automotive technology, computer technology, and electronic technology; service courses such as caregiver, nursing aide, hotel and restaurant management; and trades courses such as electrician, plumber, welder, automotive mechanic, diesel mechanic, heavy vehicle operator. Upon graduating from most of these courses, students may take an examination from TESDA to obtain the relevant certificate or diploma.
Tertiary education

Main article: Higher education in the Philippines Tertiary education in the Philippines is increasingly less cosmopolitan. From a height of 5,284 foreign of students in 19951996 the number steadily declined to 2,323 in 20002001, the last year CHED published numbers on its website.

Other schools
There are other types of schools such as private schools, preparatory schools, international schools, laboratory high schools andscience high schools.

Several foreign ethnic groups, including Chinese, British, Americans, Koreans, and Japanese operate their own school

Chinese schoolsd
Chinese schools add two additional subjects to the core curriculum, Chinese communication arts and literature. Some also add Chinese history, philosophy and culture, and Chinese mathematics. Still, other Chinese schools called cultural schools, offer Confucian classics and Chinese art as part of their curriculum. Religion also plays an important part in the curriculum. Some Chinese schools were founded by American evangelists. Some Chinese schools have Catholic roots.

Islamic schools
In 2004, the Department of Education adopted DO 51 putting in place the teaching of Arabic Language and Islamic Values for (mainly) Muslim children in the public schools. The same order authorized the implementation of the Standard Madrasah Curriculum (SMC) in the private madaris (Arabic for schools, the singular form is Madrasah).

While there has been recognized Islamic schools, i.e. Ibn Siena Integrated School (Marawi), Sarang Bangun LC (Zamboanga) and Southwestern Mindanao Islamic Institute (Jolo), their Islamic studies curriculum varies. With the DepEd-authorized SMC, the subject offering is uniform across these private Madaris.
Since 2005, the AusAID-funded DepEd-project Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao (BEAM) has assisted a group of private madaris seeking government permit to operate (PTO) and implement the SMC. To date, there are 30 of these private madaris scattered throughout Regions XI, XII and the ARMM.

The SMC is a combination of the RBEC subjects (English, Filipino, Science, Math, and Makabayan) and the teaching of Arabic and Islamic studies subjects.