History and development

[edit] Earlier times

Further information: Ancient Philippine scripts
In pre-Spanish times, education was informal unstructured in some areas. Children were
provided more vocational training and less academics (3 Rs) by their parents and in the houses of
tribal tutors. When the Spanish arrived in Manila, though, they were surprised to find a
population with a literacy rate using a system of writing known as baybayin which was higher
than th literacy rate of Madrid. [3]
[edit] Spanish period
Main article: Philippines education during Spanish rule
Under the Spanish, education indigenous population was initially left to religious orders, with
primary education being overseen by parish friars who generally tolerated the teaching of only
religious topics. [4] The friars, recognizing the value of a literate indigenous population, built
printing presses to product material in Bambayin. [3] The friars, generally poorly educated
themselves, were especially hostile to local population, termed indios learning to speak and read
Spanish, which would have made available access to the same body of knowledge the friars had.
Secular education was completely neglected; with only one public primary school operating in
Manila as late as 1830. A 1714 royal decree creating secular universities was never implemented.
A 1702 decree creating seminaries for natives was implemented only in 1772. [4]
Access to education by the Filipinos was later liberalized through the enactment of the
Educational Decree of 1863 which provided for the establishment of at least one primary school
for boys and girls in each town under the responsibility of the municipal government; and the
establishment of a normal school for male teachers under the supervision of the Jesuits. Primary
instruction was secularized[5] and free and the teaching of Spanish was compulsory. In 1866, the
total population of the Philippines was only 4,411,261. The total public schools was 841 for boys
and 833 for girls and the total number of children attending these schools was 135,098 for boys
and 95,260 for girls. In 1892, the number of schools had increased to 2,137, 1,087 of which were
for boys and 1,050 for girls. [5] By 1898, enrollment in schools at all levels exceeded 200,000
students. [6] [7]
[edit] First Republic
The defeat of Spain by American forces paved the way for Aguinaldo's Republic under a
Revolutionary Government. The schools maintained by Spain for more than three centuries were
closed for the time being but were reopened on August 29, 1898 by the Secretary of Interior. The
Burgos Institute in Malolos, the Military Academy of Malolos, and the Literary University of the
Philippines were established. A system of free and compulsory elementary education was
established by the Malolos Constitution.
[edit] American period
Main article: Philippines education during American rule
Further information: Thomasites
An adequate secularized and free public school system was established during the first decade of
American rule upon the recommendation of the Schurman Commission. Free primary instruction
that trained the people for the duties of citizenship and avocation was enforced by the Taft
Commission per instructions of President William McKinley. Chaplains and non-commissioned
officers were assigned to teach using English as the medium of instruction.
A highly centralized public school system was installed in 1901 by the Philippine Commission
by virtue of Act No. 74. The implementation of this Act created a heavy shortage of teachers so
the Philippine Commission authorized the Secretary of Public Instruction to bring to the
Philippines more than 1,000 teachers from the United States called the Thomasites between 1901
to 1902. These teachers were scattered throughout the islands to establish barangay schools. [7]
The same law established the Philippine Normal School (now the Philippine Normal University)
to train Filipino teachers for the public schools.
The high school system supported by provincial governments, special educational institutions,
school of arts and trades, an agricultural school, and commerce and marine institutes were
established in 1902 by the Philippine Commission. In 1908, the Philippine Legislature approved
Act No. 1870 which created the University of the Philippines. The Reorganization Act of 1916
provided the Filipinization of all department secretaries except the Secretary of Public
Instruction. [8]
Two decades later, enrollment in elementary schools was about 1 million from a total of 150,000
students in 1901. [7]
[edit] After World War II
In 1947, by virtue of Executive Order No. 94, the Department of Instruction was changed to
Department of Education. During this period, the regulation and supervision of public and
private schools belonged to the Bureau of Public and Private Schools.
[edit] Marcos era
In 1972, the Department of Education became the Department of Education and Culture by
Proclamation 1081.
Following a referendum of all barangays in the Philippines from 10–15 January 1973, on 17
January 1973 President Marcos ratified the 1973 Constitution by Proclamation 1102. The 1973
Constitution set out the three fundamental aims of education in the Philippines, to:
• foster love of country;
• teach the duties of citizenship; and
• develop moral character, self discipline, and scientific, technological and vocational
efficiency. [9]
On 24 September 1972, by PD No 1, the Department of Education, Culture and Sports was
decentralized with decision-making shared among thirteen regional offices. [10]
In 1978, by PD No 1397, the Department of Education and Culture became the Ministry of
Education and Culture.
The Education Act of 1982 provided for an integrated system of education covering both formal
and nonformal education at all levels. Section 29 of the Act sought to upgrade education
institutions' standards to achieve quality education, through voluntary accreditation for schools,
colleges, and universities. Sections 16 & 17 upgraded the obligations and qualifications required
for teachers and administrators. Section 41 provided for government financial assistance to
private schools. [11] The Act also created the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports.
[edit] Fifth Republic
On 2 February 1987, a new Constitution for the Philippines was ratified. Section 3, Article XIV
of the 1987 Constitution contains the ten fundamental aims of education in the Philippines. [12]
In 1987 by virtue of Executive Order No. 117, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports,
became the Department of Education, Culture and Sports . The structure of DECS as embodied
in EO No. 117 remained practically unchanged until 1994.
On 26 May 1988 Congress enacted Republic Act 6655, the Free Public Secondary Education Act
of 1988, which manndated free public secondary education commencing in the school year 1988-
1989. [13] [14] On 26 May 1988 Congress enacted RA 6655 which made free public secondary
education to become a reality. [13]
On 3 February 1992, Congress enacted Republic Act 7323, which provided that students aged 15
to 25 may be employed during summer or Christmas vacation with a salary not lower than the
minimum wage. 60% of the wage is to be paid by the employer and 40% by the government. [13]
[15]
On 3 February 1992, Congress enacted RA 7323 which provided that students aged 15 to 25
may be employed during summer or Christmas vacation with a salary not lower than the
minimum wage. 60% of the wage is to be paid by the employer and 40% by the government. [13]
The Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM) report of 1991 recommended the
division of DECS into three parts. On 18 May 1994, Congress passed Republic Act 7722, the
Higher Education Act of 1994, creating the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), which
assumed the functions of the Bureau of Higher Education, and supervises tertiary degree
programs. [16] On 25 August 1994, Congress passed Republic Act 7796, the Technical Education
and Skills Development Act of 1994, creating the Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority (TESDA), which absorbed the Bureau of Technical-Vocational Education plus the
National Manpower and Youth Council, and supervises non-degree technical-vocational
programs. [17] DECS retained responsibility for all elementary and secondary education. [13] This
threefold division became known as the trifocal system of education in the Philippines.
The trifocal education system of the Philippines

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). RA 9155 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. [8]
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. [18]
[edit] Levels of education
Level/Grade Typical age
Preschool
Various optional programs Under 6
Nursery 3-4
Kindergarten 4-5
Preparatory 5-6
Elementary school
1st Grade 6–7
2nd Grade 7–8
3rd Grade 8–9
4th Grade 9–10
5th Grade 10–11
6th Grade 11–12
7th Grade (in some schools) 12-13
High school
1st year high school (Freshman) 12-14
2nd year high school (Sophomore) 13-15
3rd year high school (Junior) 14-15
4th year high school (Senior) 16–17
Post-secondary education
Ages vary (usually four years,

Tertiary education (College or University) referred to as Freshman,

Sophomore, Junior and
Senior years)
Vocational education Ages vary
Graduate education
Adult education
[edit] Primary school
Upper Uma Elementary School, Pasil Valley, Upper Kalinga, viewed from Ag-gama track, July
2008. Note distance from road (centre left).

Only access from roadside (mid centre) to Upper Uma Elementary School Kalinga (behind) is
via this one hour mud climb. Viewed December 2008.

Philippine Science High School, Main Campus, Quezon City. Note the disparity between rural
and urban education facilities in the Philippines.
Finster Hall, Ateneo de Davao University

Xavier Hall, administration building - Ateneo de Manila University

St. La Salle Hall, De La Salle University

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila main campus at Intramuros district

Silliman Hall, Silliman University

U.P. Diliman (Quezon Hall) - the flagship university of the U.P.'s seven universities

Main building façade, University of Santo Tomas, Manila

PUP Pylon, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Manila

Primary school is also called Elementary school (Filipino: Mababang Paaralan). It consists of six
levels, with some schools adding an additional level (level 7). The levels are grouped into two
primary subdivisions, Primary-level, which includes the first three levels, and Intermediate-level,
which includes the last three or four levels.
Primary education in the Philippines covers a wide curriculum. The core subjects (major
subjects) include Mathematics, Sciences, the English and Filipino languages, and Makabayan
(Social Studies, Livelihood Education, Values). Other subjects include Music, Arts, and Physical
Education. Starting at the third level, Science becomes an integral part of the core subjects. 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. [19] [20] That
announcement has not yet come into effect. In private schools, subjects include Mathematics,
English, Science, Social Studies, Basic Computer, Filipino, Music, Arts and Technology, Home
Economics, Health, Physical Education, and in Catholic schools, Religion or Christian Living.
International schools and Chinese schools have additional subjects, especially in their language
and culture.
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. [21] 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. [22] 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. [22]
Primary-level students generally graduate with a knowledge of two or three languages, although
most primary school graduates in Manila cannot speak English.
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.
DepEd expects over 13.1 million elementary students in public elementary schools for school
year 2009-2010. [23]

2. DepedDepartment of Education
(Philippines)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search

Department of Education/Departamento de
Educación

Kagawaran ng Edukasyon
 Agency overview

Formed 21 January 1901

Headquarters DepEd Complex, Meralco Ave., Pasig City

P126.801 U.S. billion/126.801 thousand

Annual budget million (2007)/peso filipino 126,801 mil
millones de pesos.

Agency Br. Armin Luistro, Secretary of

executive Education/Secretario de Educación

Website

www.deped.gov.ph

Philippines

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The Department of Education (Filipino: Kagawaran ng Edukasyon), is the executive

department of the Philippine government responsible for the management and governing of the
Philippine system of basic education. It is the chief formulator of Philippine educational policy
and is responsible for the Philippine primary and secondary school system. The Department of
Education is also known by its old name, the Department of Education, Culture and Sports
(Filipino: Kagawaran ng Edukasyon, Kultura at Palakasan).

Contents
[hide]
• 1 History
• 2 Removal of Culture and Sports
• 3 List of Secretaries of Education
• 4 References
• 5 See also
[edit] History
During the early Spanish period, education in the Philippines was religion-oriented and was
primarily for the elite, especially in the first years of Spanish colonization. Access to education
by Filipinos was later liberalized through the enactment of the Educational Decree of 1863,
which provided for the establishment of at least one primary school for boys and girls in each
town under the responsibility of the municipal government; and the establishment of a normal
school for male teachers under the supervision of the Jesuits. Primary instruction was secularized
and free and the teaching of Spanish was compulsory. It was also through this decree that the
Superior Commission of Primary Instruction was established, the seminal agency of the
Department of Education.
The defeat of Spain by United States forces paved the way for Aguinaldo's Republic under a
Revolutionary Government. The schools maintained by Spain for more than three centuries were
closed for the time being but were reopened on August 29, 1898 by the Secretary of the Interior.
The Burgos Institute in Malolos, the Military Academy of Malolos, and the Literary University
of the Philippines were established. A system of free and compulsory elementary education was
established by the Malolos Constitution. However, this first sovereign education system was
interrupted with the Philippine–American War, and was finally dismantled. A secularized and
free public school system during the first decade of American rule was established upon the
recommendation of the Schurman Commission. Free primary instruction that trained the people
for the duties of citizenship was enforced by the Taft Commission per instructions of President
William McKinley. Chaplains and non-commissioned officers were assigned to teach using
English as the medium of instruction.
A highly centralized public school system was instituted in 1901 by the Philippine Commission
by virtue of Act No. 74. Act No. 74 also established the Department of Public Instruction, which
was headed by a General Superintendent. The implementation of this Act created a heavy
shortage of teachers so much so that the Philippine Commission authorized the Superintendent of
Public Instruction to bring 600 teachers from the United States to the Philippines. These would
later be popularly known as the Thomasites. The Organic Act of 1916 would reorganize the
Department of Public Instruction, mandating that it be headed by a Secretary. This act also
mandated the Filpinization of all department secretaries, except that of the Secretary of Public
Instruction. During World War II, the department was reorganized once again through the
Japanese's Military Order No. 2 in 1942, which established the Commission of Education,
Health, and Public Welfare. With the establishment of the Japanese-sponsored Republic, the
Ministry of Education was created on October 14, 1943. Under the Japanese, the teaching of
Tagalog, Philippine History, and Character Education was given priority. Love for work and the
dignity of labor were also emphasized. On February 27, 1945, the Department of Instruction was
made part of the Department of Public Instruction.
In 1947, by virtue of Executive Order No. 94, the Department of Instruction was changed to
Department of Education. During this period, the regulation and supervision of public and
private schools belonged to the Bureau of Public and Private Schools.
In 1972, it became the Department of Education and Culture by virtue of Presidential Decree No.
1 and subsequently became the Ministry of Education and Culture in 1978 by virtue of
Presidential Decree No. 1397. Thirteen regional offices were created and major organizational
changes were implemented in the educational system. The Education Act of 1982 created the
Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, which later became the Department of Education,
Culture and Sports in 1987 by virtue of Executive Order No. 117 of President Corazón C.
Aquino. The structure of DECS as embodied in EO No. 117 has practically remained unchanged
until 1994, when the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) was established, and in 1995,
when the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) was established to
supervise tertiary degree programs and non-degree technical-vocational programs, respectively.
The trifocal education system refocused DECS’ mandate to basic education which covers
elementary, secondary and nonformal education, including culture and sports. TESDA now
administers the post-secondary, middle-level manpower training and development, while CHED
is responsible for higher education.
In August 2001, Republic Act No. 9155, otherwise called the Governance of Basic Education
Act, was passed renaming the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) to the
Department of Education (DepEd) and redefining the role of field offices, which include regional
offices, division offices, district offices, and schools.
[edit] Removal of Culture and Sports
The Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001 removed the administration of cultural
activities from the Department of Education. It also abolished the Bureau of Physical Education
and School Sports. The law is also known as An Act Instituting A Frame Work of Governance
for Basic Education, Establishing Authority and Accountability, Renaming the Department of
Education, Culture, and Sports as the Department of Education, and for Other Purposes.[1]
National Historical Institute, Records Management and Archives Office, and the National
Library are now administratively attached to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts
(Philippines) (NCCA). These are no longer with the Department of Education. The program for
school arts and culture, however, remains as part of the school curriculum.[1]
With the enactment of the law, all functions, programs, and activities of the Department of
Education related to sports competition were all transferred to the Philippine Sports Commission
(PSC). The program for school sports and physical fitness, however, remains part of the basic
education curriculum. In addition, the Bureau of Physical Education and School Sports was
abolished.[1]
[edit] List of Secretaries of Education
Year started Year finished Name Position
Secretaries of Public Instruction
1935 1940 Sergio Osmeña
1940 1941 Jorge Bocobo
Secretaries of Public Instruction, Health, and Public Welfare Commonwealth War Cabinet
1942 1944 Sergio Osmeña
Commissioner of Public Instruction Philippine Executive Commission
1942 1943 Claro M. Recto
Minister of Public Instruction 2nd Republic
1943 1945 Jorge Bocobo
Secretary of Instruction
1946 1948 Dr. Manuel Gallego
Secretaries of Education, Culture and Sports
February 1986 December 1989 Lourdes Quisumbing
January 1990 June 1992 Isidro Cariño
July 1992 July 1994 Armand Fabella
August 1994 December 1997 Ricardo Gloria
January 1998 June 1998 Erlinda Pefianco
July 1998 January 2001 Br. Andrew González
February 2001 August 2001 Raúl Roco
Secretaries of Education
August 2001 August 2002 Raúl Roco
September 2002 July 2004 Edilberto de Jesus
July 2004 July 2005 Florencio Abad
July 2005 September 2005 Ramón Bacani OIC
September 2005 July 2006 Fe Hidalgo Acting
July 2006 March 2010 Jesli Lapus
March 2010 June 2010 Mona Valisno
June 2010 present Br. Armin Luistro

[edit] References
1. ^ a b c http://www.chanrobles.com/republicactno9155.html

[edit] See also

• Education in the Philippines
[hide]
v•d•e
Executive Departments of the Philippines

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Technology · Social Welfare and Development · Tourism · Trade and Industry · Transportation
and Communications
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Socio-Economic Planning · Vice-President
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Article

DepEd curriculum: Boon or bane?

By Sheila Crisostomo, The Philippine Star, 7 June 2002
Millions of students are scheduled to return to public schools next week to a revised curriculum
aimed at improving the standard of education in the country. But the government is having such
a tough time selling the idea to educators and congressmen that the plan may be delayed.
The strong resistance from prominent educators has triggered a congressional inquiry into the
Revised Basic Education Curriculum (RBEC), whose pilot testing is scheduled for the opening
of public schools on Monday. One of the opponents of the RBEC, Sen. Blas Ople, is expected to
file a motion seeking to delay the curriculum by a year.
As Education Secretary Raul Roco argued, at stake is the standard of Philippine education, which
is vital to the country's future.
We are told repeatedly that education in the country has deteriorated, Roco said.
To fix the problem, the department has come up with the RBEC.
It is the product of 16 years' study and seven years of intensive consul-tations,Roco said.
The government has not revised the curriculum for public elementary schools in 13 years.
Meanwhile, the curriculum for public high schools has not been changed for almost two decades,
in sharp contrast to the general practice worldwide, which calls for a revision every 10 years.
That is why the RBEC, which is responsive to the ever-changing world, is badly needed, senior
education department officials argued.
To actualize a gracious life in our changing world, Filipino learners need an education system
that empowers them for a lifelong learning, or (the system) that enables them to be (more)
competent in learning how to learn even when they are left to themselves, said Dr. Fe Hidalgo,
education undersecretary for programs.
We want them not only to learn how to read but to understand what they read, she added. Our
(old) curriculum has so many offerings but we have the shortest period of basic education—six
years for the elementary (level) and four years for high school for a total of 10 years. Other
countries have 12 years.
The RBEC has been drawn from various studies, particularly that of the Committee on
Information Technology, Science and Mathematics, Education and Technologies. This
committee is under the Presidential Commission on Education Reforms.
The committee's finding showed that elementary curriculum in the Philippines, particularly for
Grades 1-3, is overcrowded. Having too many subjects to study, the committee said, limits the
extent to which teachers and students can focus on the basic skills critically important for good
performance and success in later grade levels.
Hidalgo said an overcrowded curriculum either hinders or delays the development of the lifelong
learning skills, given that the coverage of the subject matters tends to take priority over in-depth
learning.
Meanwhile, the committee's report also suggested that the government review the secondary
curriculum, citing the fact that the mean percentage of the National Secondary Achievement Test
(NSAT) scores among high school students is only 50 percent.
Moreover, the Philippines was ranked close to last in the result of the International Mathematics
and Science Study in 1999. Among the 38 nations participating in the test, the Philippines was
ranked 36th. That reflected the poor standard of Philippine education, officials said.
One of the areas of changes the RBEC calls for is reducing the core courses to five from eight.
The courses are Filipino, English, science and mathematics—the so-called tool subjects—and
Makabayan.
Called the laboratory of life, Makabayan will be the practice environment for the tool subjects. It
is designed to help the students develop better interpersonal skills, empathy will cultures,
vocational efficiency and problem-solving and decision-making skills.
The components of the elementary Makabayan include Araling Panlipunan (Social Studies),
Edukasyong Pantahanan (Home Economics), Musika (Music), Sining (Art), Edukasyong
Pangkatawan (Health Education), and good manners and right conduct.
For high schools, the Makabayan components are social studies, Teknolohiya at Edukasyong
Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan (Education Technology at Home and Work), Musika, Sining at
Edukasyong Pangkatawan at Pangkalusugan and Edukasyong Pagpapahalaga (Values).
Other elements of RBEC are patriotism, experiential learning and self-sufficiency.
Our vision is to equip the students with life skills so that they become self-developed persons,
said Hidalgo. These elements can also be found in the existing curriculum but we just wanted to
strengthen them through RBEC. Some loopholes The components of the RBEC have drawn
harsh criticisms from various educators, who said the education department is undermining the
disciplines integrated in the subject.
One of the critics of the revised curriculum is Nilo Rosas, former undersecretary for regional
operations of the department. Rosas, who is now the president of the Philippine Normal
University (PNU), said the RBEC has some loopholes.
The methods of content delivery, application of new technologies and integration mechanism
(that teachers must use) are not clearly defined, he said. So, although he supports the pilot testing
of the RBEC, Rosas said it should be open to revision if necessary.
A well-defined in-service training on these new strategies and technologies must be done at
every level, he said. Principles of integration and interactivity must be fully understood and
translated into actual classroom strategies.
Rosas also warned that merely retelling the teachers how to use certain teaching strategy is not
enough.
Associate Professor Felice Yeban, who teaches social studies at the PNU, shares Rosas' view.
Although Yeban agreed that there is a need to reform the national curriculum, she is unsure if the
RBEC is the panacea for the problems of Philippine education.
My concern now is the preparations made by the DepEd, or the lack of it, and how they came up
with the formula, she said. Is RBEC the answer? It seems that DepEd is in a rush to implement
this.
Yeban also argued that the time allotment for the tool subjects in the revised curriculum is
extended at the expense of the Makabayan subjects. Any increase on the time allotment for a
certain subject will result in the reduction of the time allotment for other disciplines, she added.
No one can categorically say or would admit if there are subjects that will be watered down
under the restructured curriculum, Yeban said. It is not clear how Makabayan will be taught. It's
not like chopsuey … . There is no learning syllabus for teachers. DepEd leaves the principals to
implement RBEC and many of them are now confused.
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) is now urging the department to delay the
implementation of RBEC. Carol Almeda, the alliance's president and a University of the
Philippines professor, also charged that international organizations are the force behind RBEC.
RBEC is not based on the need of the students—this is merely an imposition of giant financial
institutions like the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank in exchange for loans, she
said.
But the department has won strong support from the Federation of Associations of Private
School Administrators, which said the RBEC is the right medicine for the Philippine educational
standard. It should be administered immediately, said Eleazar Kasilag, FAPSA president.
While private schools are not required to follow the RBEC, Eleazar said many of the FAPSA's
members are now preparing to adopt the revised curriculum as their own.
As of May 27, the department has trained half a million Philippine teachers and school officials
for the revised curriculum%G�%@more than 44,000 people more than the target the
department had previously set. This is because some private teachers and substitute mentors have
also participated in the training, Secretary Roco said.
The department will review the curriculum after one year of implementing it. But first it has to
convince Congress and educators that the RBEC is worth a try.
Copyright© Philstar.com, Inc
All rights reserved
4. Phil.curriculum
Country Basic Data

Area (km2) 300 000

Population (2000) 75 653 000

Official name of the country The Republic of the Philippines

Region East Asia

Type of economy Lower middle income

Gross Domestic Product per capita (2000) US$ 988

Percentage of population below the national poverty line 36.8

(1997)

Human Development Index, HDI (1999) 0.749

HDI rank out of 162 countries (1999) 70

Duration of compulsory education 6 years

School life expectancy (1995) 11.2 years

Illiteracy rate (2000) 5.1

Gross Enrolment Rate (1998)

Pre-primary 30.73

Primary 113.18

Secondary 75.94

Tertiary 29.45

Net Enrolment Rate (1998)

Pre-primary ...

Primary ...

Secondary 50.86

Tertiary ...

Sources: United Nations Population Division and Statistics Division (www.un.org); United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (www.unesco.org); UNESCO Institute for Statistics (www.uis.unesco.org);
United Nations Development Programme (www.undp.org); The World Bank (www.worldbank.org); Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
(www.fao.org).
[…] not available.
Updated version, May 2003.

Principles and general objectives of education

In the Philippines the education system aims to:

 Provide a broad general education that will assist each individual in society to attain
his/her potential as a human being, and enhance the range and quality of the individual
and the group;
 Help the individual participate in the basic functions of society and acquire the essential
educational foundation for his/her development into a productive and versatile
citizen;
 Train the nation’s manpower in the middle-level skills required for national
development;
 Develop the high-level professions that will provide leadership for the nation, advance
knowledge through research, and apply new knowledge for improving the quality of
human life;
 Respond effectively to changing needs and conditions through a system of educational
planning and evaluation.
Current educational priorities and concerns

The growing awareness of the benefits of education, the constitutional provision (a new
constitution was adopted in 1987) for free and compulsory elementary education, the demand
for education relevance and responsiveness to changing societal needs and the alarming rate of
increase in the country’s population have contributed to the problem of providing education for
all, a problem which becomes more serious each year. The Department of Education, Culture
and Sports (now the Department of Education, DepED) has attempted to implement educational
reforms, programmes and projects to address the key issues of access and quality of basic
education, relevance and efficiency of the education system. However, many problems are
besetting education in the Philippines. Among the school-related causes are the unqualified and
poorly trained teachers, inadequate facilities and equipment, and lack of instructional materials
(textbooks and teacher’s manuals). Non-school factors include poverty, low educational
attainment and illiteracy of parents, and poor health and nutrition.
In recent years, the DepEd has pursued several development programmes and projects through
government funding and overseas economic co-operation both multilateral and bilateral. The
strategies to improve education include overall review of elementary and secondary education,
universal access to and quality of education (notably by emphasizing teaching of English,
science, technology and mathematics), provision of alternative delivery schemes (such as
multigrade teaching, mobile teaching, and instructional management by parents, community and
teachers in disaster areas), management training for principals and school administrators,
development of research, improvement of school libraries and teachers’ welfare. Technical and
vocational education was also revised in an effort to cope with rapid technological
advancements and to provide young people with more meaningful preparation for their future
employment. The strategies include curriculum development, improvement of pre- and in-
service education of teachers in both public and private schools, updated instructional materials
in various fields, and upgrading of equipment for both public and private institutions.
At the higher education level, the strategies include improving access of the poor and
disadvantaged, improving quality––notably by focusing on pre-service and in-service training of
teachers––, liberalizing policies for private schools, rationalizing state colleges and universities
(SUCs), and strengthening linkages with government professional boards for
evaluation.
Among the development programmes implemented in recent years, the following should be
mentioned:
The Elementary and Secondary Education Project: the aim of the project has been to meet the
sector’s requirement for essential physical resources (facilities and equipment), especially in
educationally and economically disadvantaged areas; improve the professional competence of
teachers and school administrators; expand the population’s basic knowledge and the skills of
children at risk of dropping out of school as well as illiterate out-of-school youth and adults; and
further develop DepEd institutional capacities in planning and management of the education
system.
Implementing the New Secondary Education Curriculum (1992-93): mass training of Grade IV
teachers was undertaken, and complemented with the production and delivery of textbooks and
teachers’ manuals to fully support the implementation of the new curriculum. The physical
facilities component of the programme also provided for the construction of 673 packages of
equipped and furnished academic classrooms, workshops and science laboratories to augment
the accommodations problem in the secondary level.
The School Building Programme: this programme provides for the construction of classrooms,
science laboratories and multi-purpose workshops, and the provision of equipment for
instruction for selected elementary and secondary schools within the typhoon belt of the country
and in remote and rural areas.
Science Teaching Improvement Project: this project aims to develop science equipment through
research, prototype production, standards setting and tests, and expertise within the educational
sector through workshops, seminars, and training of teachers and staff locally and
abroad.
Science Equipment Project: this project addresses the pressing need of the public school
system for instructional materials and equipment. The National Science Equipment Centre and
three Regional Distribution/Service Centres were developed and institutionalized for the
purpose of developing, testing, producing, and distributing science equipment to the public
secondary schools.
Rationalizing programme offerings of state colleges and universities on a regional basis: this
programme aims at encourage specialization in each SUC and intra-regionally among SUCs
with special emphasis on capital and land-intensive courses such as agriculture, technology and
engineering, and technical education. It encourages regional co-ordination among SUCs to
minimize duplication of programme offerings.
Among the achievements, benefits and performance of the education system over a ten-year
period (1986-95), the following should be mentioned:
 Education has been given the highest budgetary priority in the national government
budget.
 The New Elementary School Curriculum (NESC) and the New Secondary School
Curriculum (NSSC) have been fully implemented.
 Free public secondary education has been implemented.
 The programme of assistance for low-income students and faculty in private schools has
been expanded.
 The Values Education Framework has been formulated and implemented.
 Centres of excellence in teacher education have been established.
 Professionalization of the teaching profession has been achieved through the Philippine
Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994.
 The National Elementary Achievement Test for Grade VI pupils and the National
Secondary Achievement Test for Form IV high school students have been
administered.
 Student contact time has increased through a lengthened school calendar and additional
time for English, science and mathematics.
 Science education has been strengthened through the establishment of regional science
high schools, the formulation and implementation of the Science and Technology
Education Plan, the establishment of the Regional Science Teaching Centres, and the
organization of the National Science Teaching Instrumentation Centre.
 Policies governing private education have been liberalized––notably as regards
curriculum requirements and tuition fee policy––to promote efficiency, autonomy and
responsiveness.
 Educational performance during the period has improved, as indicated by the literacy
rate, the improved enrolment rate at the primary and secondary levels, the decrease of
repetition rates, and the provision of textbooks and instructional materials.
 
The DepEd will continue to provide access to basic education. In accordance with the
broadening of accessibility to basic education, the programme commitment has the following
components: (a) establishment of a school in every barangay not having an elementary school
and in every town without a high school (a barangay is the basic governmental unit in the
country’s political structure, consisting of a number of families within the same geographic area);
(b) organization of multigrade classrooms; (c) completion of incomplete elementary schools; and
(d) provision of basic instructional materials, facilities and equipment at the elementary and high
school levels.
In addition, the Master Plan for Basic Education (1996-2005) has the mandate of modernizing
education. The programme is being pursued through the introduction of modern instructional
materials––such as computers and Internet, videos, well equipped science laboratories and
machine shops as well as libraries––to enrich instruction through training programmes and
further studies, including staff development abroad, teaching techniques and teachers’ mastery
of subject matter. Training programmes will also be provided for the upgrading of managerial
skills in planning, project and fund management as well as resource management and
community mobilization. Information and telecommunication systems will serve as basic tools
for carrying out educational administration and supervision.
Laws and other basic regulations concerning education

In the Philippines, education is a public or state function. Public elementary and secondary
education is supported by the national government, the former as mandated by the Constitution
(1987), which states that “the State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality
education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to
all”, and the latter by Republic Act No. 6655 (Free Secondary Education Act). Specific
provisions on education upon which all decrees, policies, regulations, and rules on education
are based, are provided in the Constitution. These are expressly stated by way of the
constitutional mandate, Presidential decree, and other legal provisions.
The objectives of formal education at the elementary, secondary, and tertiary levels as well as
those of non-formal education are specified in the Education Act of 1982. The Republic Act No.
6728 deals with private education, notably by setting common minimum physical facilities and
curricular requirements for all schools and by liberalizing the subject content of values
education.
The creation of the Commission on Higher Education by Republic Act No. 7722 and of the
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority separated these entities from the
Department of Education where they originally belonged.
The Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act, Republic Act No. 7836, was issued in 1994.
The Literacy Co-ordination Council, an interagency body administratively attached to DECS,
was created by Republic Act No. 7165 to carry out State policy to eradicate illiteracy. The House
Bill No. 1875 entitled “An Act to Strengthen Teacher Education in the Philippines by Establishing
Lead Teacher Training Institutions, Appropriating Funds Therefore and for Other Purposes”
deals with the improvement of teacher education.
The Republic Act No. 7796, otherwise known as the Technical Education and Skills
Development Act of 1994, aims to encourage the full participation of and mobilize the industry,
labour, local government units and technical-vocational education and training (TVET)
institutions in the skills development of the country's human resources.
In August 2001, Republic Act No. 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). This Act provides the overall framework
for: (i) school heads 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.
According to legislation, primary education is free and compulsory for children aged 7-12.
Secondary education is free but not compulsory.

Administration and management of the education system

The Department of Education (DepEd) is the principal government agency responsible for
education and manpower development. The mission of the Department is to provide quality
basic education that is equitably accessible to all and lay the foundation for life-long learning
and service for the common good. The Department is primarily responsible for the formulation,
planning, implementation and co-ordination of the policies, standards, regulations, plans,
programmes and projects in areas of formal and non-formal education. It also supervises all
basic education institutions, both public and private, and provides for the establishment and
maintenance of a complete, adequate and integrated system of education relevant to the goals
of national development.
The current Department structure consists of two parts: the Central Office and the field offices
which consist of regional and sub-regional levels. The Department proper consists of: the Office
of the Secretary; five Services (Office of Planning Service, Financial and Management Service,
Administrative Service, Human Resource Development Service, and Technical Service); four
Bureaus (Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Non-Formal Education, and Physical
Education and School Sports); and Centres (such as Health and Nutrition, and National
Education Testing and Research). There are field offices in sixteen regions, each headed by a
Regional Director; 157 provincial and city schools divisions, each headed by a School Division
Superintendent; and 2,227 school districts headed by a District Supervisor.
The Bureau of Elementary Education (BEE) is responsible for providing access and quality
elementary education for all. It also focuses on social services for the poor and directs public
resources and efforts at socially disadvantaged regions and specific groups. The Bureau of
Secondary Education (BSE) is responsible for providing access and quality secondary
education. Its aim is to enable every elementary graduate to have access to secondary
education. It improves access to secondary education by establishing schools in municipalities
where there are none and reviews the overall structure of secondary education as regards
curriculum, facilities, and teachers’ in-service training.
The Bureau of Non-formal Education (BNFE) is responsible for contributing to the
improvement of the poor through literacy and continuing education programmes. Its aim is to
provide focused basic services to the more disadvantaged sections of the population to improve
their welfare and contribute to human resource development.
The Bureau of Physical Education and School Sports (BPESS) is responsible for physical
fitness promotion, school sports development, cultural heritage revival (Kundiman Fiesta),
natural heritage conservation, and values development. Its aim is to inculcate desirable values
such as self-discipline, honesty, teamwork, sportsmanship, excellence and others and make the
Filipino youth fit to respond adequately to the demands, requirements, challenges and
opportunities that the next century may bring. The functions of the BPESS were absorbed by
the Philippine Sports Commission in August 1999.
Attached agencies to the Department are the National Museum, National Library, National
Historical Institute, and Records Management and Archives Office. Other offices are the
Instructional Materials Corporation, Instructional Materials Council, Educational Development
Projects Implementing Task Force, Educational Assistance Policy Council, National Youth and
Sports Development Board, National Social Action Council and Teacher Education Council. The
main objective of the cultural agencies of the Department is to preserve, conserve, restore and
enrich the cultural heritage, customs and traditions.
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) was established
through the enactment of Republic Act No. 7796 otherwise known as the Technical Education
and Skills Development Act of 1994. This Act aims to encourage the full participation of and
mobilize the industry, labour, local government units and technical-vocational education and
training (TVET) institutions in the skills development of the country's human resources. Overall,
TESDA formulates manpower and skills plans, sets appropriate skills standards and tests,
coordinates and monitors manpower policies and programs, and provides policy directions and
guidelines for resource allocation for the TVET institutions in both the private and public sectors.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is independent and separate from the DepEd.
The Commission is responsible for formulating and implementing policies, plans and
programmes for the development and efficient operation of the system of higher education in
the country. Its coverage is both public and private higher education institutions as well as
degree-granting programmes in all post-secondary educational institutions. The creation of
CHED was part of a broad agenda for reforms in the country's education system, outlined by the
Congressional Commission on Education in 1992. Part of the reforms is the trifocalization of the
education sector. The three governing bodies in the education sector are the CHED for tertiary
and graduate education, the DepEd for basic education, and the TESDA for TVET and middle
level education.
There is an imperative need to strengthen and streamline the internal management of
educational institutions in order to achieve efficiency and responsiveness to trends and
challenges of the next millennium. This could notably be done through decentralizing decision-
making authority, reviewing staffing and personnel policies, developing the school as initiator of
innovation and improvement, liberalizing policies to ensure competitiveness, autonomy and
responsiveness, and streamlining processes for delivery of inputs and services.
A recent policy thrust of the DepEd is the empowerment of school principals. The principal
shall assume more administrative authority and the corresponding accountability for improving
teaching competencies and pupils’ achievement. The policy gives principals the authority to:
manage the school’s funds for maintenance and other operating expenses; raise additional
funds for the school through Parent-Teachers and Community Associations; design and develop
his/her own school improvement programme in collaboration with parents and community
leaders; participate in the selection, recruitment and promotion of teachers; plan and develop an
innovative curriculum, using the national curriculum as a framework. The Decentralization
Programme is being implemented by transferring substantive decision-making powers to the
school level.
Structure and organization of the education system

Structure of the education system in the

Philippines
Pre-school education
Pre-school education consists of nurseries and kindergartens that cater to children aged 3-6.
This level of education is not compulsory.

Primary education
Elementary education is compulsory and provides basic education to pupils aged 7-12. It
consists of six years of study except in a few schools––mainly private––offering a seven-year
course. Elementary education is organized into two levels: primary, which covers Grades I-IV;
and intermediate, which covers Grades V and VI (or VII). After completing the six-year
elementary programme, pupils receive a certificate of graduation.

Secondary education

Secondary education (high school) is a continuation of the basic education provided at the first
level. It is expanded to include learning (general education) and training in basic employable
skills (vocational/technical education). This covers a period of four years of formal schooling and
is addressed to students aged 13-16.
Tertiary education (higher education) provides prescribed courses of studies which are credited
towards degrees in academic disciplines or professions. It includes two-year post-secondary
technical and vocational courses, various professional courses, and general higher education,
including graduate and post-graduate studies (for students aged 17-25). Normally, a
baccalaureate degree takes four years. Graduate and post-graduate courses normally take two
to three years to complete.
According to the DECS (now DepEd) Order no. 16 of 2001, at the elementary and secondary
levels the 2001/02 school year began on 4 June and ended on 27 March of the following year. It
consisted of 203 days, or about thirty-three weeks of classes in public schools.
The financing of education

Many of the problems of education today are linked to the under-investment in education. The
increase in the education budget from 1986 to 1989 was not sustained in the succeeding three-
year period. After reaching a peak of 13.2% of the national budget in 1989, the share of
education declined to 11.7% in 1991. Real per capita expenditures declined starting in 1990.
The growth in the nominal size of the education budget was attributed to the growth of salary
inputs which account for about 70% of total education expenditures. The level of spending is
very much below those of other ASEAN countries. Actual expenditure per student increased
from 783 pesos (P) in 1986 to P1,380 in 1994 at the elementary level. During the same period,
a slight decline was observed at the secondary level from P1,271 to P1,257 per
student.
However, education has been given the highest budgetary priority in the national government
budget in recent years. Realignments within the DepEd budget have been made to augment the
financial resources for elementary education. In addition, two-thirds of the President’s Social
Fund have been committed primarily to establish new schools in barangays without an
elementary school. The share of education in the national budget increased to 14% in 1995.
The education budget (DepEd and state universities and colleges) increased from P13.13 billion
in 1986 to P53.7 billion in 1995. The average teachers’ salary increased from P1,553 per month
in 1986 to P5,902 which is probably the highest rate of increase among the various professional
groups in the national government. To implement the Master Plan for Basic Education (1996-
2005), it is estimated that P50 billion will be allocated for the modernization of basic education in
the next ten years.
The national government is authorized by the Constitution to contribute to the financial support
of educational programmes. The DepEd is likewise asked to formulate measures to broaden
access to education through financial assistance and other incentives to schools, teachers, and
students. Public elementary schools, national secondary schools, vocational and technical
schools, other special schools, and chartered and non-chartered tertiary educational institutions
are funded primarily from national funds. Local governments are encouraged to assume the
operation of non-national public schools, while the national government provides funds and
adequate sources of revenue. Government educational institutions are allowed to receive
grants, legacies, and donations for purposes specified by existing laws. The management and
use of such income is subject to government accounting and auditing rules and
regulations.
Private schools throughout the country are funded from capital investments, equity
contributions, tuition fees and other school charges, grants, loans, subsidies and other income
sources in accordance with current legislation. The national, regional, provincial, city and
municipal governments may also aid school programmes with loans, grants and scholarships to
recognize the complementary role of the government and of private schools in the educational
system.
A number of programmes have been funded through international finance assistance. For
instance, the Secondary and Elementary Education Project (1990-94) was financed through a
support loan from the World Bank with co-financing by the Overseas Economic Co-operation
Fund of Japan. The Philippine-Australia Technical and Vocational Education Project aimed at
improving the sub-sector was supported by the Australian bilateral assistance. The Science
Teaching Improvement Project was jointly financed by the German government and the
Philippine government. The Science Equipment Project (1989-1992) was implemented with the
financial assistance of the German government.

The educational process

Pre-primary education
Pre-school education at the kindergarten level (age group 5-6 years) must aim to develop
children in all aspects (physical, social, emotional, and cognitive) so that they will be better
prepared to adjust and cope with life situations and the demands of formal schooling; and to
maximize the children’s potential through a variety of carefully selected and meaningful
experiences considering their interests and capabilities. The curriculum focuses on the following
areas:
 Physical development: it includes gross and fine motor co-ordination through play and
manipulative activities like games, simple works,
etc.
 Personal-social development: it involves skills and social behaviours and it includes the
development of health habits, independence, abilities to follow rules and routines. Learning
about the family and other people is part of the concerns in this area.
 Affective development: it includes experiences that help children develop love for God, self,
others and the community, and develop awareness of their feelings and sense of the right and
wrong.
 Cognitive development: it includes the development of communication skills and sensory-
perceptual and numeracy concepts and skills. Communication skills refer to competencies in
expressing ideas and feelings both in English and Filipino (oral expression and basic readiness
skills of listening, pre-reading and writing). Sensory-perceptual and numeracy skills refer to the
ability to observe, discriminate, compare and classify, and to understand, count, read and write
numbers.
 Creative-aesthetic development: it includes exploration of sounds, music and rhythms, and
the development of children’s creative expression through drawing, painting, manipulative
activities, etc.
In order to attain and ensure the holistic development of children, a well-planned curriculum and
a well-balanced programme of activities are necessary, although they may vary according to
each pre-school’s approach. Indoor and outdoor play are essential whatever approach the pre-
school follows. The language spoken by the child should be valued. It is necessary that such
language be used initially and until the children have attained the facility and confidence in
expressing themselves in English and Filipino. The following table shows a sample programme
of pre-school activities:

Sample programme of pre-school activities

 Area of development Activities
No. of
minutes
Communication skills and socio-emotional Sharing period (experiencies, 10
development songs, poems, news and informal
conversation

Cognitive development, socio-emotional Self-selected activities 20

development, physical development,
creative development

Cognitive development, socio-emotional Working period, including more 45-60

development structured activities

Physical development, creative Supervised outdoor paly 30

development, socio-emotional
development

Personal-social development, health care Clean up and snack 30

Physical development Rest 15

Any of the areas of development Story time or indoor activities 15

Total minutes 165-180

The Pre-school Education Programme, established in 1992, aims to provide 5-year-olds in

disadvantaged areas an opportunity for early peer socialization and learning activities before
starting elementary education. The former DECS organized a total of 1,428 classes with 40,780
pupils in the twenty provinces covered by the Social Reform Agenda (SRA). A total of 638 pre-
school teachers were trained in nine selected regions. Instructional materials and supplies were
distributed to classes under the Department Programme, pre-schools run by Parent-Teacher
Associations, and community-based pre-schools.

Primary education
Elementary education provides basic education to pupils aged 7-12. The elementary course
comprises six years (in some cases, seven years), the first four years termed primary grades
and the last two years, intermediate grades.
The overall mission of elementary education is to enable pupils to acquire a basic preparation
that will make them an enlightened, disciplined, self-reliant, God-loving, creative, versatile and
productive citizens in a national community. The main objectives of elementary education
are:
 to provide knowledge and develop the skills, attitudes and values essential to the children’s
personal development and necessary for living in and contributing to a developing and changing
social milieu;
 to provide learning experiences aimed at increasing the children’s awareness of and
responsiveness to the demands of society, and to prepare them for constructive and effective
involvement;
 to promote and intensify the children’s knowledge of, identification with, and love for the
nation and the people to which they belong;
 to promote work experiences aimed at developing and enhancing the children’s orientation
to the world of work and creativity, and to prepare them for an honest and gainful work.
“Curriculum policies are usually set forth by the Department of Education through various
orders, circulars, memoranda and bulletins. They are aligned with national priorities and
contribute to the achievement of development goals. However, several laws passed by the
national legislature specifically relate to the school curriculum.
Development of the basic education curriculum is the responsibility of the Central Office Bureau
of Elementary and Secondary Education, Curriculum Development Divisions. This bureau
defines the learning competencies for the different subject areas; conceptualizes the structure of
the curriculum; and formulates national curricular policies. These functions are exercised in
consultation with other agencies and sectors of society (e.g. industry, social and civic groups,
teacher-training institutions, professional organizations, school administrators, parents,
students, etc.). The subject offerings, credit points and time allotments for the different subject
areas are also determined at the national level. In this sense, a national curriculum exists in the
Philippines. However, while curriculum implementation guidelines are issued at the national
level, the actual implementation is left to school-teachers. They determine the resources to be
used; teaching and assessment strategies and other processes. Furthermore, schools have the
option to modify the national curriculum (e.g. content, sequence and teaching strategies) in
order to ensure that the curriculum responds to local concerns.
The approach to curriculum design in the country is based on content topic and competency.
The Department of Education prescribes competencies for the subject areas in all the
grade/year levels. The Bureau of Elementary and Secondary Education develops, publishes
and disseminates these learning competencies to the field. Most of the subject/learning areas
have a list of learning competencies expected to be mastered by the children at the end of each
grade/year level and also at the end of elementary/secondary schooling. Some subject/learning
areas have a combination of both (i.e. learning competencies under each content/topic). The
curriculum is designed to be interpreted by teachers and implemented with variations. Schools
are encouraged to innovate and enrich or adapt, as along as they have met the basic
requirements of the curriculum. In this context, the regional science high schools offer an
enriched science and mathematics programme whereby students take additional science and
mathematics subjects. In some private schools, English, science and mathematics subjects are
taken in lieu of values education; this is because subjects like religion, moral values and ethics
already have been incorporated. In addition, students are required to participate in co-curricular
activities. These are managed by students with the teacher as facilitator/moderator.
The curriculum plan (learning competencies) does not present teaching methods and learning
activities that teachers must follow in implementing the curriculum. The guiding philosophy is
that the creativity of teachers is stimulated by the option to plan and use the appropriate
teaching/learning activities independently. However, teacher’s manuals or guides do incorporate
higher-level content areas and suggestions for teaching and assessing.” (See Mariñas &
Ditapat, 2000).
The features that make the new 2002 curriculum for elementary and secondary education
different from previous curricula (NESC and NSEC) are: (i) restructuring of the learning areas,
reducing them to five (Filipino, English, science, mathematics and Makabayan); (ii) stronger
integration of competencies and values within and across learning areas; (iii) greater emphasis
on the learning process and integrative modes of teaching; and (iv) increased time for tasks to
gain mastery of competencies of the basic tool subjects. The objectives are expressed in terms
of competencies, which are knowledge, skills and attitudes that the learner is expected to
acquire at the end of the programme. A significant feature of the competencies is the inclusion
of the use of ICTs, articulated in terms of skills in accessing, processing, and applying
information, and using educational software in solving mathematical problems and conducting
experiments. Content is delivered using a variety of media and resources. The teaching-learning
process considers the learner an active partner rather than an object of pedagogy. The learner
takes on the role of constructor of meaning, while the teacher serves as facilitator, enabler and
manager of learning. (Department of Education, 2002).
The weekly lesson timetables for elementary education (1999 and according to the 2002 basic
education curriculum) are shown below:

Elementary education: weekly lesson timetable (1999)

Subject Weekly time allocated to each subject (in minutes)

I II III IV V VI

Character-building activities 100-150 100-150 100 100 100 100

Filipino language 300 300 300 300 300 300

English language 300 300 300 300 300 300

Mathematics 200 200 200 200 200 200

Civics and culture 200 200 200 - - -

History, geography, civics - - - 200 200 200

Science and health - - 200 200 200 200

Arts and physical education, - - 200 200 200 200

home economics and livelihood
education

Optional - - - 200 300 300

Total weekly minutes 1,100–1,150 1,100–1,150 1,500 1,700 1,800 1,800

220-230 220-230 300 340 360 360

Total minutes per day
Source: Mariñas & Ditapat, 2000.

Elementary education: weekly lesson timetable (2002 basic education curriculum)

Learning area Weekly time allocated to each subject (in minutes)

I II III IV VI VII

Filipino language 400 400 400 300 300 300

English language 500 500 500 400 400 400

Science (1) - - 200 300 300 300

Mathematics 400 400 400 300 300 300

Makabayan: (2) 300 300 300 500 600 600

– Civics and culture 300 300 300 - - -

– Social studies (3) - - - 200 200 200

– Home economics and - - - 200 200 200

livelihood

– Values education, good

manners and right conduct (5)

Total weekly minutes 1,600 1,600 1,800 1,800 1,900 1,900

Source: Department of Education, 2002.

Notes:

(1) In Grades I and II, science is integrated into English and Makabayan (Civics and culture); in Grades III–VI,
science includes basic health concepts.

(2) Makabayan is a learning area that serves as a practice environment for holistic learning to develop a healthy
personal and national self-identity. Ideally, Makabayan entails the adoption of modes of integrative teaching which
will enable the learner to personally process and synthesize a wide range of skills and values (cultural, aesthetic,
athletic, vocational, politico-economic, and ethical). In Grades I–III, Makabayan competencies and topics are
developed through ‘Civics and culture.’ Children engage in character-building activities, develop good behaviour,
and are taught values like love for the country, good citizenship, and respect for one’s cultural heritage. Children
are also introduced to basic health knowledge, healthy practices, and simple scientific skills. Civics and culture also
nurtures creative expressions through music, arts, physical exercises and games. In Grade III, Civics and culture
focuses on the development of a work ethic.

(3) Geography in Grade IV, History in Grade V, and Government & civics in Grade VI.

(4) Integrated into Civics and culture in Grades I–III.

(5) Values education and ‘good manners and right conduct’ are integrated in all learning areas.

In 2001/02, the gross enrolment rate at the elementary level was 114.4% and the average
teacher-pupil ratio in the public sector was 1:36. The cohort survival rate was 67.1%. The
average drop-out rate in 2000/01 was 7.2%.
The National Elementary Achievement Test (NEAT) is an achievement test given to Grade VI
pupils completing the elementary education course. In 2000/01, the overall achievement rate
was 51.7%.
“Students at the elementary level are annually promoted from one grade to the next provided
that they meet the achievement standards set for the grade. […] In Grades I-VI, students are
rated in every subject four times during the year. A cumulative rating system is used as the
basis for promotion. The pass grade is 75 percent. The periodic ratings are reported to the
students and their parents through an individual report card which provides for a brief narrative
evaluation of the student’s behaviour. After satisfactorily completing the six-year elementary
curriculum, the students receive a certificate of graduation from the elementary school. No
examination is required for admission to public secondary schools.” (Sutaria, 1995, p.
791).