Pre-colonial period

During the pre-colonial period, most children were provided solely vocational training, supervised by parents, tribal tutors or those assigned to specific, specialized roles within their communities (for example, the babaylan).^[6] In most communities, stories, songs, poetry, dances, medicinal practices and advice regarding all sorts of community life issues were passed from generation to generation, primarily through oral tradition.^[7] Some communities utilized a writing system known as baybayin, whose use was wide and varied, though other syllabaries were used throughout the archipelago.^[6]

Spanish period

Formal education was brought to the Philippines by the Spanish, which was primarily conducted by religious orders.^[8] Upon learning the local languages and writing systems, they began teaching Christianity, the Spanish language, and Spanish culture.^[9] These religious orders opened the first schools and universities as early as the 16th century. Spanish missionaries established schools immediately after reaching the islands. The Augustinians opened a parochial school in Cebu in 1565. The Franciscans took to the task of improving literacy in 1577, aside from the teaching of new industrial and agricultural techniques. The Jesuits followed in 1581, and the Dominicans, in 1587, set up a school in Bataan.^[10] The church and the school cooperated to ensure that Christian villages had schools for students to attend.^[11]

Schools for boys and girls were then opened. Colegios were opened for boys, ostensibly the equivalent to present-day senior high schools.^[9] The Universidad de San Ignacio, founded in Manila by the Jesuits in 1589, was the first colegio. Eventually, it was incorporated into the University of Santo Tomas, College of Medicine and Pharmacology, following the suppression of the Jesuits. Girls had two types of schools – the Beaterio, a school meant to prepare them for the life at convent, and another, a Colegio , meant to prepare them for secular womanhood.^[9]

Cover of Doctrina Christiana

The Spanish also introduced printing presses to produce books in Spanish and Tagalog, sometimes using Baybayin.^[12] The first book printed in the Philippines dates back to 1590. It was a Chinese language version of Doctrina Christiana. Spanish and Tagalog versions, in both Latin script and the locally used baybayin script, were later printed in 1593. In 1610, Tomas Pinpin, a Filipino printer, writer and publisher, sometimes called the "Patriarch of Filipino Printing", wrote his famous "Librong Pagaaralan nang manga Tagalog nang Uicang Castilla", which was meant to help Filipinos learn the Spanish language. The prologue read:

Let us therefore study, my countrymen, for although the art of learning is somewhat difficult, yet if we are persevering, we shall soon improve our knowledge. Other Tagalogs like us did not take a year to learn the Spanish language when using my book. This good result has given me satisfaction and encouraged me to print my work, so that all may derive some profit from it.^[13]

The Educational Decree of 1863 provided a free public education system in the Philippines, managed by the government. The decree mandated the establishment of at least one primary school for boys and one for girls in each town under the municipal government's responsibility and the establishment of a regular school for male teachers under the supervision of the Jesuits.^[9] Primary education was also declared free and available to every Filipino, regardless of race or social class. Contrary to what the Spanish–American War propaganda tried to depict and current popular media, they were not religious schools; instead, they were schools established, supported, and maintained by the Spanish government.^[14]

After implementing the decree, the number of schools and students increased steadily. In 1866, the total population of the Philippines was 4,411,261. The total number of public schools for boys was 841, and the number of public schools for girls was 833. The total number of children attending those schools was 135,098 for boys and 95,260 for girls. In 1892, the number of schools had increased to 2,137, of which 1,087 were for boys and 1,050 for girls.^[14] By 1898, enrollment in schools at all levels exceeded 200,000 students.^[15][16] There was some opposition to universal education from Spanish priests; only 1.6% of the population gained more than primary school education.^[17]

Among those who benefited from the accessible public education system were a burgeoning group of Filipino intellectuals: the Ilustrados ('enlightened ones'), some of whom included José Rizal, Graciano López Jaena, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Mariano Ponce, and Antonio Luna—all of whom played vital roles in the Propaganda Movement that ultimately inspired the founding of the Katipunan.^[18]

Non-Spaniards founded some schools during this period that were not colonial creations. Damian Domingo established in 1823 a fine arts school known as the Academia de Dibujo y Pintura,^[19] now the Fine Arts College of the University of the Philippines. In 1868, Doña Margarita Roxas de Ayala established the girls' school La Concordia.^[20]

First Republic

The defeat of Spain following the Spanish–American War led to the short-lived Philippine Independence movement, which established the First Philippine Republic. The schools maintained by Spain for over three centuries were closed briefly but reopened on August 29, 1898, by the Secretary of Interiors.^[21] The Instituto Burgos (Burgos Institute), the Academia Militar (the country's first military academy), [citation needed] and the Universidad de Literaria de Filipinas (Literary University of the Philippines) were established.^[22][23] Article 23 of the Malolos Constitution mandated that public education would be free and obligatory in all schools of the nation under the First Philippine Republic.^[24] However, the Philippine–American War hindered its progress.^[25] Established in the American-occupied zone, Colegio Filipino (now National University) is a Philippine college that dates from this period and has survived.^[26][27] There also existed for many decades the Rosa Sevilla Memorial School, originally founded on July 15, 1900, as the Instituto de Mujeres, an all-girls private school.^[28]

American period

About a year after securing Manila, the Americans were keen to open up seven schools with army service members teaching with army command-selected books and supplies.^[29] In the same year, 1899, more schools were opened, this time with 24 English-language teachers and 4500 students. In that system, primary education consisted of 6 years of elementary and four years of secondary schooling. Until recently, it prepared students for tertiary-level instruction to earn a degree and secure a job later in life.^[29]

A highly centralized, experimental public school system was installed in 1901 by the Philippine Commission and legislated by Act No. 74.^[30] The law exposed a severe shortage of qualified teachers by large enrollment numbers in schools. As a result, the Philippine Commission authorized the Secretary of Public Instruction to bring more than 1,000 teachers from the United States, called the Thomasites, to the Philippines between 1901 and 1902. These teachers were scattered throughout the islands to establish barangay schools.^[16] The same law established the Philippine Normal School (now the Philippine Normal University) to train aspiring Filipino teachers. Provincial governments supported the high school system. It included particular educational institutions, schools of arts and trades, an agricultural school, and commerce and marine institutes established in 1902 by the Philippine Commission.^[31]

Several other laws were passed throughout the period. In 1902, Act No. 372 authorized the opening of provincial high schools.^[29] While in 1908, Act No. 1870 initiated the opening of the University of the Philippines, now the country's national university.^[32][33]

However, the emergence of high school education in the Philippines did not occur until 1910. It was borne out of rising numbers in enrollment, widespread economic depression, growing demand by big businesses and technological advances in factories, the emergence of electrification, and the growing need for skilled workers.^[29] High schools were created to meet this new job demand, and the curriculum focused on practical job skills that would better prepare students for professional white-collar or skilled blue-collar work. This proved beneficial for both the employer and the employee; the investment in human capital caused employees to become more efficient, which lowered costs for the employer, and skilled employees received a higher wage than those employees with just primary educational attainment.

However, a steady increase in school enrollment has hindered revisions to the then-implemented experimental educational system.^[29] Act No. 1801, also known as Gabaldon Law, was passed in 1907, which provided a fund of a million pesos for the construction of concrete school buildings and is one of many attempts by the government to meet this demand.^[34][35] In line with the Filipinization policy of the government, the Reorganization Act of 1916 provided that all department secretaries except the Secretary of Public Instruction must be natural-born Filipinos.^[36][37]

A series of revisions (in terms of content, length, and focus) to the curriculum began in 1925 when the Monroe Survey Commission released its findings. The survey also started the process of implementing the K–12 curriculum and took decades before it was finally implemented on June 4, 2012. After convening from 1906 to 1918, what was simply an advisory committee on textbooks was officiated in 1921 as the Board on Textbooks through Act No. 2957.^[29] However, the Board faced difficulties even up to the 1940s because financial problems hindered the possibility of newer adaptations of books.^[29]

Boys of the Moro Agricultural School, Jolo, Sulu, 1923

The Moro Province originally had its own Department of Public Instruction, separate from the national system. Education rapidly expanded, with the number of teachers rising from 74 in 1904 to 239 by 1914. The number of schools rose from 52 in 1904 to 366 in 1920, with a corresponding increase in enrollment from 2114 to over 33,000.^[38]: 68 Such registration was primarily made up of first- and second-year students, after which attendance decreased. This increase also disproportionately benefited Christian inhabitants of the province, and most staff were Christians from elsewhere in the Philippine Islands. Perhaps less than 10% of Muslim children attended public schools in 1920,^[38]: 70 with attendance, remaining low throughout the American period.^[38]: 88 Education was primarily in English,^{[38]: 73–74} and aimed to introduce American values to the local population.^{[38]: 76–78} The Department of Public Instruction moved under the control of the National Bureau of Education in 1915. It was fully integrated into the national system by 1922,^[38]: 68 part of transferring government to local Filipinos as part of a pathway towards independence.^[38]: 83 Educational materials, when they began incorporating stories and cultural aspects from the Philippines, represented the mainstream Christian narrative.^{[38]: 88–89} Under the Commonwealth of the Philippines, the national curriculum served as a tool to inoculate a single national identity across the diverse ethnolinguistic groups of the archipelago.^[38]: 110

Japanese period and Second Republic

During the Japanese occupation, education indoctrinated the public to inculcate Japanese ideologies, causing low enrollment rates.^[39] The Japanese Military Administration's Order No. February 2, 17, 1942, had six basic points: the propagation of Filipino culture; the dissemination of the principle of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere; the spiritual rejuvenation of the Filipinos; the teaching and propagation of Nippongo; the diffusion of vocational and elementary education; and "the promotion of the love of labour".^[40][39]

After having been closed following the outbreak of the Pacific War, elementary schools, followed by vocational and regular schools, reopened. Colleges offering agriculture, medicine, fisheries, and engineering courses also resumed teaching. However, law courses were not instructed. Textbook passages concerning American ideologies of democracy were censored.^[41] Educational reforms required teachers to obtain licenses following rigorous examinations. All heads of educational institutions were also required to get support. Also, the teaching of Tagalog, Philippine History, and character education was reserved for Filipinos.

The Japanese created the following educational institutions: the Training Institute for former USAFFE soldiers; the Normal Institute; the Preparatory Institute of Government Scholars to Japan; the Government Employees Training Institute; the New Philippines Cultural Institute; Constabulary Academy No. 1 at the Mapa High School Building in Bagumpanahon; Constabulary Academy No. 2, at the former Araullo High School Building in Bagumbayan; Constabulary Academy No. 3 at the Torres High School Building in Bagumbuhay; and Constabulary Academy No. 4 at the Legarda Elementary School in Bagumpanahon. During this period, the Philippine Nautical School, now known as the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy, remained in operation, and the Japanese authorities even increased its student population. A school established during the Japanese period which still exists is St. Paul College of Makati.

Third to Fifth Republic

The country's education sector underwent several changes throughout the years after the relinquishment of the United States of its authority all over the Philippines in 1947. Then President Manuel Roxas issued Executive Order No. 94, which renamed the Department of Instruction into the Department of Education with the regulation and supervision of public and private schools belonging to the Bureau of Public and Private Schools.^[42]

After the war, the public school system was rebuilt by launching the Philippine Community School program, which received worldwide recognition.^[43][44] As early as 1953, the educational development in the Philippines drew attention from neighbouring Asian countries, with several Asian educators visiting the country to observe and study the vocational industrial schools.^[45] The American colonial government recommended a shift to the American system: six years (instead of seven) for elementary, three years of junior high school, and three more years of senior high school, for 12 years of basic education. The transition began with the removal of Grade 7 from elementary, but the addition of two years in high school was never completed.

Following independence, Islamic schools began to spread in Mindanao, creating a parallel educational structure to higher education.^[38]: 111

Under the Marcos administration, the Department of Education became the Department of Education and Culture and, consequently Ministry of Education and Culture through Proclamation No. 1081 and Presidential Decree No. 1397, respectively.^[46]

The Education Act of 1982 provided for an integrated system of education covering both formal and non-formal education at all levels. Section 29 of the act sought to upgrade educational institutions' standards to achieve "quality education" through voluntary accreditation for schools, colleges, and universities. Section 16 and Section 17 upgraded the obligations and qualifications required for teachers and administrators. Section 41 provided for government financial assistance to private schools.^[47]

After the ratification of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the fundamental aims of education in the Philippines were defined, and most importantly, elementary schooling was made compulsory for all children.^[48][49] Meanwhile, the Free Public Secondary Education Act of 1988 or Republic Act 6655 mandated free public secondary education commencing in the school year 1988–1989.^[50][51]

In 1987, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports again became the Department of Education, Culture, and Sports under Executive Order No. 117 and remained practically unchanged until 1994.^[46]

According to the 1991 report by the Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM), the department was recommended to be divided into three parts. Thus, the passage of the Republic Acts 7722 and 7796 in 1994 led to the "tri focalization" of the educational system in the Philippines. Republic Act 7722, or the Higher Education Act of 1994, created the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), which assumed the functions of the Bureau of Higher Education and supervised tertiary degree programs^[52] Republic Act 7796 or the Technical Education and Skills Development Act of 1994, created the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), which absorbed the Bureau of Technical-Vocational Education as well as the National Manpower and Youth Council, and began to supervise non-degree technical-vocational programs.^[53] Meanwhile, the Department of Education, Culture, and Sports retained all elementary and secondary education responsibilities.^[50]

Contemporary period

The start of the twenty-first century saw a significant change in the Philippine education system. In August 2001, Republic Act 9155, otherwise called the Governance of Basic Education Act, was passed. This act changed the department's name to the current Department of Education (DepEd) and redefined the role of field offices (regional offices, division offices, district offices and schools). The act also provided the overall framework for school empowerment by strengthening the leadership roles of principals and fostering transparency and local accountability for school administrations.^[37]

In January 2009, the DepEd signed a memorandum of agreement with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to seal US$86 million in assistance to Philippine education, particularly the access to quality education in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), and the Western and Central Mindanao regions.^[54]

On June 4, 2010, during the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the 2010 Secondary Education Curriculum (SEC, or DepEd Order 76, Series of 2010) was implemented.^[55] The 2010 SEC, which focused on teaching and learning for understanding, was scheduled to be progressively mainstreamed from 2010 to 2014; however, it was only effective until June 1, 2015, and was phased out when the K–12 program of Arroyo's successor, Benigno Aquino III, was implemented on Grade 10 (which changed from Fourth Year to Grade 10).

Republic Act No. 10533, or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, was signed by President Benigno Aquino III in May 2013.

After decades of surveys, consultations, and studies starting with the Monroe Survey in 1925 during the American period, the 9-year implementation process of K–12 curriculum finally materialized on May 20, 2008 when Senator Mar Roxas filed the Omnibus Education Reform Act of 2008 (Senate Bill 2294) to strengthen the Philippine education system through timely interventions on the quality of teachers, the medium of instruction used and the evaluation of students' aptitude, among other aspects. It mandates the implementation of K–12 four years later four years later on June 4, 2012 which increase in the number of years in basic education, from 10 years to 12 years as consistent with global standards. Senator and presidential candidate Benigno Aquino III then adopted the position of SB 2294 seven days after the start of the 2010s decade on January 7, 2010; he said this will "give everyone an equal chance to succeed" and "have quality education and profitable jobs."^[56][57][58] On June 6, 2011, Kindergarten became compulsory as a requirement for the implementation of K–12 and start of phasing out K–10 on June 4 of the following year.

The K–12 educational system—one year of Kindergarten, six years of elementary education, four years of junior high school education, and two years of senior high school education—started to be implemented on School Year (SY) 2012–2013 in June 4, 2012; the K–12 also included a new curriculum for all schools nationwide.^[59][60][61] To guarantee continuity of the K–12 Program in the succeeding years, Kindergarten was formally made compulsory by the Kindergarten Education Act of 2012,^[62] while the further twelve years were institutionalized by the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013.^[63] The 1945 K–10 system was entirely phased out on June 5, 2017 upon implementing K–12 in Grade 6, ending the 9-year implementation process of the K–12 curriculum that spanned from the administrations of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to Rodrigo Duterte.

In 2017, the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act was signed by President Duterte, mandating the government through all state universities and colleges (SUCs) to provide free tertiary education for all Filipino citizens.^[64][65] The mandate does not include private schools; however, certain subsidies for students enrolled in private higher education institutions are available. In January 2021, the alternative learning system (ALS) was institutionalized by a law signed by President Duterte.^[66]

A new "less congested" curriculum for Kindergarten to Grade 10, called the "Matatag curriculum", was launched by the DepEd, headed by Vice President Sara Duterte, in August 2023. The new curriculum reduced the learning areas for students from seven to five, and removed Mother Tongue as a separate subject; it also emphasized a "Makabansa" learning area to instill Filipino identity and nationalism among students.^[67]

K–11 (1901–1945)

During the American period, the Philippines had three levels of education: the "elementary" level, which consisted of four primary years and 3 intermediate years; the "secondary" or high school level, consisting of four years; and the "college" or tertiary level. Every child from age 7 was required to register in schools in their respective town or province; students were given free school materials. Religion was not part of the curriculum of the schools as it had been during the Spanish period.

K–10 (1945–2017)

The K–10 system was used for 72 years from May 28, 1945 until the implementation of the K–12 curriculum in Grade 6 on June 5, 2017. The K–10 consisted of one-year non-compulsory preschool education, six-year compulsory elementary education, and four-year compulsory high school education. Although public preschool, elementary, and high school education are free, only primary education is mandatory according to the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

Pre-primary education caters to children aged five; a child aged six could enter elementary school without pre-primary education. Following primary education is four years of secondary education, divided into three years of lower secondary and one year of upper secondary education; ideally, a child would enter secondary education at the age of 12. After completing secondary education, students may progress to a technical education and skills development to earn a certificate or a diploma within one to three years, depending on the skill.

The K–10 system co-existed with the current K–12 curriculum from June 4, 2012, until K–10 was entirely phased out on June 5, 2017, upon implementing K–12 in Grade 6. The last batch of the K–10 elementary and high school students have completed primary and secondary education at the end of School Years 2014–2015 and 2016–2017, respectively.

K–12 (2012–present)

The current basic education system in the Philippines, first used at the start of School Year (SY) 2012–2013 in June 4, 2012 as part of the 9-year K–12 implementation process from May 20, 2008 to June 5, 2017, comprises kindergarten and 12 years of primary and secondary education, all of which are compulsory. Students also have the option to enrol in higher education programs to earn a baccalaureate degree.^[69][70]

The new system divided secondary education into two: junior high school (from the first four years of the 1945–2017 K–10 system), and senior high school, which encompasses the 11th and 12th year of the new educational system. Senior high school serves as specialized upper secondary education, where students may choose a specialization based on aptitude, interests, and school capacity. The choice of career track will define the content of the subjects a student will take in grades 11 and 12. Because of the shift in the curriculum, the general education curriculum in college will have fewer units, as these subjects taken up in basic education will be removed.

Despite dating back as far as 1925 with the Monroe Survey during the American period, the implementation process of the K–12 curriculum materialized only in May 20, 2008 with the filing of the Omnibus Education Reform Act of 2008 (Senate Bill 2294) by Senator Mar Roxas. Kindergarten then became compulsory three years later on June 6, 2011, as a requirement for the implementation of K–12 and start of phasing out process the 1945 or K–10 system on June 4 of the following year upon the start of the next school year (SY 2012–2013). On June 4, 2012, the K–12 was implemented where the new curriculum was implemented on Grades 1 and 7 (with the latter changing from First Year to Grade 7); the K–10 system was entirely phased out on June 5, 2017, when K–12 was implemented on Grade 6 which ended the 9-year implementation process of the new curriculum that spanned from the administrations of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to Rodrigo Duterte.

There were four phases during the implementation of the new system: Phase I: Laying the Foundations, which aimed to implement the universal kindergarten and the development of the program; Phase II: Modeling and Migration, which aimed to promote the enactment of the fundamental education law and to start the phased implementation of the new curriculum for grades 1 to 10, and for the modelling of the senior high school; Phase III: Complete Migration, which aimed to implement the old high school finally and to signal the end of migration to the new educational system; and Phase IV: Completion of the Reform, where the implementation of the K–12 education system is completed.

The Philippine government during the Arroyo administration justified the 9-year implementation process of K–12 on May 20, 2008 which included the start of usage of the new curriculum on June 4, 2012 during the administration of Arroyo's successor Benigno Aquino III as part of the process because prior to the new K–12 on the said date of June 2012 while the process was ongoing, the Philippines was the only country in Asia and one of the three countries worldwide with a 10-year pre-university cycle (Angola, Djibouti and Myanmar); the national government and later DepEd in 2012 also said the 13-year program is found to be the best period for learning under primary education, and is also the recognized standard for students and professionals globally.^[69][71]

Timeline

Pre-elementary

Children usually enter kindergarten at age 5. Pupils are mandated to learn the alphabet, numbers, shapes and colors through games, songs, pictures, and dances in their native language; thus, after grade 1, every student can read in their native tongue. The 12 original mother tongue languages introduced for the curriculum's implementation on 2012–2013 school year are:^[72]

Seven more mother tongue languages were added during the 2013–2014 school year: Aklanon, Ibanag, Ivatan, Kinaray-a, Sambal, Surigaonon and Yakan.^[72]

Primary education

Carranglan Central School in Carranglan, Nueva Ecija

An elementary school graduation ceremony in Caloocan on July 8, 2022

Elementary school, sometimes called primary or grade school (Filipino: paaralang primarya, paaralang elementarya, or mababang paaralan), includes the first six years of compulsory education (grades 1–6) after mandatory preschool education Kindergarten.^[5]

From Kindergarten until grade 3, students are taught using their mother tongue, except for Filipino and English subjects; the mother tongue is also a separate subject for grades 1–3. English and Filipino are taught with a focus on "oral fluency". By grade 3, English and Filipino are gradually introduced as languages of instruction for other subjects.

Before the adoption of the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) system in 2012, a bilingual policy was used, wherein the medium of instruction was the Filipino language for Filipino, Araling Panlipunan, Edukasyong Pangkatawan, Kalusugan at Musika; English language was used for English, Science and Technology, Home Economics, and Livelihood Education.^[73] In July 2009, the DepEd ordered all elementary schools to implement mother-tongue-based instruction (from grades 1–3), with Filipino and English languages to be phased in as the language of instruction.^[74] A few private schools mainly catering to the elite include Spanish in their curriculum. In December 2007, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo planned to reinstate Spanish as a mandatory subject in all Filipino schools starting in 2008, but this did not come into effect.^[75][76] International English language schools use English as the foundational language. Chinese schools add two language subjects, Min Nan Chinese and Mandarin Chinese, and may use English or Chinese as the foundational language.

In public schools, the core subjects introduced starting in grade 1 include Mathematics, Filipino, and Araling Panlipunan (synonymous with Social studies). English is only taught after the second semester of grade 1; Science is introduced starting in grade 3. Starting as early as grade 1, Science and Mathematics subjects use the spiral progression approach that requires every lesson be taught in increasing complexity in every grade level until grade 10. Other significant subjects include Mother Tongue (grades 1–3); Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan (EPP) for grades 4 and 5; Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) for grade 6; and Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (synonymous to Ethics, Values or Character Education), and Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health (MAPEH). In private schools, separate subjects are offered, including Computer Education; however, Computer Education is included in EPP and TLE through its ICT component. Religious Education is part of the curriculum in Christian and Catholic schools. International schools offer subjects in their language and culture.

Until 2004, primary students traditionally took the National Elementary Achievement Test (NEAT) administered by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS). The NEAT was intended to measure a school's competence, 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. In 2004, when DECS was officially converted into the Department of Education, the NEAT was changed to the National Achievement Test (NAT); both 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 schools.

Secondary education

Banga National High School in Banga, South Cotabato

Secondary school in the Philippines, more commonly known as "high school" (Filipino: paaralang sekundarya or mataas na paaralan), consists of 4 lower and two upper levels: the lower exploratory high school system called "junior high school" (grades 7–10), and the upper specialized high school system called "senior high school" (grades 11 and 12).^[5] There are also science secondary schools for students who have demonstrated a particular gift in science at the primary level as well as special secondary schools and special curricular programs. Prior to the K–12 system, high school consisted of only four groups, with each level partially compartmentalized, focusing on a particular theme or content.

There are four main types of high school: the general secondary school, which enrol more than 90 per cent of all junior high school students; the general comprehensive high school; the secondary vocational school; and the special secondary school.^[77]

Vocational school

Luciano Millan Memorial School of Arts and Trades, a TESDA-accredited training center in Asingan, Pangasinan

Formal technical and vocational education starts in secondary education, with a two-year curriculum, which grants access to vocational tertiary education. However, non-formal technical and vocational education is also provided as alternative learning programs.

Vocational schools offer a higher concentration of technical and vocational subjects besides the core academic subjects studied by students at public high schools. These schools tend to offer technical and vocational instruction in one of five main fields: agriculture, fisheries, trade-technical, home industry, and 'non-traditional' courses while offering a host of specializations. Students study a general vocational area from the five main fields mentioned during the first two years. During the third and fourth years, they specialize in a discipline or vocation within that area. Programs contain a mixture of theory and practice.^[82]

Upon completing grade 10 of Junior High School, students can obtain Certificates of Competency (COC) or the vocationally oriented National Certificate Level I (NC I). After finishing a Technical-Vocational-Livelihood track in grade 12 of Senior High School, a student may obtain a National Certificate Level II (NC II), provided they pass the competency-based assessment administered by TESDA.^[82]

Science high schools

Philippine Science High School - Eastern Visayas Campus in March 2017

Science high schools are special schools for the more intellectually promising students to foster the problem-solving approach of critical thinking. As separate high schools, they have specific characteristics not found in regular high schools. However, any private or public high school can aspire to meet these minimum standards and be considered a science high school.^[83] These science schools are more exclusive and have higher standards than public high schools.

Precise science high schools like the Philippine Science High School System (PSHS) administered by Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the RSHS System (RSHS) administered by the DepEd have biology, chemistry, and physics at every level or exclusive and advanced science and math subjects as subjects in technology, pre-engineering, and research. PSHS or RSHS students may transfer to a STEM program school but not the way around. PSHS students may assign to an RSHS and vice versa only for the incoming sophomore year. PSHS and RSHS students must maintain an average grade, especially in their advanced sciences and math subjects, on a quarterly basis or continue their education in these schools.

Students who completed at least four years of secondary education under the pre-2011 system were awarded a Diploma (Katibayan) and a secondary school Certificate of Graduation (Katunayan) from the DepEd. Students are also granted a Permanent Record or Form 137-A, listing all classes taken and grades earned. Under the new K–12 system, the permanent record will be issued after the completion of senior high school.^[82]

Other types of schools

Aside from the general public school, other types of schools exist: private schools, preparatory schools, international schools, laboratory high schools, and science high schools. Several foreign ethnic groups operate their schools, including Chinese, British, Singaporeans, Americans, Koreans, and Japanese.

Chinese schools

Main article: List of Chinese schools in the Philippines

A Chinese high school in Manila

Chinese schools add two subjects to the core curriculum: Chinese communication arts and literature. Some schools add Chinese history, philosophy and culture, and Chinese mathematics. Other Chinese schools, called cultural schools, offer Confucian classics and Chinese art as part of their curriculum. Religion also plays an integral role in the curriculum. American evangelists founded some Chinese schools, while some have Catholic roots.

School year and class hours

The school year usually runs from June to March, with an intervening semestral break at the last week of October (around All Saints' Day). By law, the school year can begin as early as June or as late as August.^[88]

There are two major school breaks: a semestral break from the last week of October to the first week of November including All Saints Day, and a two-week school break at the 3rd and last weeks of December around Christmas and New Year's Day (including Rizal Day). Other national school holidays are for Independence Day (June 12), Ninoy Aquino Day (August 21), National Heroes Day (last Monday of August), Bonifacio Day (November 30), Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8), Chinese New Year and People Power Day (February 25). The Muslim holidays Eid'l Fitr and Eid'l Adha are also national school holidays when they fall anywhere within the school year. Schools may also have additional holidays at the provincial, city and municipal levels.

Students are required to go to school for five days (Monday to Friday). School days are usually divided into morning and afternoon shifts, the former usually beginning 6:00 am and ending at noon, and the latter from noon to 6:00 pm. Urban public schools may add a mid-day shift to alleviate classroom overcrowding.

Uniforms

Female students in school uniform at Licab, Nueva Ecija

Filipino students at both public and private schools usually wear school uniforms, designated by each individual school. Mandatory school uniforms at public schools were abolished in 2008 under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's orders.^[89][90]

Boys usually wear a collared shirt with pants or shorts (usually up to elementary level),^[91] and black leather shoes and white socks. Girls usually wear a collared blouse, with or without a necktie or ribbon, a calf-length skirt or jumper dress,^[91] and black shoes and white socks. Colors used usually vary by school,^[91] but usually match school colors, and most uniforms incorporate the school's seal, crest or logo. Students also wear Scouting and physical education (PE) uniforms at designated days each week. Schools may also prohibit students from wearing make-up, jewelry or certain hairstyles.

Indigenous peoples' schools

The 1987 Philippine Constitution provides for recognizing and promoting indigenous learning systems under Article XIV, Section 2, Paragraph 1.^[102]

The national education policy framework for indigenous peoples was signed in 2011 by the DepEd to help promote the rights of Philippine indigenous peoples. The framework directs the DepEd, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and other government agencies to provide adequate and culturally relevant learning to Philippine indigenous peoples. Government agencies are also tasked to develop textbooks and other learning materials.^[104][105]

Schools for the handicapped

The Philippine National School for the Deaf in Pasay, established in 1907, is the Philippines' and Asia's pioneer school for the handicapped.^[106]

Schools for the handicapped in the Philippines cater to children with intellectual disability, including those with visual, hearing, and orthopedic impairments.^[77]

Affordability

A prevalent issue the Philippine educational system continuously encounters is the affordability of education. A significant disparity in academic achievements is evident across various social groups. Students from low-income families have higher drop-out rates at the elementary level.^[121]

Poor learning outcomes

The Programme for International Student Assessment conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in 2018 showed that 15-year-old students in the Philippines scored lower in mathematics, science, and reading compared to students from other countries.^[122][123]

The State of Global Learning Poverty 2022 Update rated the Philippines' learning poverty at 90.9% for the year 2019.^[124][122]

Quality of teacher education

Poor quality in teaching, questionable teachers' expertise on subjects that they teach, and below-average passing rates in Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) have been identified as major issues in the country's educational system.^[125][126] Elementary teacher LET from 2014 to 2019 revealed an average passing rate of only 28 percent, while secondary teacher LET showed an average passing rate of 36 percent.^[127]

A 2021 World Bank report showed that learning poverty in the Philippines was linked to most teachers in the Philippines using ineffective teaching practices, teachers' lack of mastery, as well as teacher absenteeism.^[128]

Inadequate funding

According to the 2023 Philippine development plan, poor educational outcomes have been caused by "decades of incapacity and suboptimal investment in education."^[129] Government think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) said that the country has not been spending enough to improve education.

PIDS linked underinvestment in education—including inadequate funding for classroom construction and maintenance, teachers' salaries, teacher training, and teaching materials—to the poor performance of students.^[130]

The Department of Education has proposed a budget of PHP758.6 billion for 2024, an increase of PHP36.8 billion. The increase is only 39% of the increase the department received in 2022-2023.^[131] The Philippine High School for the Arts, the National Museum, and other agencies under the Department of Education will be subject to substantial budget cuts under the proposed budget.^[131]

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers called for setting targets for addressing classroom shortages and proposed raising the salary grade of public school teachers.^[129]

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

Several schools shut down and student enrollment dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines.^[132] As schools shifted to remote learning, students and teachers experienced difficulties due to the lack of gadgets, inadequate allowance for internet fees, and poor internet connection.^[133]

Students experienced learning loss and increased incidence of mental health issues.^[132]

The Philippines and Venezuela were the last countries to resume face-to-face classes.^[133]

Mismatch

There needs to be a significant match between educational training and actual jobs. This stands to be a major issue at the tertiary level. It is, furthermore, the cause of the continuation of a substantial amount of educated yet unemployed or underemployed people.

Brain drain

Brain drain is a persistent problem evident in the educational system of the Philippines due to the modern phenomenon of globalization,^[134] with the number of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who worked abroad at any time from April to September 2014 estimated at 2.3 million.^[135] This ongoing mass emigration subsequently induces brain drain alongside grave economic implications.