HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Education is the process that can take place in life whether human beings are conscious about it or not. It can take place spontaneously even in the most unlikely setting and circumstance. The history of education parallels the history of life. As life becomes more and more complicated throughout the history, education increases its complexity too.

• Education before the coming of the Spaniards (Pre-Hispanic Education)

Before 1521

• Education during the Spanish Regime

1521-1896

• Education during the Philippine Revolution

1896- 1898

Pre-Hispanic Education

Pre- Hispanic education in the Philippines was not formal. It was basically the education of the Malay child by immersion initially in the home, and later in the community (Gonzales, 1993).

Tribal members learned the traditions, beliefs, values, customs and pattern of behaviour of the social group by listening to elders, storytellers and chroniclers.

Early Filipino men and women knows how to read and write using their own native alphabet called Alibata.

Education during the Spanish Regime

The friars established parochial schools linked with churches to teach catechism to the natives. Education was undertaken primarily as a means of propagating the Christian faith. Filipino education during the Spanish colonial rule was mainly learning the Christian doctrine.

A major problem of the missionaries was the lack of trained teachers. There were only 150 teacher missionaries to instruct over half a million inhabitants which was also an impossibility.

Education during the Spanish Regime

The system of schooling was neither hierarchical nor structured .

Higher level schools were established. The colegios for boys and beaterios for girls were set up. Promotion to secondary level was based on proficiency and not on the number of years spent in school. Completion of the secondary courses qualified students to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree at the tertiary level.

Education during the Philippine RevolutionIllustrados spear headed the Propaganda Movement.

Curricular reforms

1. Secularization of Instruction of Spanish

2. Greater attention to natural science

3. The design of a relevant curriculum 

4. Improvement of higher centers of learning 

5. Improvement of educational system.

Jose Rizal criticized unequivocally the friars’ method of instruction in his two novels Noli Me Tangere and El filibusterismo.

1. Disproportionate focus on religion  

2. Discourage the attempt of Filipino students to speak in Spanish                           

3. Lack of pedagogical skills  (lack of teaching profession skills)

4. Irrelevant courses in the curriculum

To improve the existing curriculum, Rizal considered the ff. Subjects as required courses in secondary schools:• Science• Math• History• Philosophy• Law• Language• P.E• Religion • Music• Social Sciences