Education System in The Philippines

EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE PHILIPPINES- PRESENT PERIOD
The Philippines has a vibrant and diverse education system, with the government,
assisted by the private sector, providing a wide range of education from early years up to
college and university across the archipelago. The Department of Education (DepEd) oversees
the provision of basic education. The private sector includes kindergartens, international
schools and religious schools. But Philippines has finally embarked on its most ground-breaking
change to the schooling system in decades since the Enhanced Basic Education Act (EBEA,
known as the K-12 law) was signed.
The former system of basic education in the Philippines consists of one-year preschool
education, six-year elementary education and four-year high school education. Although public
preschool, elementary and high school education are provided free, only primary education is
stipulated as compulsory according to the 1987 Philippine Constitution. Pre-primary education
caters to children aged five. A child aged six may enter elementary schools with, or without pre-
primary education. Following on from primary education is four-years of secondary education,
which can theoretically be further divided into three years of lower secondary and one year of
upper secondary education. Ideally, a child enters secondary education at the age of 12. After
completing their 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. Students also have the option to enroll in higher education programs to earn a
baccalaureate degree.
In 2010, then-Senator Benigno Aquino III expressed his desire to implement the K-12
basic education cycle to increase the number of years of compulsory education to thirteen
years. According to him, this will "give everyone an equal chance to succeed" and "have quality
education and profitable jobs". The government then formally adopted the K-6-4-2 basic
education system-- 1 year of kindergarten, 6 years of elementary education, 4 years of junior
high school education and 2 years of senior high school education. Kindergarten was formally
made compulsory by virtue of the Kindergarten Education Act of 2012, while the further twelve
years were officially put into law by virtue of the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013.
In August 2016, 1.5m Filipino children attended 11th grade, with senior school students
choosing between four tracks through the system: academic, technical-vocational, sports or the
arts. Much of the opposition to the initiative, which triggered five separate petitions to the
Supreme Court, centered on whether the country’s teachers, schools and administration were
in a position to implement the reform. President Duterte expressed skepticism about the
programmed before he was elected, but changed his mind in May 2016 after a delegation from
DepEd told him that the change was necessary, as Filipino students were falling behind their
neighbors. Building on existing programs, the education secretary, Leonor Briones, said that the
Duterte administration’s education policy intends to ensure that the country provides a quality
education that is accessible to all and relevant to the needs of the nation.
DepEd itself assessed the implementation of K-12 at a January 2017 conference with
stakeholders including government officials, school administrators and teachers. Among the
encouraging news, it found that the situation in kindergartens had improved, with a more
localized curriculum, the construction of clean, safe and child-friendly classrooms, and closer
cooperation with the community. Children were developing a love of reading, while teachers’
skills had been enhanced via use of technology and the adoption of more effective teaching
strategies.
For grades one to six, best practice included a curriculum more suited to the needs of
Christian and Muslim pupils, closer cooperation with indigenous communities, the provision of
self-paced learning materials, catch-up programs at all levels and the introduction of Learning
Action Cell sessions for teachers’ professional development. DepEd noted that in schools that
had adopted these practices enrolment rose and the drop-out rate fell.
Junior high schools also focused on programs to reduce the drop-out rate and nurture
continued learning, including the use of ALS through a virtual classroom, a basic literacy
program for adults, and scholarships for adult learners and students with special needs. Schools
reported increased enrolment and participation, along with rising community awareness.
Teacher competency also improved with training in new learning strategies focused on real-
world application.
In senior high schools, where the full roll-out of grade 12 is now taking place, DepEd said
that the policy has been largely successful, noting the transfer of junior high school teachers to
fill vacancies, and improved cooperation both between local and national government, and
with the private sector on the provision of facilities, including classrooms and dormitories for
pupils living in remote areas. A large percentage of those enrolled in private schools received
vouchers, with scholarships also available.

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EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE PHILIPPINES- PRESENT PERIOD

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