The Legal Bases of Education

 The Constitution of the Philippines

1. The educational system as envisioned in the Constitution is a system that is national in

scope with the public and private schools as subsystems.
2. Article IV of the 1987 Constitution details on Education, Science and Technology, Arts,
Culture and Sports.

 Education Act of 1982

1. Provides for a broad general education for individuals in the peculiar ecology of his own
society
2. Trains the nation’s manpower in the middle-level skills required for national
development
3. Develops the profession that will provide leadership for advancement of knowledge
4. Respond effectively to changing needs and conditions of the nation through planning and
evaluation
5. Section 5 of the Act states that the State shall aid and support the natural rights and
duties of parents in rearing the youth through the educational system
6. Rights of Schools such as:
 Maintenance of quality Education
 Assessment of performance report
 Give free legal assistance to teachers
 Provide special rights of teachers

Legislative such as:

 Act No. 74 of the Philippine Commission (January 21, 1901)

 Land the foundation of the Philippine Public School Systems
 Made English the language of instruction
 Established the Department of Public Instruction
 Defined the duties of the General Superintendent of Schools.
 Established the present organization of the public schools into divisions
 Established the Philippine Normal School and Trade School in Manila
 R.A. #7168
 Approved on December 26, 1991 converted Philippine Normal College into a
university.
 U.P. Act of 1870 enacted by the Philippine Assembly and the Philippine Comission
established the University of the Philippines in 1908.
 Other Laws, Acts and Orders
 R.A. #139 – provides the bases for the selection and adoption of textbooks.
 Department Order No. 25, s. 1974 mandates the use of English and Filipino
separately as media of instruction (Bilingual Education).
 MECS Order #44, s. 1983 – “Revised Procedure for Determining Honor Pupils in
Elementary Grades and designating honor graduates as “First Honor and Second
Honor”.
 R.A. #6655 – Free Public Secondary Education Act of 1988 – provides for a system
of free public secondary education commencing in school year 1988 – 1989.
 DECS Order No. 49, s. 1992 – “Selection of honor students in the secondary school
started SY 1992-1993 and designation of “valedictorian”, “salutatorian”, and
“honorable mention” for top graduates.
 DECS Order No. 1 s, 1994 - School Calendar – the elementary and secondary school
shall consist of not less than forty-two (42) calendar weeks with a minimum of two
hundred (200) class days.
 R.A. #5698 – created the Legal Educational Board to improve the quality of
education.
 R.A. #7686 – institutionalized dual training by allowing vocational and technical
education students to study and work for an on-the-job training in private industries.
 R.A. #7687 – established scholarship programs for causes that will encourage the
youth to pursue careers in science and technology.
 R.A. #7722 – put up the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to oversee
tertiary education.
 R.A. #7743 - called for the establishment of city and municipal libraries throughout
the country.
 R.A. #7784 – created the Center for Excellence in Teacher Education by regions.
 R.A. #7796 – created the Technical Education Skills Development Authority
(TESDA) which oversees vocational – technical learning.
 R.A. #7791 – stretched the school year from 185 days to 200 days.
 R.A. #7877 – Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 was approved on February 14,
1995.
 E. O. 27 – an act which includes courses of subjects on human rights in the curricula,
in textbooks and other reading materials.
 E.O. 189 – placed all public secondary school teachers under the administrative
supervision and control of DECS, approved on June 10, 1987.
 P.D. 1096 – issued on September 22, 1976 required all teachers to pass the
Professional Board Examination for Teachers (PBET)
 MECS Order 22, s.1978 – prescribed the use of Filipino in schools, colleges, and
universities in teaching Philippine History, Government and Constitution, Rizal’s
Life and Works, Sociology, Economics, Land Reform and Taxation, P.E., H.E.,
Nutrition, Practical Arts, General Psychology, Ethics, and other appropriate subjects.
 MECS Order 57, s.1981 - provided for the protection of the rights of all students in all
institutions of higher education.
 DECS Order 30, s. 1993 – issued on May 20, 1993, provides for a National
Elementary Achievement Test (NEAT) for all grade six pupils in public and private
schools.
 DECS Order 381, s.1994 – issued on June 17, 1994 provided for a National
Secondary Assessment Test (NSAT) to all graduating high school students three days
after the administration of the NEAT.
 R.A. #7836 – mandated the holding of periodic Licensure Tests for would be teachers
under the supervision of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).