Historical Foundation of Education

Pre-colonial:

- No formal schooling
- Education was through oral, practical and hands-on
- Education was focused more on vocational than academics
- Parents were the teachers
- Father trained sons to be warriors, hunters, fishermen, miners, lumbermen and ship
builders
- Mothers taught their daughters cooking, gardening, serving and other household activities.
- Alibata/Baybayin – writing system. It means “to spell”

Spanish Colonial:

- Parish friars taught indigenous Filipinos to read, making them believe that literacy is the key
to better lifestyle
- Religion was an important subject for all levels
- Spaniards’ aim was to make the Filipinos obedient and God-fearing people
- Education was more on religion-based and it was controlled and supervised by friars
- Parochial schools were the first school established by missionaries in parishes
- Native children were taught reading, writing, arithmetic, vocational and practical art
subjects
- College for boys and girls (separated) were opened by the missionaries as well and they
were taught history, Latin, geography, mathematics and philosophy
- Education was only limited to Spaniards and Mestizos during the early part of the 17 th
century and not until the late 19 th century wherein education was finally available for native
Filipinos as well through the enactment of Educational Degree of 1863. The decree provided
for the establishment of at least one primary school for boys and girls in each town.
- Education was inadequate and teachers tended to use corporal punishment