PHILIPPINE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

 

On 24 April 2012, the Philippines launched the Enhanced K to 12 Program, which covers kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (six years of primary education, four years of junior high school, and two years of senior high school [SHS]. 

 

The program aims to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship. 

 

Enhancing the basic education curriculum and increasing the number of years for basic education was adopted as a Common Legislative Agenda during the February 28, 2011 Legislative–Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting. 

 

Salient Features of the Enhanced K to 12 Program

 

1. Universal Kindergarten Education.  

2. Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education. 

3. Core Academic Areas   

4. Specializations during the additional two years. 

 

Higher education is divided into collegiate, masters and doctorate levels in various programmes or disciplines. 

 

The list of schools authorized by the Bureau of Immigration to accept foreign students is available here.

 

The responsibility of administering, supervising and regulating basic education (elementary and secondary education) is vested in the Department of Education (DepEd) while that of higher education is with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). The post-secondary technical-vocational education is under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) which is also in charge of skills orientation, training and development of out-of-school youth and unemployed community adults.

 

Schools open in June and close in April. There is a two-week Christmas break before classes resume in January. 

 

 

Centers of Excellence/Development (COE/COD) 

 

Centers of Excellence (COEs) and Centers of Development (CODs) are either public or private higher education institutions (HEIs) which have demonstrated the highest degree or level of standard along the areas of instruction, research and extension. They provide institutional leadership in all aspects of development in specific areas of discipline in the various regions by providing networking arrangements to help ensure the accelerated development of HEIs in their respective service areas.

 

COEs/CODs in the different disciplines are identified and carefully selected for funding assistance. Funds released to these centers are utilized for student scholarships, faculty development, library and laboratory upgrading, research and extension services, instructional materials development, and networking of existing COEs and CODs. Click here for a list of COEs and CODs.