Pre-school education in the Philippines provides learning programs for children ages 3-6 in preparation for primary education. Friedrich Fröebel, the "Father of Kindergarten", advocated that children should be able to play, have toys, and be trained. During the Spanish regime, early education was predominantly religious. In the early 1900s, commissions recommended establishing free public elementary schools and a centralized school system. Kindergartens were first established in 1900-1902 by missionaries and religious groups. Reforms in the 1970s-1980s expanded preschool programs and established standards and regulations. However, preschool remained voluntary and not part of the formal education system.

1. PRESCHOOL
EDUCATION IN
THE PHILIPPINES
Botor, Catherine C.
PSED 14 – Dr. Yolanda Bilgera
January 14, 2019.

2. Pre-school education is the learning
program given to children ages three to
five or six years in preparation for their
formal primary education. It is also
known as nursery, day care, or
kindergarten schooling.

3. Friedrich Fröebel
(1782-1852)
Father of Kindergarten
advocated the radical
thought that children
should be able to play,
to have toys, and to be
trained. He also believed
in the interrelatedness of
nature and a child’s
developing mind.

4. Spanish Regime
Started formally in grade one with
Christian Doctrine. Predominantly
religious utilized certain textbooks as
Cartilla and Pagina de la Infancia
(contains alphabet and prayers).

5. 1899. 1900.
2nd Philippine Commission:
Taft Commission, enforced
the recommendation. Free
primary education became
the method by which local
were instructed of their
duties as citizens.
1st Philippine Commission:
Schurmann Commission, was
appointed by President
McKinley. They
recommended a system for
free public elementary
schools as a major
component of his report to
the president.

6. Taft commission
issued 499 laws, and
one of those Act
#74 which took
effect on January 21,
1901. Through Act
#74, a centralized
public school system
was installed
1900-1902
Kindergarten was
first established
under the direction
of early American
missionaries, other
religious groups, and
NGO’s followed.
1924

7. 1922, Harris pioneered
in early childhood education
by being the first school in
the country to set up a
kindergarten school.
1968, it gained the
distinction of being the
first school to offer a
course in Kindergarten
leading to a government-
recognized degree.

8. 1964
The day care service under the Department of Social
Welfare and the Urban Community Welfare was
established as part of a UNICEF-Assisted Social Services
Project.
1970
A supplemental feeding program was introduced into a
Day Care Service.
mid 1960’s
The Department of Social Welfare had started the
inclusion of nursery and kindergarten education in its
program.

9. 1975
Local Government was involved into feeding
programs.
1978
Barangay Day Care Law was enacted, requiring the
establishment of a center in every Barangay.
1980
20% of the 3 – 6 years old were enrolled.

10. 1970’s to 1980’s
The government’s intensified interest in the welfare of the
Filipino child resulted in the signing of P.D 603 known as
CHILD AND YOUTH WELFARE CODE in 1974
1978 to 1989
DECS encouraged the operation of preschools in public
elementary schools with
MEC Order No. 24 s 1978 and DECS Order No. 107,
s.1989: Standards for the Organization and Operation
of Preschools

11. 1 9 8 3
• UNICEF Assisted Early Child Enrichment Program was expanded
providing part-day rural centers for 3 – 6 years old, health care
nutrition and socialization. Preschool or Kindergarten are for 3 – 6
years old but for private or community-based preschools are for 2 – 3
years old.
• Preschool was not part of formal education system, was voluntary and
usually attached to public primary schools and supervised by the
principal of the primary school where it was located. Despite not
being part of the formal school system, it still operated under the
auspices of the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports (MECS)
• The preschool education program for children aged 2 ½, to 6 was
sponsored by either the government or private sector organization and
registered with the government agency which set the standards

12. 1 9 8 5
• The Inter-agent committee of the Early-Child Enrichment Program was
established to coordinate ECEC in programs.
• The Philippines became an independent republic in 1946, and the new
government launched a series of national development plans in the field of
education between 1946–2001, primary school enrolments rose from 4M –
12.8M, according to official figures, in 1977 there were 6,362 pre-primary
educational establishments attended by 452,000 children with 9,644 teachers
• Pre-primary is available in the Philippines for children below the age of (6).
• The Philippine Education for All Assessment Report 2000, an independent
evaluation of the education system from 1991–2000,
• Pre-primary services had reached only 19.5% of the 11.5M children aged 0–6.
• 82% increase in the number of public day care from 1993–1999. This translate
to 32,787 centers.
• Constructed day care centers had been able to reach less than half of the
302M who had to have pre-primary care by the year 2000.

13. 1995 – 2000
Three reform programs were initiated in
response to the need of rising numbers of
preschoolers:
• Education for all
• Congressional Commission on Education
• Implementation of Local Government
Code