The education system of the Philippines is divided into three groups; primary school, secondary school, and higher education.  The formal education system of the Philippines spans fourteen years, with six years in primary school, four years in secondary school, and four years of higher education.  The Philippines has one of the shortest terms of formal education in the world (Studycountry, 2020).  Children in the Philippines start primary school at the age of seven and complete their bachelor degree in higher education at the age of twenty-one.  

In the Philippines, Tagalog and English are the official languages for instruction and communication.  During the first and second year of primary school, children are taught in the local dialect of the region in which they live.  English and Tagalog are taught as second languages during these years.  For the remainder of primary education, math and science are taught in English, and social sciences and humanities are taught in Tagalog.  Following primary school, the primary language of instruction is English in the urban areas and at the national universities (Studycountry, 2020). 

The Philippines curriculum is unique, as in addition to core subjects, primary school children are taught Makabayan.  According to Mendoza and Nakayama (2003), Makabayan curriculum was designed to “develop the personal, social and work special skills of learners especially their interpersonal skills, empathy with other cultures, vocational efficiency, problem-solving, and decision-making in daily life, that is, to develop socio-cultural and politico-economic literacy”.  The goal of the development of Makabayan was to help children develop a healthy personal and national self-concept (Mendoza & Nakayama, 2003). 

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Filipino children face many challenges when it comes to obtaining an education in the Philippines.  Challenges include outdated teaching materials and methods, low investment in the education system, schools without proper sanitation and access to clean water, and limited attention to social and emotional skills of the children (“Education”, n.d.).  To help the children of the Philippines, UNICEF has partnered with the Philippine government to strengthen “the government’s capacity to improve the quality and relevance of teaching the learning environment” (“Education”, n.d.).  UNICEF plans to achieve this by advocating for greater investment in the education system of the Philippines, in regards to employment of skilled teachers, provision of engaging education materials, and clean water, basic toilets, and hygiene facilities in schools (“Education”, n.d.).

For adult Filipinos seeking higher education, many Filipinos choose to leave the Philippines to seek better educational opportunities.  In 2015, Australia was the top chosen country for higher education seeking Filipinos, with 4,432 students enrolled in degree programs (“Education in the Philippines”, 2019). Other countries that were popular choices include, the United States, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Saudi Arabia (“Education in the Philippines”, 2019).

In 2015, the literacy rate for the Philippines was 98.2%, which is growing at an average annual rate of 0.81% (“Philippines adult”, 2015). Literacy rate is defined as the “percentage of the population age fifteen and above who can, with understanding, read and write a short, simple statement on their everyday life” and includes numeracy, which is “the ability to make simple arithmetic calculations” (Philippines adult”, 2015).