The Department of Education is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible
for ensuring access to, promoting equity in, and improving the quality of basic education.
It is the main agency tasked to manage and govern the Philippine system of basic education.
It is the chief formulator of Philippine educational policy and responsible for the Philippine
primary and secondary school systems.
It has its headquarters at the DepEd Complex in Meralco Avenue, Pasig City.
The department is currently led by the Secretary of Education, nominated by the President of
the Philippines and confirmed by the Commission on Appointments.
The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet.
The current Secretary of Education is Bro.
Armin Luistro, FSC.
Presently, its mission is to provide quality basic education that is equitably accessible
to all and lay the foundation for life-long learning and service for the common good.
It has changed its vision statement, removing a phrase that some groups deem to be "too
secretarian" for a government institution.
History During the early Spanish period, education
in the Philippines was religion-oriented and was primarily for the elite, especially in
the first years of Spanish colonization.
Access to education by Filipinos was later liberalized through the enactment of the Educational
Decree of 1863, which provided for the establishment of at least one primary school for boys and
girls in each town under the responsibility of the municipal government; and the establishment
of a normal school for male teachers under the supervision of the Jesuits.
Primary instruction was secularized and free, and the teaching of Spanish was compulsory.
It was also through this decree that the Superior Commission of Primary Instruction was established,
the seminal agency of the Department of Education.
The defeat of Spain by United States forces in 1898 paved the way for Aguinaldo's Republic
under a Revolutionary Government.
The schools maintained by Spain for more than three centuries were closed for the time being,
but were reopened on August 29, 1898 by the Secretary of the Interior.
A system of free and compulsory elementary education was established by the Malolos Constitution,
under Article 23.
However, this first sovereign education system was interrupted in 1899 with the start of
the Philippine–American War, and was finally dismantled.
A secularized and free public school system during the first decade of American rule was
established upon the recommendation of the Schurman Commission in 1900.
Free primary instruction that trained the people for the duties of citizenship was enforced
by the Taft Commission as per instructions of US President William McKinley.
Chaplains and non-commissioned officers were assigned to teach using English as the medium
of instruction.
A highly centralized public school system was instituted in January 1901 by the Taft
Commission, by virtue of Act No. 74.
This act also established the Department of Public Instruction, headed by a General Superintendent.
The implementation of this Act created a heavy shortage of teachers so much so that the Philippine
Commission authorized the Superintendent of Public Instruction to bring 1,000 teachers
from the United States to the Philippines.
These would later be popularly known as the Thomasites.
In 1908, the Philippine Legislature approved Act No. 1870, creating the University of the
Philippines.
The Organic Act of 1916 reorganized the Department of Public Instruction, mandating that it be
headed by a Secretary.
This act also mandated the Filpinization of all department secretaries, except that of
the Secretary of Public Instruction.
During World War II, the department was reorganized once again through the Japanese's Military
Order No. 2 in February 1942, splitting the department into the Ministry of Education
and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Public Instruction.
Under the Japanese, the teaching of Tagalog, Philippine history, and character education
was given priority.
Love for work and the dignity of labor were also emphasized.
In October 1944, months after Pres.
Manuel L. Quezon's death, the department was renamed as the Department of Public Instruction
and Information, with Carlos P. Romulo at the helm.
Upon the return and resumption of the Commonwealth Government in February 1945, its name was
changed to the Department of Instruction.
In 1947, by virtue of Executive Order No. 94 by Pres.
Manuel Roxas., the department was reorganized to the Department of Education.
During this period, the regulation and supervision of public and private schools belonged to
the Bureau of Public and Private Schools.
Upon the start of Martial Law in September 1972, it became the Department of Education
and Culture, and subsequently reorganized into the Ministry of Education and Culture
in June 1978 by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 1397, due to the shift to a parliamentary
system of government.
Thirteen regional offices were created and major organizational changes were implemented
in the educational system.
The Education Act of 1982 created the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, which later
became the Department of Education, Culture and Sports in 1987 via Executive Order No.
117 by President Corazon C. Aquino.
The structure of DECS as embodied in EO 117 has practically remained unchanged until 1994,
when the Commission on Higher Education was established, and in 1995, when the Technical
Education and Skills Development Authority was established to supervise tertiary degree
programs and non-degree technical-vocational programs, respectively.
The trifocal education system refocused the department's mandate to basic education which
covers elementary, secondary and non-formal education, including culture and sports.
CHED is responsible for tertiary education, while TESDA now administers the post-secondary,
middle-level manpower training and development.
In August 2001, the Governance of Basic Education Act was passed, renaming the DECS to the Department
of Education and redefining the role of field offices, which include regional offices, division
offices, district offices, and schools.
The Act also removed the administration of cultural and sports activities from the department.
The National Historical Institute, Records Management and Archives Office, and the National
Library are now administratively attached to the National Commission for Culture and
the Arts.
All previous functions, programs, and activities related to sports competition were all transferred
to the Philippine Sports Commission.
In addition, the Bureau of Physical Education and School Sports was abolished.
List of Secretaries of Education
Department of Education Officials 2014 Hon.
BRO.
ARMIN A. LUISTRO - DepEd Secretary MR.
REYNALDO ANTONIO D. LAGUDA -Chief of Staff / Assistant Secretary
ATTY.
ALBERTO T. MUYOT -Undersecretary for Legal Affairs
MR.
RIZALINO D. RIVERA -Undersecretary for Regional Operations
MR.
FRANCISCO T. VARELA -Undersecretary for Finance and Administration
DR.
DINA S. OCAMPO - Undersecretary for Programs and Projects
MR.
MARIO A. DERIQUITO - Undersecretary for External Linkages
ATTY.
TONISITO M.C.
UMALI - Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs MR.
JESUS L.R.
MATEO -Assistant Secretary for Planning MR.
ARMANDO C. RUIZ -OIC - Assistant Secretary for Finance and Administration
DR.
LORNA D. DINO - Assistant Secretary for Programs & Projects
MR.
TONISITO MACHIAVELLI C. UMALI -Assistant Secretary DIOSDADO M. SAN ANTONIO -Director IV
MARILYN D. DIMAANO -Director IV ALBERTO ESCOBARTE -Acting Director IV
REBECCA V. DELAPUZ -Director III MALCOLM S. GARMA - Director III
BETTINA D. AQUINO - Acting Director III NENITA E. LUMAAD - Acting Director III
BEATRIZ G. TORNO - Acting Director III Organizational structure
At present, the Department is headed by the Secretary of Education, with the following
undersecretaries and assistant secretaries: Undersecretary for Finance and Administration
Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Undersecretary for Programs and Projects
Undersecretary for Regional Operations Assistant Secretary/Chief of Staff
Assistant Secretary for Finance Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs
Assistant Secretary for Planning Assistant Secretary for Programs & Projects
Under the Office of the Secretary are the following offices and services:
Administrative Services Financial and Management Service
Human Resource Development Service Planning Service
Technical Service A regional director is assigned to each of
the 17 regions of the Philippines.
A division superintendent is assigned to each of the school divisions defined by the Department.
Bureaus DepEd is composed of eight bureaus, namely:
Bureau of Alternative Learning Systems, formerly the Bureau of Non-Formal Education
Bureau of Elementary Education Bureau of Secondary Education
Educational Development Projects Implementing Task Force
Health and Nutrition Center National Education Testing and Research Center
National Educators Academy of the Philippines Technical-Vocational Education Task Force
Attached agencies The following agencies, councils and schools
are attached to DepEd for policy and program coordination:
Instructional Materials Council National Book Development Board
National Council for Children's Television National Museum
National Science Teaching Instrumentation Center
Philippine High School for the Arts [1]
Note: The Commission on Higher Education is now attached to the Office of the President,
while the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority is now attached to the Department
of Labor and Employment.
References