Invention and Engineering

Education in the Philippines during Spanish rule

During the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines (1565–1898), the different cultures of the archipelago experienced a gradual unification from a variety of native Asian and Islamic customs and traditions, including animist religious practices, to what is known today as Filipino culture, a unique hybrid of Southeast Asian and Western culture, namely Spanish, including the Spanish language and the Catholic faith. Spanish education played a major role in that transformation in the Philippines. The oldest universities, colleges, and vocational schools, dating as far back as the late 16th century were created during the colonial period, as well as the first modern public education system in Asia, established in 1863. By the time Spain was replaced by the United States as the colonial power, Filipinos were among the most educated peoples in all of Asia and the Pacific, boasting one of the highest literacy rates in that continent. Simultaneously, the knowledge of Filipinos about neighboring cultures receded.

Also on this shelf

See also

• ▸Geared steam locomotive
• ▸Bell Museum of Natural History
• ▸Chenming Hu

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