The Department of Education (DepEd; ) 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 education policy and responsible for the Philippine primary and secondary school systems. It has its headquarters at the DepEd Complex on Meralco Avenue in Pasig.

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 position of Secretary of Education is Sonny Angara since July 19, 2024. Presently, its mission is to provide quality basic education that is equitably accessible to all and lay the foundation for lifelong learning and service for the common good. It has changed its vision statement, removing a phrase that some groups deem to be "too sectarian" for a government institution.

History

Philippine Education has undergone different stages of progress from the pre-Spanish era to the present. Spanish period

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 temporarily 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.

American period

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 the Philippine Commission authorized the Superintendent of Public Instruction to bring 500 teachers from the United States to the Philippines. They 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 department secretaries, except that of the secretary of public instruction.

World War II 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 President 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 President 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.

Martial law

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 became the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) 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 (CHED) was established, and on August 25, 1994, when the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) 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 (DepEd) and redefining the role of field offices, which include regional offices, division offices, district offices, and schools.

The Act 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 (NCCA). All previous functions, programs, and activities related to sports competition were transferred to the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC). In addition, the Bureau of Physical Education and School Sports was abolished.

Contemporary period In the new school calendar, DepEd Order No. 3, series of 2024 dated February 19, 2024 “adjusted end of the school year (SY) shall be May 31, 2024.” It urged schools to conduct all end-of-school-year rites from May 29 to 31, as the school break is set from June 1 to July 26 and the start of the SY 2024-2025 is set for July 29 which will then end on May 16, 2025.

List of secretaries of education

Organizational structure At present, the Department is headed by the secretary of education, with the following undersecretaries and assistant secretaries: Undersecretary for Office of the Secretary/Chief of Staff Undersecretary for Strategic Management Undersecretary for Administration Undersecretary for Operations Undersecretary for Finance Undersecretary for Procurement Undersecretary for Legal and Legislative Affairs Undersecretary for Human Resource and Organizational Development Undersecretary for Learning Systems Undersecretary for Support to the Implementation of Public-Private Partnerships Assistant Secretary for Strategic Management Assistant Secretary for Operations Assistant Secretary for Office of the Secretary Assistant Secretary for Procurement Assistant Secretary for Information and Communications Technology Service Assistant Secretary for Learning Systems

Under the Office of the Secretary are the following offices and services: External Partnership Service Public Affairs Service Internal Audit Service

A director is assigned to each of the 18 regions of the Philippines; the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (Bangsamoro) (BARRM) is governed by a regional minister. A schools division superintendent, assistant schools division superintendent, chief education supervisor, education program supervisor/specialist, district supervisor, section chief, school principal, and assistant school principal is assigned to each of the school divisions defined by the department. Also teacher, master teacher, head teacher, and non-teaching personnel is assigned to public schools defined by the schools division offices.

Bureaus and services DepEd is composed of 18 bureaus and services: Administrative Service (AS) Bureau of Curriculum Development (BCD) Bureau of Education Assessment (BEA) Bureau of Human Resources and Organizational Development (BHROD) Bureau of Learning Delivery (BLD) Bureau of Learning Resources (BLR) Bureau of Learner Support Service (BLSS) Bureau of Secondary Education (BSE) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS) External Partnerships Service (EPS) Finance Service (FS) Information and Communications Technology Service (ICTS) Legal Service (LS) National Educators' Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) Planning Service (PS) Procurement Service (PROCS) Project Management Service (PMS) Public Affairs Service (PAS)

Regional and division offices

National Capital Region (NCR) Schools Division Office No. of Public Schools No. of Private SchoolsCaloocan 89 Las Piñas 39 Makati 23 Malabon 42 Mandaluyong 24 Manila 105 Marikina 33 Muntinlupa 28 Navotas 25 Parañaque 43 Pasay 29 Pasig 44 Quezon City 159 San Juan 13 Taguig and Pateros 62 Valenzuela 70 Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) Schools Division Office No. of Public Schools No. of Private SchoolsAbra 317 Apayao 200 Benguet 427 Ifugao 266 Kalinga 194 Mountain Province 266 Baguio 68 Tabuk 103 Region I – Ilocos Region Schools Division Office No. of Public Schools No. of Private SchoolsIlocos Norte 364 Ilocos Sur 506 La Union 386 Pangasinan I 662 Pangasinan II 562 Alaminos 46 Batac 33 Candon 34 Dagupan 39 Laoag 40 San Carlos 76 San Fernando 30 Urdaneta 64 Vigan 21 Region II – Cagayan Valley Schools Division Office No. of Public Schools No. of Private SchoolsBatanes 27 Cagayan 809 Cauayan 80 Ilagan 98 Isabela 883 Nueva Vizcaya 383 Quirino 186 Santiago 41 Tuguegarao 36 Region III – Central Luzon Schools Division Office No. of Public Schools No. of Private SchoolsAurora 176 Bataan 215 Bulacan 510 Nueva Ecija 755 Pampanga 565 Tarlac Zambales 315 Region IV-A (Calabarzon) Schools Division Office No. of Public Schools No. of Private SchoolsAntipolo 67 Bacoor 43 Batangas 739 Batangas City 110 Biñan 40 Cabuyao 29 Calamba 72 Cavite 334 Cavite City 14 Dasmariñas 45 General Trias 41 Imus 38 Laguna 345 Lipa 85 Lucena 54 Quezon 958 Rizal 304 San Pablo 81 Santa Rosa 28 Tanauan 59 Tayabas 35 Mimaropa Schools Division Office No. of Public Schools No. of Private SchoolsCalapan 59 Marinduque 229 Occidental Mindoro 363 Oriental Mindoro 540 Palawan 828 Puerto Princesa 101 Romblon 271 Region V – Bicol Region Schools Division Office No. of Public Schools No. of Private SchoolsAlbay 556 Camarines Norte 319 Camarines Sur 1,098 Catanduanes 268 Masbate 703 Sorsogon 531 Iriga 51 Legazpi 58 Ligao 67 Masbate City 703 Naga 43 Sorsogon City 83 Tabaco 50 Region VI – Western Visayas Schools Division Office No. of Public Schools No. of Private SchoolsAklan 378 Antique 538 Capiz 471 Guimaras 115 Iloilo City 66 Iloilo 1,172 Passi 45 Roxas City 50