History

History of Pre-school Education


Preschool education (or infant education) is the provision of learning to children  before the commencement of statutory and obligatory education, usually between the ages of zero and three or five, depending on the jurisdiction.


In the United Kingdom History School  (or 'playgroup') is the form of preschool education. In the United States the terms 'preschool' and 'Pre-K' are used, while "nursery school" is an older term.


Preschool work is organized within a framework that professional educators create. The framework includes structural (administration, class size, student–teacher ratio, services, etc.), process (quality of classroom environments, teacher-child interactions, etc.), and alignment (standards, curriculum, assessments) components that are associated with each individual unique child that has both social and academic outcomes. At each age band, an appropriate curriculum should be followed. For example, it would be normal to teach a child how to count to 10 after the age of four. Arguably the first pre-school institution was opened in 1816 by Robert Owen in New Lanark, Scotland. The Hungarian countess Theresa Brunszvikfollowed in 1828. In 1837, Friedrich Fröebel opened one in Germany, coining the term "kindergarten".


History of Preschool Education in Philippines


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) Young Filipinos mostly coming from the “bourgeois’ illustrado class
Pre-schooling was unorganized The more educated adults in the community became lawful “ preschool teachers” Usually handled on one to one basis and lasting for no less than 30 minutes per session (Estolaz & Nunez,1974)


The regular schooling in the cartilla lasted for 3 to 6 months depending upon the child’s capacity to learn This particular schooling facilitated the entry of the child into grade one although it was not necessarily a requirement
In 1924, the opening of kindergarten education at Harris Memorial School Manila ( Harris Memorial College) pioneered preschool education Under directorship of Miss Mary A. Evans INITIAL ATTEMPTS


A class was established by Mrs. Brigida Fernando after her training at Columbia University Teachers College
Interest in kindergarten movement was picked up by other private schools and grew succeedingly well among the religious schools both Catholic and Protestant Similar interest motivated civic groups to help children
In 1935 The NATIONAL FEDERATION OF WOMEN’S CLUB( NFWC) became the forerunner of nursery education The process of getting government recognition didn’t come after 16 years.


. In 1940, The Bureau of Private Schools had authorized 129 kindergarten classes getting an enrolment of 6,449. The World War II disrupted the growth of the program to the point of closing almost all schools.


The year immediately ensuing liberation had demonstrated a renewed interest in preschool education Out 129 government recognized kindergarten schools in 1940, a total of 61 schools with 3,172 enrolment started in operation in 1945-1946 POSTWAR INTERESTS
Private individuals had shortly joined this bold start The NFWC continued to have its nursery classes one in Sampaloc and in Tondo Manila


 In 1948, HARRIS MEMORIAL SCHOOL initiated another big step by obtaining a government recognition to confer the degree of JUNIOR TEACHER’S CERTIFICATE to Graduate in kindergarten education
This was the first recognized course in kindergarten education offered in the Philippines Other colleges and universities attempt to emphasize kindergarten teaching by giving special training on the area, either part and parcel of B.S in Education or in Home Economics


Preschool education in the country has almost remained to be associated with Bureau of Private Schools, specially with the religious groups.
1950’s through the effort of Dr. Miguela M. Solis, then the Superintendent of Teacher education in Bureau of Public Schools, preschool education started in the government regional –training schools Pangasinan Normal School was the first to take advantage BREAKTHROUGH IN GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS


Followed by Zamboanga Normal School In 1964, a year after establishment of National Coordinating Center for the Study and Development of Filipino Children and Youth ( NCCSDFCY) which Dr. Solis was the director, the Children’s Village was opened to admit kindergarten children, marking another milestone in the public sector.
The growth of Philippine preschool education had been so slow when this is compared to those of the other countries Though slow, the regular yearly increment in kindergarten enrolment in both private and public schools had increased EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: A JOINT CONCERN


The major portion of preschool children were consistently in the private schools with its yearly increase remaining constant Until that there are too many children for every teacher. Sending pre-school aged children to private kindergarten is expensive The need for nursery schools that could cater to the lower income families was then felt
A number of national offices and civic organizations have responded to the need to extend appropriate education The NFWC who has started only with two schools has expanded to 251 classes mostly located in the less chance areas like Tondo, Sampaloc, Paco and others


 In 1956, the Manila Health Department introduced the concept of modern preschool “ play centers” in Manila It was Dr, Demetrio Belmonte the assistant city health officer who had a trip from different countries like Europe and USA and observed the operation of modern and scientific preschool


 With the assistance of Dr. Evangeline G. Suva, returning grantee on programming preschool play centers and Mrs.Isabel Santos, a social worker of the Ladies’ Association worked hand in hand to put up the first modern fully equipped play centers at the KAPITAN ISIDRO MENDOZA HEALTH CENTER


Meanwhile various civic organization have similarly taken bold steps in support of the program. Some of them are Young Ladies Association of Charity, The Rural Improvement Clubs, The Philippine Women’s Medical Association In mid 1960’s the Department of Social Welfare had started the inclusion of nursery and kindergarten education in its program.


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 PD 603- known as CHILD AND YOUTH WELFARE CODE in 1974” 1979- UNESCO( United nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organization) declared as the INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE CHILD


 1977 to 1987 The Philippines declared DECADE OF THE FILIPINO CHILD This marked the increased of number of preschool children and also the establishments both in private and public schools


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 ( Soliven et.al,1997) 1993 to 1994- There were 1,892 DECS- recognizes and registered private schools in the country with 416,894 enrolled preschoolers


1995 to 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