Anti-Colonial Education and Nationalist Struggles: Critical Pedagogy Framework in the Philippine Context

Since the Spanish, American, and Japanese colonial occupations, education in the Philippines has been a battleground for resisting foreign influence and exploitation. Even after the United States “granted” independence in 1946, neocolonialism, characterized by indirect control, continued to dominate the country's economic, political, and cultural systems. The education system, particularly with the implementation of the K to 12 curriculum, remains aligned with U.S. interests through neoliberal agreements.

However, anti-colonial and nationalist critiques of education in the Philippines are not new. Throughout history, Filipinos have fought back against colonial suppression by reclaiming indigenous knowledge systems, promoting local languages, and advocating for a nationalist education that reflects the country’s diverse histories and cultures. Mass movements, formed by marginalized sectors, continue to challenge neocolonial policies in education, linking these struggles to broader demands for national sovereignty and social justice.

This study historicizes the resistance against colonial and neocolonial education systems and examines how these movements evolved. Using Paulo Freire's critical pedagogy in the context of the Philippines, which advocates for education as a tool for liberation, the study explores the need to confront oppressive structures, and at the same time emphasizes that the fight for educational liberation is deeply intertwined with a nationalist movement that provides clear alternative to the feudal relations, neocolonial dependencies, and the dominance of imperialism in the country.