Historically, the Philippines has been a pioneer in many aspects regarding education in all of Asia, and even America or Europe. The oldest universities, colleges, vocational schools and the first modern public education system in Asia were created during the colonial period, and by the time Spain was replaced by the United States as the colonial power, Filipinos were among the most educated subjects in all of Asia.
Filipino children may enter public school at about age four, starting from Nursery up to Kindergarten. At about seven years of age, children enter elementary school for six or seven years. This is followed by secondary school, also called as high school, for four years. Students may then sit for College Entrance Examinations (CEE), after which they may enter tertiary institutions for three to five years.
During the period of governance by the United States, Education in the Philippines changed radically, modeled on the system of Education in the United States of the time. After gaining independence in 1946, changes in the US system were no longer automatically reflected in the Philippines, which has since moved in various directions of its own.