Glossary of Terms
Education

Basic or Simple Literacy - the ability to read and write with understanding simple messages in any language or dialect. (National Statistics Office)

Elementary Education - the stage of formal education primarily concerned with providing basic education and usually corresponding to six (6) or seven (7) grades. (Department of Education, Culture and Sports)

Enrolment - the total number of students who have registered as of August 31 in a given school year. (Department of Education, Culture and Sports)

Formal Education - institutionalized, hierarchically structured, chronologically graded educational system running from the elementary to tertiary levels. (Department of Education, Culture and Sports)

Functional Literacy - represents a significantly higher level literacy which includes not only reading and writing skills but also numeracy skills. The skills must be sufficiently advanced to enable the individual to participate fully and effectively in activities commonly occurring in his life situation that require a reasonable capability beyond oral and written communication. (National Statistics Office)

Government or Public School - school established, operated and supported by the government. (Department of Education, Culture and Sports)

Higher Education - the stage of formal education following the secondary education covering the programs on: (a) all courses of study leading to bachelor’s degree and (b) all degree courses of study beyond bachelor’s degree level. (Commission on Higher Education)
  

National Secondary Assessment (NSAT) - a battery of tests designed to assess abilities and skills necessary for success in four-year or more college degree programs. It is intended to complement or supplement school’s existing assessment procedures for career counseling. (Department of Education, Culture and Sports)

Non-Formal Education - any organized educational activity outside the established formal system, that is intended for specific objectives and to serve identifiable clientele. (Department of Education, Culture and Sports)

Post Secondary/Non-Degree Education - the stage of formal education following the secondary level covering non-degree programs that have varying duration from three (3) months to three (3) years, concerned primarily with developing strong and appropriately trained middle-level skilled manpower possessing capabilities supportive of national development. (Department of Education, Culture and Sports)

Pre-School - a school that admits students who are not old enough to enter the first level of education. These pupils are usually from 4 to 5 years of age. (Department of Education Culture and Sports)

Primary School - a school primarily concerned with providing basic education and usually corresponding to the first four grades of elementary education. (Department of Education Culture and Sports)

Private School - an educational institution maintained and administered by private individuals or groups. (Department of Education Culture and Sports)

Secondary School - an educational institution offering secondary education. (Department of Education Culture and Sports)

Secondary/High School Education - the stage of formal education following the elementary level usually corresponding to four (4) years of school, primarily with continuing basic education and expanding it to prepare the students for higher education and/or the world of work through the acquisition of employable gainful skills. (Department of Education Culture and Sports)

School Year - the period of time, of approximately 32 to 40 weeks, when schools offer daily instruction broken by short intermission periods (e.g., Christmas and summer vacations and holidays). (Department of Education Culture and Sports)

Technical Education - the education process designed at post-secondary and lower tertiary levels, officially recognized as non-degree programs aimed at preparing technicians, para-professionals and other categories of middle-level workers by providing them with a broad range of general education, theoretical, scientific and technological studies, and related job skills training. (Department of Education, Culture and Sports)

Vocational Skills Training - programs of short duration ranging from three (3) months to about six (6) months. These are non-diploma programs but the students are given proficiency certificates on the trades they have satisfactorily completed. (Department of Education, Culture and Sports)