 About a year after having secured Manila, the Americans were keen to open up seven schools with army servicemen teaching with army command-selected books and supplies.In the same year, 1899, more schools were opened, this time, with 24 English-language teachers and 4500 students.In that system, basic education consisted of 6 years elementary and 4 years secondary schooling which, until recently, prepared students for tertiary level instruction for them to earn a degree that would secure them a job later on in life.A highly centralized, experimental public school system was installed in 1901 by the Philippine Commission and legislated by Act No.