List of the oldest schools in the Philippines

The oldest universities, colleges, vocational schools and the first modern public education system in Asia were created during the Spanish colonial period.

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.

In 1935 the Commonwealth government of the Philippines through the Historical Research and Markers Committee declared that UST was "oldest university under the American flag.

In 2010, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines installed a bronze marker declaring USC's foundation late in the 18th Century, effectively disproving any direct connection with the Colegio de San Ildefonso.

[12] Aloysius Cartagenas (a Cebuano), in a paper published by Philippiniana Sacra, stated that the correct foundation year of USC is 1867, and not 1595,[13] while in 2012 the National Historical Commission of the Philippines cemented its previous position when it published an online article recognizing UST as "Asia’s Oldest University.