Which Act established the Department of Public Instruction in 1901?

• A. Commonwealth Act No. 578
• B. Commonwealth Act No. 1
• C. Act No. 74
• D. Act No. 2706

Answer: (C)

The main idea being tested is understanding how education was organized during the American period in the Philippines and which law created the Department of Public Instruction. Act No. 74 established the Department of Public Instruction in 1901, setting up a centralized government body to oversee all public education, supervise schools, and guide teacher training and policy. This act marked a shift from fragmented, local control to a unified national system, laying the groundwork for the modern education department that followed. The other acts listed are from different periods or contexts and did not establish this department in 1901, so Act No. 74 is the correct reference for the creation of the department.