BEAM Newsletter

Forum on Indigenous Peoples Education:IP Curriculum to Play Big Role in KRT4-BESRA

“This is the time to harvest programs and strategies for national rollout…” 

Such statement of Dr. Jesus Mateo, DepEd Assistant Secretary for Planning Service and the concurrent Education Development Project Implementing Task Force (EDPITAF) Director, bespeak of the resounding support for the Indigenous Peoples Curriculum that has come a long way from way back 2004 when it was conceptualized by the DepEd and the Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao (BEAM) Project.

During the forum, bearing the theme “Towards a Responsive, Culture-Sensitive and Holistic Basic Education for Indigenous Children” held on April 2, 2008, the prime movers and stakeholders of IP education programs from the public and private sectors converged at the IIPE Center for the formal presentation of the indigenous peoples curriculum. 

In her presentation, Dir. Susana Teresa B. Estigoy, Regional Director of DepEd XI, stressed that the curriculum was developed to embody the core values of the indigenous people while adhering to the basic education learning competencies. Its end goal is the development of a more appropriate, culturally-relevant and holistic education for indigenous children. She also reported that the IP children lag behind in terms of academic opportunities and performance and thus their continuing struggle for self-determination and recognition of their cultural integrity and identity as a people.  “IP curriculum talks about the IP culture and how it relates to the learning competencies. It is a way of engaging in the learning theory process, the kids in their competencies.” 

“Students who undertake this curriculum attain the same level of skills and exposure as students in the normal BEC curriculum,” Dr. Ian D’Arcy Walsh, BEAM Australian Project Director expounded.

Dr. Manaros B. Boransing, DepEd Undersecretary for Mindanao Affairs emphasized the need for IP representation in the National Technical Working Group addressing the education priorities under the Key Result Thrust (KRT) 4 of the Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA). He recommended Ms. Norma Gonos, IIPE Director, Fr. Albert Alejo, S.J., Mindanawon Chairman of the Board, and Mr. Ramon Bobier, BEAM Community Development Adviser as would-be members of the BESRA-NTWG. 

Prior to the forum, the National Commission for Indigenous People (NCIP) held a meeting of its Commission en Banc chaired by Atty. Eugenio Insigne in which the members agreed to draft and endorse a resolution advocating for the implementation of the IP curriculum. The resolution was read at the IP Education Forum.

Representing the Philippine Congress Committee on Cultural Communities, Ms. Adora Pueblos acknowledged that while there are laws that could answer the needs of the IPs, there is still a need to put heart and soul and spirituality into the laws to make these humane. “For us to in Congress to help you educate the IPs, we need you to help us be educated on what the IP dream is all about… There is a personal dimension to it, such that every step towards the attainment of our goal for the IPs is a moment of hope that we in Congress can be relevant to the work for the IPs,” Ms. Pueblos added. 

Also highlighted in the forum were presentations on the initiatives on IP education programs to wit: Ms. Edna A. Gulosino, SEPS-OIC, DepEd Bureau of Alternative Learning System; Ms. Ma. Consolacion Matnao, Program Manager for Education -Assisi Development Foundation; and, Sr. Elvie Dantes of the Episcopal Commission on Indigenous Peoples. 

During the forum, the DepEd national and regional officials have indicated support to adopt the IP curriculum implementation in areas that have high IP student populations all over the country. Among the DepEd officials who graced the forum were: Dr. Yolanda Quijano- Bureau Director for Elementary Education; Elizabeth Catao, SEPS-Bureau of Secondary Education; Exec. Dir. Beth Torzo, TEC-DepEd; Irene de Robles, SEPS-BEE; Dir. Ben S. Tumamao- Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR); Dir. Jesus Taberdo- Region II; Dir. Estrella Babano- Region X; ARD Teofila Villanueva- Region III; ASDS Samuel Simon- Nueva Viscaya; Asst. Chief Neuve Carrascal- Region V; Sarida Matug, EED-Region XII; Asst. chief Lucena Yañez- Region IX and PSDS Aquilino Quilang- Misamis Oriental. The host Region XI delegates included Dr. Luz Onor, Chief-Secondary Dept; Ms. Emelita Salvado, Chief, Elementary Dept; and Mrs. Erlinda Kadon, Chief-ALS. 

In his closing remark, Mr. Mark Todd, Education Adviser of the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) expressed that:  

“The Australian Government is very happy with its engagement with the Department of Education and we are aiming to continue this in the coming years. We are committed to support the reform agenda with specific focus in continuing and expanding support to IP programs in Mindanao and extending that to a nationwide program, along with Muslim education program…  The idea is to develop a new project which aims to support the expansion of the work that has already been with the IP program in Mindanao.” 

To date, the IP Curriculum has been piloted in 20 schools in Region XI, 13 schools in Region XII and 27 other schools with large IP student population and where graduates from the BEAM- Early Childhood Edcucation (ECE) programs have moved up.  In the milestone event, the overwhelming interest in implementing the IP curriculum in the various regions has provided the impetus and the much needed boost for mainstreaming the IP curriculum in the DepEd structure and in the public school basic education system.