DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF HISTORY

Filipinos should have a deeper understanding of the different social and political struggles that shaped our history – and this starts in school.

The Department of Education (DepEd) has thus underscored the importance of collaborative efforts in improving human rights education under the new K to 12 basic education curriculum.

Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones urged colleagues and stakeholders in the higher academics to support the Department in the responsibility to “extend the net of sources” and lend additional substantive content to different learning materials, especially in writing textbooks.

She also emphasized that DepEd works with competent people in various disciplines to provide evidence-based and age-appropriate content and context.

While lessons on human rights and democracy are already integrated in the curriculum, capturing and teaching a bigger picture of the country’s history remain to be a challenge.

The Department has underlined the crucial role of teachers and information technology in reviewing and augmenting history lessons, especially while still in the transition period of the basic education system.

Teachers should take the initiative to research, either from the internet or DepEd’s learning portal, and conduct school activities to ensure that the young learners are attuned to the history of their nation.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR), in coordination with DepEd, also participates in teaching the value of human rights across the subject areas through its core project of developing lesson plans suitable for Grades 1 to 10. The Commission also undertakes capacity building programs to empower participating teachers to use these additional learning resources.