QUALITY EDUCATION FOR MARGINALIZED LEARNERS
Regardless of race, education is for everyone. The government’s vision for nonformal education is revitalized through an Executive Order No. 358 S. 2004 which vision is to view the Philippines as a nation where all the citizens especially the marginalized individual or group of learners who could not equitably gain access to formal education because of unwanted condition be given equal access to quality education by taking an alternative learning system that will make them to become productive members of the land. This program addresses the learning needs of the indigenous people including the deprived, depressed, and underserved citizens.
Given the fact that they have been considered different from other races, indigenous people often suffer from discrimination.
They are suffering in the means of communicating to other people for their uniqueness became a subject in bullying.
In some instances, other ethnic people are not being accepted in workplace, it simply means that they have been objectified as "someone who is not qualified in professional fields". Why?
Because they also face the challenge of having the enough education that they deserve.
On the other hand, in some places ethnic groups were considered precious for they became a part of tourist attractions, assets for investors, indeed.
Furthermore, being members of the most discriminated group of people, giving them the opportunity to equal access to education is a priority concern of the government.
The said program formally started on 2008 through local coordinator’s initiatives of hiring local instructional managers and their unquestionably commitment to its implementation to the IP community.
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The author is SST-III at Porac Model Community High School