IP education upgrade needed
DEPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) Assistant Secretary for Procurement and Project Management Services Revsee Escobedo said an improvement of programs for Indigenous People’s (IP) children is needed.
Escobedo said there are few Indigenous schools in the country but quite a number of children in indigenous cultural communities (ICCs) who do not enjoy the benefits of free education offered by the government.
“Marami pa ring IP's ang wala nasa
eskwelahan dahil one for lack of local teachers, school facilities, and program na paano talaga natin maa- attract iyong IP children to go to school.”
During the IP Education Congress, Escobedo said the present condition of the countries IP are far more different from those who live in the urban centers and cities with IP still facing problems and are often displaced from their ancestral land, second class members of the society and are alienated from the strength of development.
Escobedo said these realities can be attributed to the deprivation to quality and relevant education for Indigenous communities despite the legislations of the Indigenous People Rights Act.
Escobedo added there experiences of Indigenous students in mainstream school systems that need to be addressed generally however, the overall impact of mainstream education where many indigenous communities is a continued marginalization, dying spirit of the tribe resulting the death of their culture.
“Kapag gumagraduate ang mga IP's lumalabas sa kanilang community and then naiiwang marginalized pa rin iyong mga IP communities natin”
Escobedo said “Can you imagine what will happen to the ancestral domains we are fighting for if the next generations do not accept these generational and historical legacy and take care of it accordingly?”
For the IP education be successful the education system must be appropriate in the Indigenous communities.
“Ang gusto natin na wholistic iyong approach, iyong natutunan nila sa school kasama dapat iyong growth ng IP community, iyong preservation of their culture and heritage.”