Accredit lumad schools, Deped told

SOME 400 Indigenous Peoples (IPs) from different communities in Southern Mindanao supported by the administration of Salugpongan Schools gathered in front of the Department of Education (Deped)-Davao office yesterday to demand for the accreditation of all lumad schools.

The accreditation of lumad schools would help clear the name of Amelia Pond, a lumad teacher and researcher who was illegally charged for murder in Cebu City last August 19.

Save our Schools Network spokesperson Rius Valle, in an interview with Sun.Star Davao, said the groups have gathered in front of the Deped regional office to seek help.

“This is not a protest but a call for the Department of Education to help the schools and help the immediate release of Amelia Pond, as these schools wanted to have a certification of recognition,” Valle said.

Amelia was a Salugpongan’s Curriculum Development researcher since 2008.

Later in 2013 she became the regional coordinator of Rural Missionaries of the Philippines.

Based on the press release from SOS Network, Sarika Calimbo, field operations officer of Salugpongan School attested that Pond was active in attending workshops and trainings of Deped in for-

mulating the Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) Curriculum since 2012.

“Amelia’s contribution in IP education is paramount. Even before the creation of Indigenous People’s Education Office (IPsEO) by the Department of Education in 2011, Amelia have been working in research and development” Calimbo said.

Valle also said they will appreciate any help from Deped to clear Pond’s identity.

“Amelia Pond is also an IP school teacher who devoted her life for the marginalized. The name specified in the warrant wasn’t hers. We will appreciate any help from Deped to justify her identity as she have been active in promoting and creating IP education curriculum,” Valle said.

He added that hopefully this certification they are asking from DepEd can be used as an evidence in the violation of writ of habeas corpus case that they are set to file in Cebu city.

Valle described Pond’s arrest as an attempt to sabotage the peace talks and destroy the education of IPs.

Aside from Pond’s arrest in Cebu, Valle said they have recieved reports that there is an ongoing heavy military operations conducted in several communities in Compostela Valley province.

These army brigades are still camping inside the schools despite the president’s proclamation of ceasefire.