PROMOTING INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

A teacher’s role in education cannot be underestimated, especially today wherein we are facing closing school doors and face to face instruction because of the pandemic. Education must continue and it must be given to all, despite their gender, religion, disabilities and differences.

Deped Order No. 72 s. 2009 states that inclusive education embraces the philosophy of accepting all children regardless of race, size, shape, color, ability or disability with support from school staff, students, parents and the community. This would not be easy though, and as a teacher, we play a vital role in the classroom to engage all of our learners. We must always think out of the box and be creative to create a safe environment where all students will participate. We cannot pour from an empty cup, with this in mind we must not stop learning on how to properly handle students’diversity, we must articulate that we need to train, that we have much more to learn and we will only be ready if we participate and truly embrace the in-service trainings on this particular topic. We must embrace changes, we must embrace differences.

As stated in our mandate, it is our duty to protect and promote, the right of every Filipino, to quality, equitable, culture based and complete basic education where students’learn in a child-friendly, gender-sensitive, safe and motivating environment. To be a teacher in the right sense is to be a learner, and use this learnings to provide a quality education to all.

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THE AUTHOR IS MASTER TEACHER I AT ST. VINCENT OF QUEBIAWAN INTEGRATED SCHOOL