DepEd allots P100-M to strengthen basic education for IPs

The Department of Education is allotting P100 million to ensure children of indigenous peoples (IPs) in Visayas and Mindanao gain access to basic education.

 

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said the program aims to help children of IPs in poor provinces in a bid to advance the country's education system through the K + 12 curriculum.

 

Under the K + 12 program, the mother tongue of IPs will be used as the medium of instruction in the first levels of the grade school years to make learning more effective for them.

 

In a statement released Wednesday, Luistro said the program is “part of our commitment to achieve the Education for All (EFA) 2015 targets and the Millennium Development Goals set by the United Nations which we are duty bound to fulfill.” 

 

Luistro said the program will recognize the IPs' right to “responsive education” that take into account their knowledge, skills and other aspects of their cultural heritage.

 

A total of 100 divisions in 15 regions will benefit from the P100-M support fund for school year 2013-2014, said Luistro.

 

Among the regions targeted are those with high population of IPS, such as Ilocos, Cordillera, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON. MIMAROPA, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Western Mindanao, Northern Mindanao, Southern Mindanao, Central Mindanao, CARAGA and National Capital Region.

 

“The fund shall be used for capacity building to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed by teachers and personnel across DepEd offices and units in order for them to be effective IPEd implementers,” Luistro said. —KG, GMA News