IFSU confers 10 DepEd teachers as IK educators

By Eulalie D. Dulnuan

LAMUT, Ifugao -- At least 10 teachers from the Schools Division of Ifugao-Department of Education were recognized as Indigenous Knowledge Educators during the first graduation ceremony of the Ifugao indigenous knowledge educators training program held here at the Ifugao State University (IFSU) on Feb. 6.

For almost five months since August 2019, 10 teachers of the Gohang National High School (GNHS), Gohang, Banaue, Ifugao underwent capacity building seminars and workshops on Ifugao indigenous knowledge and curriculum development as part of their training to become IK educators.

The pioneering batch developed and produced the GNHS Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) Framework and Indigenous Knowledge, Skills and Practices (IKSP) General Curriculum Guide.

These two important documents serve as bases in producing indigenized and contextualized learning modules. Aside from these, at least 12 Learning Modules on Ifugao Agriculture; Muyung System and Biodiversity; Gender roles; Woodcarving; Hudhud; Traditional Back strap Weaving; Dances; Basketry; Tourism and Topography were crafted. These knowledge materials are now readily available for educators and other stakeholders to promote indigenized and contextualized learning materials on the different Ifugao knowledge, skills and practices.

               Dr. Eva Marie Codamon-Dugyon, project leader and IFSU president, lauded program partners, pioneer-graduates and mentors for contributing towards the success of this program.

Dugyon cited challenges in perpetuating IKSP caused by modernization, internationalization, and fast-changing technological trends.

“Many young people are no longer interested to learn IKSP and definitely our Ifugao Knowledge Educators Training Program is the response of IFSU and DepEd to address this challenge,” remarked Dugyon. “We made this happen as we see it important to promote and bridge these indigenous knowledges to our children, to the young people, to our learners for the continuous survival of our culture and identity as indigenous peoples. That is what we are here for. That is what this program is all about.”

The Ifugao indigenous knowledge educators training program, launched in August 2019 with DepEd as partner, is one of the components of the Center for Taiwan-Philippines Indigenous Knowledge, Local Knowledge and Sustainable Studies (CTPILS) Project.

CTPILS is an international academic and research cooperation between IFSU and the National Chengchi University (NCCU) of Taiwan.

The Ifugao Indigenous Knowledge Educators Training Program aims to build up a core of indigenous knowledge educators from the Department of Education (DepEd) and IFSU with the active participation of different knowledge holders and experts from the communities and academe.

At the end of the program, it is expected that at least 80 educators, knowledge holders and IFSU mentors are capacitated and would have produced 40 instructional materials for indigenous knowledge and sustainable studies.

The program is divided into two semesters per year that will run for three years.

A total of 96 hours is expected to be completed by trainees to cover the course training. The trainees and other participants are scheduled to meet once in a month for two days. Most of the training activities are conducted at the International Innovation Center for Indigenous Studies, GIAHS Center, IFSU Main Campus, Nayon, Lamut, Ifugao.