Group says 5,500 Lumad students disenfranchised MANILA — Amid threats to safety and the coronavirus disease pandemic, and despite her "bakwit school" not being recognized by the Department of Education, Grade 9 Lumad student Irene is striving to continue her studies in Metro Manila.
With the help of 10 volunteer teachers and two tribal elders, these students belonging to the Manobo, T’boli, Blaan and Mandaya tribes from the provinces of Davao del Norte, Bukidnon, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental and Davao de Oro have been striving to continue with their education since 2018 from an environment they did not grow up in.
In its latest report, the SOS Network said some 5,500 indigenous students elsewhere cannot continue their studies as well because of the pandemic. The series of incidents happened when the lockdown was imposed in the country due to the pandemic, until May 30. The network has yet to collate the report from June up to the present.
Arevalo also said the presence of “communist terrorist groups” in said communities may endanger their safety. “We are in the community upon the people’s request for assistance in various aspects —in most cases, the deployment is upon the instance of a Municipal or Barangay Resolution,” he said. He said the military does not tolerate abuses in their ranks and penalties will be given to those who will not abide.
“Alalahanin po natin na buhay pa po ang ating katutubong sistema ng edukasyon sa pamayanan, at sumabay po tayo sa daloy ng edukasyon na ito dahil may paaralan po o wala, nand’yan po ang katutubong sistema ng edukasyon,” she added. Gofredo lamented though that the school's 10 teachers from Mindanao currently cannot be complemented physically by volunteer teachers from Metro Manila as they prohibit outsiders from entering their premises as precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19.