A shared commitment to Indigenous Peoples education: DepEd IPsEO head visits APC

When the head of the Department of Education’s Indigenous Peoples Education Office (IPsEO) visited APC on the first week of classes, the occasion marked more than an official school visit. It became an opportunity for educators, school leaders, and government partners to learn from one another as they explored how Indigenous Peoples Education can continue to grow from the culture, language, knowledge systems, and aspirations of Indigenous communities.

Ms. Maria Lourie Victor, Head of DepEd’s IPsEO, was joined by the Indigenous Peoples Education Coordinators and Focal Persons from the Schools Division Offices of Bukidnon and Malaybalay City. Their visit provided a space for dialogue with APC’s educators and community partners while strengthening collaboration in advancing education for Indigenous learners.

For more than three decades, APC journeyed with the Pulangiyēn community in developing an educational approach that grows from community life. Learning begins with the language, history, knowledge systems, and values of the people while preparing learners to participate confidently in the wider world. This continuing journey provided a context for conversations on culture-based education and Indigenous Peoples Education.

Throughout the visit, the delegation spent time in classrooms and other learning spaces, observing how teaching and learning are shaped by the realities of the Pulangiyēn community. Discussions with teachers, school leaders, and students highlighted how the mother tongue, Indigenous knowledge systems, and community participation remain integral to the curriculum and the daily life of the school.

One of the visit’s most memorable moments took place during Ms. Victor’s conversation with APC’s grade school learners and teachers.

She shared with them the story of a child who grew up in an Indigenous community but never learned to speak the mother tongue because another language had become the language of schooling. The child left the community to pursue higher education, built a successful professional career, and was eventually invited to return as the guest speaker at the graduation ceremony of the elementary school where the journey had begun. Yet, upon returning home, the successful professional faced a painful reality. Although born and raised in that community, the person could not speak the language of the people who had gathered to celebrate the occasion.

After sharing the story, Ms. Victor invited the APC community to reflect on two questions:

How would you feel if you were that person, someone who doesn’t know how to speak the mother tongue or native language of your birthplace?

What do you think the elders in your community would feel in that situation?

The learners responded thoughtfully. Many shared that they would feel ashamed if they were in that situation. For them, it would be painful not to be able to speak the language of their own people. They affirmed that children should be taught through their mother tongue in school and encouraged to use it every day, at home, in school, and even when they are in the city speaking with fellow Indigenous peoples. They also expressed that everyone should take pride in their language, whatever it may be, and wherever life may lead them.

The exchange resonated with APC’s educational philosophy. It reminded learners, teachers, and visitors alike that language is more than a means of communication. It carries memory, identity, relationships, and a sense of belonging between generations.

Learning through the mother tongue does not limit children. Rather, it gives them a strong foundation from which they can learn other languages while remaining rooted in who they are and where they come from.

The conversations throughout the visit also became an opportunity to reflect on both the promise and the challenges of implementing Indigenous Peoples Education in upland indigenous communities.

APC shared lessons learned from years of walking with the Pulangiyēn community, while the visiting officials contributed insights from DepEd’s continuing efforts to strengthen Indigenous Peoples Education across the country. Rather than a one-way exchange, the visit fostered mutual learning, where different experiences enriched a common purpose.

For APC, the gathering reinforced the importance of partnerships in advancing quality education for Indigenous learners. It affirmed that meaningful educational change is strengthened through listening, collaboration, and respect for the wisdom and experiences of Indigenous communities.

APC expresses its sincere gratitude to Ms. Maria Lourie Victor and the accompanying DepEd officials for their time, openness, and engagement with the APC community. Their visit strengthened relationships that continue to support Indigenous Peoples Education and affirmed that this work is a shared responsibility among schools, communities, and government.

As APC continues its journey with the Pulangiyēn people, it remains committed to nurturing learners who are rooted in their identity while prepared to contribute meaningfully wherever life may lead them.