Pragmatism as basis of the integration of Indigenous knowledge systems and practices in the Philippine K-12 Indigenous Peoples Education program: Problematizing and ways forward

Abstract

I interrogate the Philippine Indigenous Peoples Education’s operational construct of culture to explicate its indigenous knowledge systems and practices (IKSP) integration into the K-12 curriculum. Pragmatism as a philosophical framework mainly guides the argument in this paper. In the first part, I introduce the old and contemporary meanings of culture and point out flaws in the IKSP integration. Literature backing the essence of IKSP integration into the school curriculum dominated by the Western knowledge system is discussed in the second part, followed by a discussion on culture and indigeneity that nuance further the IKSP integration in public education. The Philippine Indigenous Peoples Education is presented next, highlighting its definition of IPs, focus areas, support systems, and recent developments, ending with a critique. Analysis and discussion follow. The paper concludes with a challenge, especially for the education sectors, to reframe their lenses at looking at culture to build authentic relationships with indigenous communities and provide indigenous learners with an education that is need-based and culture-sensitive, one that respects their worldviews, knowledge systems, heritages, and identities, one that is truly liberating. Providing IPs an education responsive to the changing society can help them achieve a real sense of self-determination for social progress.

Keywords:

• Indigenous people
• indigenous knowledge systems and practices
• culture
• pragmatism

Acknowledgements

I conceived this work when I took educational foundation courses under Dr. Clement C. Camposano (Chancellor of the University of the Philippines (UP) Visayas) and Dr. Maricris B. Acido-Muega, my professors at the College of Education, UP Diliman. The paper was presented as a part of the conference synthesis of the 2nd Society for Strategic Education Studies (S4SES) International Conference hosted by Tarlac Agricultural University through the initiative of S4SES Vice President Dr. Maria Mercedes E. Arzadon. The Mindanao State University-Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography (MSU-TCTO), my home institution, is instrumental in this work. MSU-TCTO Chancellor Dr. Mary Joyce Z. Guinto-Sali granted me a scholarship to pursue a doctoral degree at UP, paving the way for this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Fernigil L. Colicol

Fernigil L. Colicol is an assistant professor at Mindanao State University-Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography (MSU-TCTO). He is a PhD candidate in Anthropology and Sociology of Education at the University of the Philippines Diliman, where he received the International Publication Award (IPA) for two consecutive years, 2022 and 2023. He has researched on multilingual education, indigenous education, basic and higher education, teacher education, and transformative mixed methods.