In time for this year’s commemoration of Bonifacio Day on Nov. 30, a group of teachers once again called on the Department of Education (DepEd) to “immediately restore” the teaching of Philippine History in the high school curriculum.
The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), in a statement issued Friday, Nov. 26, said that DepEd’s decision to “abolish” the teaching of Philippine History was a “strong statement that our people’s struggle for freedom, justice and equality is not significant, and need not be remembered let alone learn from.”
TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas added that instead of “rectifying this imprudence,” the current DepEd administration has “chosen to maintain this error.”
The group said that the Philippine History subject used to be part of the secondary curriculum and was taught in the first year until it was “finally removed” as a dedicated subject in 2014 following the introduction of the K to 12 the previous year.
Basas, who teaches Araling Panlipunan in Caloocan City for almost two decades, said that his group has already presented their proposal to Education Secretary Leonor Briones as early 2017 and has been relentlessly advocating for it.
Meanwhile, TDC has been holding a series of lectures commemorating the patriotism of working class hero Andres Bonifacio.
Basas explained that the Andres Bonifacio lectures --- apart from honoring the Filipino hero --- is TDC’s contribution in inculcating patriotism among the youth, as well as to their fellow teachers, as mandated in the Philippine Constitution.
“Bonifacio epitomizes the Filipino nation’s resolve in meeting head-on seemingly insurmountable challenges to their freedom and dignity,” Basas said.
As election day draws near, the TDC pushes even harder for the restoration and strengthening of Philippine History in all levels of education.
“Let it be said, over and over again: a grateful nation must not forget its past,” Basas said. “If we forget about our past, we can forget all about our future,” he added.
The restoration of Philippine History in the high school curriculum, Basas said, is also one of TDC’s demands from the current candidates.
“This is even more urgent now that the causes of Bonifacio's revolution – government corruption, abuses, social injustice and exploitation of the weak remain,” he ended.