Improving Educational Opportunities for Ethnic Mangyan Children in the Philippines

Project Summary

Aim:

To provide Mangyan children with the opportunity to learn based on a curriculum aligned with their culture and language.

Region:

Occidental Mindoro

Project Duration:

FY2010 to FY2012

Total Public Funds Required:

AU100,000

Children from marginalised ethnic groups such as those from Mangyan communities often miss out on attending school or they drop out after the struggle to learn becomes too much. Plan’s Alternative Education priority project will provide Mangyan children with the opportunity to learn based on a curriculum aligned with their culture and language.

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Why education for children from ethnic groups is a priority

Mangyan communities in Occidental Mindoro in the Philippines are subsistence farmers who are proud of their ethnic culture and language. While most adults have never been to school, many parents these days consider that school is good option for their children. As well as offering job opportunities for teachers within their communities, parents also see an education as protecting their children from being cheated when as adults, they trade their goods at lowland markets.

However, with primary schools some distance from Mangyan villages and secondary schools even further, children usually begin school when they are much older than their peers from the lowlands. Once at school, they must face an even bigger set back as the school curriculum is in the national language, which is not the first language of Mangyan children. In addition, the curriculum is viewed as not being relevant to their culture. Just because they are Mangyan – a marginalised ethnic group that lives on the fringe of mainstream Filipino society – these children miss out on even a basic education. 

What is being done

Plan Philippines has been working with the Mangyan communities in Occidental Mindoro since 2004.
During this time, it became clear there was a need to provide early learning to help prepare Mangyan
children for school and also to provide ethnic-based educational opportunities so they would be better prepared when they get to school.

Through the project, learning through play sessions are set up in communities and education modules are developed. Based on the national curriculum and on the Mangyan culture, these modules enable teaching in the Mangyan language. By offering teacher training to Mangyan adults who have graduated from high school, Plan also aims to place Mangyan teachers in schools attended by Mangyan children. 

What has been achieved so far

Plan has held an initial consultation workshop with members from the Mangyan communities. The Philippine Government has already translated and developed curriculum modules for use by other indigenous groups. Plan staff will investigate if these can be adapted for use by Mangyan communities and if so, the adapted content would be directly applicable to the Mangyan lifestyle and culture.

What needs to be done this year

During FY2010, Plan Australia will support Plan Philippines and Mangyan communities to:

• Design a set of learning modules for children and adults in the Mangyan language. Adult modules will include topics such as literacy including financial literacy; parenting and early childhood development; health; cultural and social heritage; food security; and livelihoods.
  
  
• Consult with Mangyan people who are high school graduates and provide them with the opportunity to be trained as teachers. Once trained and with their qualifications recognised by the Government, these teachers will be able to teach in schools attended by Mangyan children.
  
  
• Organise a technical working group for planning, reviewing and monitoring of the project. This group includes representatives from Mangyan communities, Department of Education, local government units, teachers and teacher’s assistants, other NGOs and Plan.
  
  
• Investigate whether or not birth registration is required for children to enrol in primary school and the impact this may have had on attendance for Mangyan children.

Funding needed

In FY2010, Plan in Australia needs to raise $100,000  from the Australian public.

This project is also supported by AusAID, the Australian Government Agency for International Development.