Cong. Eric Yap to summon DepEd officials over inaccuracy in learning materials

Photo Courtesy || Cong. Eric Yap

Cordillera - Benguet Legislative Representative Congressman Eric Yap has called on the Department of Education to conduct massive review of some of the modules containing discriminatory remarks about the Igorots. 

Yap said he will file a House Resolution in Congress and summons DepEd officials to explain the inaccuracy and sign of incompetency in the learning modules of students.

Here is the full message of Congressman Eric Yap:

I strongly condemn these photos circulating online. It is unbelievable that these made its way to the learning modules of our students. Nakakagalit. Nakakadismaya. It is not clear whether it forms part of a textbook, a module or a test sheet, but regardless of its form and context, this is an insult, an obvious form of discrimination and a mockery of our rich culture in the Cordillera. 

What message are we sending our students reading these? Okay lang na ma-bully ang bata dahil sa kanyang anyo? Okay lang ma-discriminate dahil sa kasuotan? Sa murang edad ng mga estudyante, ito ang ituturo natin? If we do not act on this, the day will come that our heritage and culture in Cordillera will die a natural death because it will be perceived as something that should be ashamed of. We will not allow that to happen. 

I call on the Department of Education to undertake a massive review of its textbooks and other materials used in schools. I urge Secretary Briones to issue a Department Order instructing teachers nationwide to forbid them from using discriminatory statements such as those shown in photos in preparing their modules. This is not the first time that this happened and at this point, the Department should take responsibility. The buck stops with you. 

This is an issue that we will definitely raise in Congress through a House Resolution that I will file and we will summon DEPED officials to shed light on this matter. Not only for this incident, but for every inaccuracy and sign of incompetence in our learning materials.