DepEd says modules with discriminatory remarks on Igorots ‘mistakenly reproduced in good faith’

Following the discriminatory contents found in self-learning modules (SLMs) on Igorots, the Department of Education (DepEd) said that such modules were “mistakenly reproduced in good faith” and it asserted that it doesn’t condone discrimination of any kind.

DepEd said in a statement on Tuesday that their internal investigation indicated that the draft document containing the activities discriminating Igorots was still undergoing quality assurance procedures. However, it was mistakenly reproduced in good faith by some school personnel.

Discrimination should have no place in our society. Our journey to ensure that our education promotes equality and respect for each other still has a long way to go and the Department is committed to [doing] its part to eliminate discriminatory practices in schools and offices,

DepEd added.

A resolution had been filed by the House members from the Cordilleras criticizing the incident as they express their disbelief and alarm over the depiction of Igorots in DepEd’s self-learning modules.

Also READ: DepEd says reported errors in learning materials decreasing in second quarter

In the social media, Proud to be Igorot hashtag posts have trended with Igorots sharing their experiences and photos in order to spread awareness and to counter the inaccurate discriminatory remarks.

This has not been the first time DepEd has been called out several times due to various mistakes found it its SLMs and other learning materials. In one instance, some modules carried contents discouraging students joining protests which were immediately condemned by Commission on Human Rights. Other modules contained stereotypes on farmers, body shaming, promotion of gender stereotypes and others.

Also READ: Learning modules with discriminatory content on Igorots corrected by DepEd

Because of these incidents, DepEd had formally launched its Error Watch initiative to directly address errors in SLMs in October 2020. It is a mechanism used to receive and collect reports of errors found in different learning materials to be validated and corrected by appropriate offices.