Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region II – Cagayan Valley
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF TUGUEGARAO CITY
Cagayan National High School – SENIOR HIGH

ENLIGTHENMENT THROUGH EDUCATION USING DERRIDA’S

DECONSTRUCTION TOWARDS THE BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
(REFLECTION)
NAME: ELMER P. ANNANGA JR.

“Education is integral in the life of the society. Education is and must be fundamentally concerned with the
formation of consciousness that aim at the transformation of society. This very orientation of education
finds contemporary theoretical inspiration in the philosophy of deconstruction.” (dissertation of Dr. Jeffrey
M. Centeno

The Filipinos’ recognition on the importance of education, which they believe to have been acquired from
the American colonizers, has been a great value that brought honor and prestige to the country. The
Philippines has been one of the most literate nations, at least in Asia before. The kind of education every
Filipinos has does not reflect on their lives and in their society in general. Most Filipinos go to school not
because they love education but because of fear; fear that they might not have a decent living if they do not
get any diploma. This may be a contributory factor with the fact that diploma is more important than the
quality of learning the students gained. In line with this, current issues like PISA 2018 result on students’
performance in reading, mathematics, and science on grade 9 and 10, our country is at the bottom.
Moreover, the DepED’s measurement of the PBB bonus of teachers depends on the passing rate of students,
which means failing students reflects on the teacher through deduction of bonuses. In cases of falling
students, the teacher needs tons supporting documents for their claim, and the teacher need to present and
talk to the school’s division superintendent even though the student simply doesn’t like to study to explain
his/her cases why the student failed. Simply means teachers don’t have the right to fail students. In this
connection DepED’s tag line “No Student is left behind” supports this order. Does this mean that the decline
of the quality of education is because of the policy, like mass promotion of students? Thus, a question of Are
we more of the quantity or quality of education?

Educational institutions then play a significant role in bringing our human condition to a higher level of
existence, that is, of life that is meaningful and intelligible. Against the tide that transforms universities into
instruments of economic and political propaganda, the deconstructive task of the university, as Derrida
reminds us, is to provide open alternatives, mainly for the promotion of the well-being, cultural heritage and
integrity of the Indigenous people since the study is about liberating them from any kind of discrimination.
Education itself is widely relevant to people. It brings forth the development of a child to the bigger world
he is going to face. It is obvious then that education, as Derrida puts it, is a way to transform not only
people’s view but also people’s value towards IPs in particular. Thus, at the end, one may be able to have a
celebration of “otherness”. It will make him then more human, recognizing others who are vital in his
growth as human being.

Address: Bagay Road, San Gabriel, Tuguegarao City, 3500

Telephone Nos.: (078) 304-1923
Email Address: cnhs.tuguegarao@deped.gov.ph
Facebook: facebook.com/CNHS-SENIOR HIGH
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region II – Cagayan Valley
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF TUGUEGARAO CITY
Cagayan National High School – SENIOR HIGH
Education as deconstruction is not just limited to people subject to educational institutions or to
people going to school. Rather, it is also applicable to the common people. Our education does not stop after
we get our diploma or after we get a decent job, education is a lifetime process since it is geared towards
societal transformation. Education is “a light that transforms”. Those who are being educated are the bearers
of this light. Thus, you are supposed to bring this light to those who are less privileged. Having that light
must teach you how to live finally, to be critical at all times, to be an agent of a transformed society.
Education must fulfill its mission enabling every Filipino, which includes all marginalized sectors of the
society, hope for a better future, a better and transformed society.

The Government has many programs/ projects to upgrade the quality of education, in spite these projects of
programs, there is a continuous deterioration in the quality of education.
Deped’s imitative to recognize the indigenous people’s right to basic education that is culturally rooted and
responsive, in this connection the study that I will present tries to deconstruct our understanding of
education and of the minorities in the country. I had been reflecting on the question, Did the pandemic
magnified this the social stratification, keeping the minorities at the peripheries? As teachers I guess we did
our part. The pandemic deconstructed the educational system in which we explored and utilized several
strategies and learning modalities namely blended learning exploring the virtual reality. However, with the
diversity of learners requires divers learning modalities. Learners were given soft copies of SLMs, while
some are given printed learning modules. In all my classes I create google classroom where students can
submit outputs, download SLMS and WHLPs, subject discussions and class updates online. Moreover,
several virtual applications like google meet, zoom, google classroom, class GCs were utilized. Teachers are
no longer classroom teachers per se but virtual teachers as well, responding to learners need 24/7.
Students who had difficulty of accessing online learning were given hard copy of modules and other
learning activity materials at the beginning of every semester with attached WHLP. Teachers organized all
the classes and were given time for distribution and retrieval of modules and outputs. I did some house visits
for some students to distribute and retrieve their outputs and modules. Some students needed special
attention and remediation. With everything that has been done, teachers should be jack of all traits with
specialization to be relevant and responsive to the needs of our students in this changing time.

Address: Bagay Road, San Gabriel, Tuguegarao City, 3500

Telephone Nos.: (078) 304-1923
Email Address: cnhs.tuguegarao@deped.gov.ph
Facebook: facebook.com/CNHS-SENIOR HIGH