DepEd: No pressure from higher-ups on changing ‘Diktadurang Marcos’

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday denied that there were efforts to distort history after a letter from its Bureau of Curriculum Development (BCD) recommended changing the term “Diktadurang Marcos” (Marcos dictatorship) to just “Diktadura” (Dictatorship) in the revised Araling Panlipunan or social studies curriculum for Grade 6 students.

DepEd Director Jocelyn Andaya in an interview said the agency only intended to align the outline of topics to focus on events and themes instead of prominent political figures.

She explained that under the head “Hamon sa Demokrasya” (Challenges to Democracy), different topics will be discussed such as the declaration of martial law, implementation of dictatorship, loss of democratic institutions, independent legislature, economic decline, violation of human rights, ill-gotten wealth, resistance to dictatorship, antidictatorship actions and the assassination of Ninoy Aquino.

“That’s not revisionism because ultimately, and inevitably, in the discussion of these [topics], it will always lead to who implemented it. No revisionism is happening and will happen,” Andaya said.

When asked if teachers would still be allowed to use “Marcos dictatorship” in their lessons, Andaya said: “Of course. Because any discussion on the dictatorship in the Philippines will inevitably point to a discussion on the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.”

She also denied that there was any political pressure from higher-ranking officials to change the term, saying it was part of the academic discourse in their office.“It is purely an academic discussion. No pressure whatsoever from higher-ups,” Andaya said.

The DepEd official was responding to the statements of teachers’ groups and civil society organizations who questioned the directive to change the terminology in the revised Matatag curriculum to be pilot-tested this school year.

In the letter dated Sept. 6, the BCD told Education Undersecretary Gina Gonong that the nomenclature for the term would be changed in compliance with the order of the curriculum and teaching management committee. INQ

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