MANILA, Philippines — The Alliance of Concerned Teachers raised alarm over a module that called the Martial Law period under late strongman Ferdinand Marcos Sr. the “period of the New Society.”
In a statement on Thursday, ACT Philippines noted that the module was being used in a school in Marinduque as well as in other areas such as Iloilo and Quezon City.
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“Magbabantay tayo sa mga ginagawang rebisyon sa kurikulum ng edukasyon ngayon at ipaglalaban na matiyak ang pagtuturo ng kasaysayan na nakabatay sa katotohanan, pagkamakabayan at pagpapahalaga sa kultura,” ACT Spokesperson Rizza Bantillian said.
(We should keep watch of the revisions on the current educational curriculum and fight to ensure that teaching history will still be based on facts, nationalism, and putting culture at the forefront.)
FROM INTERAKSYON: Historian says ‘contigency plans’ drafted as calls to preserve Martial Law references mount
Teachers also noted that the senior high school 21st Century Literary called the “Geographic, Linguistic, and Ethnic Dimensions of Philippine Literary History from Pre-Colonical to the Contemporary” had factual errors and “overall problematic periodization.”
“Na-review ba ito ng DepEd Central Office? Kung oo, pumasa ba ito sa kanila? May mga typhographical errors pa, gaya nang tinawag nitong ‘Period of Enlightenment’ na may mga taon na 1972-1898,” Bantillian said.
(Did the DepEd Central Office review this? If yes, did this pass their standards? There are typographical errors, such as this so-called ‘Period of Enlightenment’ during 1972 to 1898.)
Teachers are now asking the Department of Education to pull out the material from schools and online portals.
Earlier this year, “panic buying” of books and other materials related to the Martial Law period spurred in fear of historical revisionism under another Marcos presidency.
READ: ‘Protect the truth’: A Marcos return in Philippines triggers fear for history
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in his inaugural address noted that educational materials “must be retaught.”
“I am not talking about history, I am talking about the basics, the sciences, sharpening theoretical aptitude and imparting vocational skills such as in the German example,” he clarified.
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