Teachers’ groups denounce DepEd’s ‘distortion of history’ in curriculum revision

MANILA, Philippines —Teachers’ organizations condemned the Department of Education for its move to “distort history” by downplaying the image of late Ferdinand Marcos Sr. as a dictator in its revised basic education curriculum.

In separate statements over the weekend, the Congress of Teachers/Educators for Nationalism and Democracy (CONTEND) and the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) denounced the DepEd’s move to change “Diktadurang Marcos” to mere “Diktadura” in the Grade 6 Araling Panlipunan curriculum. 

A memorandum dated September 6 from the agency’s Bureau of Curriculum Development (BCD) said the change in nomenclature “was made even after the arduous process of review and revision was done under the guidance and scrutiny of experts, the review of stakeholders, and the public and the launch of the MATATAG curriculum.”

BCD said this was meant to comply with the order of the Curriculum and Teaching Management Committee. 

CONTEND said that the revision is “a clear strategy of the current administration to rehabilitate the dark history of the Marcos family” and “a blatant example of disinformation.”

The group called on educators to reject DepEd’s move and seek transparency in curricular revisions. 

‘Dark period’ 

In a statement Sunday, ACT stressed that the alteration of terminology also undermines the truth about one of the darkest periods in Philippine history. 

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s father and namesake declared martial law in September 1972. During his rule, he ordered the closure of privately-owned media outlets, curtailed civil liberties, and suppressed dissent. 

Reports produced by the Amnesty International missions recorded over 3,000 victims of extrajudicial killings, 35,000 cases of torture, and 70,000 incarcerations during the rule of the late dictator. 

Marcos, his family and their cronies are also estimated to have stolen as much as $10 billion from state coffers.

“To reduce his oppressive rule to a mere ‘Diktadura’ is a disservice to the countless victims of his dictatorship and an affront to the pursuit of historical accuracy and truth,” said Vladimer Quetua, chairperson of ACT. 

“By attempting to sanitize and whitewash the term ‘Diktadurang Marcos,’ it is failing in its duty to promote critical thinking and historical consciousness among Filipino youth,” he added.

The Marcos family has refused to apologize or even acknowledge the atrocities and mass looting of government coffers during their patriarch’s over two-decade rule.

MATATAG curriculum

DepEd unveiled last month its revised curriculum for Kinder to Grade 10 (K-10). Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio said that the MATATAG curriculum will “reintroduce the basic foundation of education to our learners—the literacy and numeracy competencies” and ensure they develop 21st century skills.

The education department will officially implement the new curriculum nationwide starting next school year, while a pilot implementation in select schools will start this school year. 

The original curriculum mentions “Diktadurang Marcos” twice—in “Hamon sa Demokrasya/Diktadurang Marcos” and “Mga pagkilos laban sa Diktadurang Marcos.”

Philstar.com reached out to DepEd’s curriculum strand, but has not yet received a response.

ACT called on the education department to retract the directive and ensure the Grade 6 Araling Panlipunan curriculum accurately reflects the historical truths of the Marcos dictatorship. —  with reports from Cristina Chi