by Noemi Baysa
During the 4th Annual Forum on Teacher Exchange towards Global Citizenship Education themed “GCED in Action: Innovation and Solidarity in Responding to Global Disruption,” on October 30, 2020, the Department of Education – International Cooperation Office (DepEd-ICO) announced the Top 3 Best Re-entry Application Project (REAP) Implementers across the country.
The winners were chosen from the nominees of the regions who are all part of the Korea-Philippines Teacher Exchange Programme (KPTEP) from 2012 to 2019 based on effectiveness, efficiency of implementation, application of learning and replicability of their initiatives that apply the concepts of GCED to address identified priority improvement areas.
KPTEP is developed as part of the Asia – Pacific Teacher Exchange for Global Education (APTE) in order to support the enhancement of the quality of education in the Philippines through the capacity – building of its key educators and schools, particularly in view of innovative educational practices, global competence and intercultural literacy required for the 21st century learner’s and educator’s competence.
Upon return to the country, each of the KPTEP awardees implemented initiatives in response to Target 4.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4 on Education), which calls on countries to “ensure that all learners are provided with the knowledge and skills to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.”
THE INNOVATIVE PROJECTS
Project AETA (Accessible Education to Agtas): Towards Inclusivity and Equality
Dr. Chandler Ibabao, a teacher from Alem Elementary School in SDO-Apayao, initiated Project AETA (Accessible Education to Agtas) to improve the numeracy, literacy and livelihood competencies of the Agtas, an indigenous group in Apayao, which is located deep in the Cordillera mountains of Northern Luzon.
With the desire to provide accessible education to Agtas and to help them preserve their culture, Ibabao implemented Project AETA starting with understanding of their identity and culture, and is now making an impact and getting ripple effects of action for inclusivity and equality.
Ibabao shared that through Project AETA, the Agtas learned to write their names showing that they have an identity deserving of all the rights and privileges of humans; that they learned to count making them believe that their existence matters; and that they realized that they too deserve to learn and be educated.
Ibabao’s initiative went beyond reading sessions and extended its help to the Agtas through outreach programs with the help of government agencies, non-government organizations, and private individuals.
Reflecting on the milestones of the initiative, Ibabao said that Project AETA is no more about numbers and letters, but the journey of Agtas towards their dreams through her and all the supporters’ actions for the realization of their dreams.
PIGEON (Project I Commit to Global Citizenship Education through Online Newspaper): Empowering the Youth
PIGEON (Project I Commit to Global Citizenship Education through Online Newspaper) is an online publication that Dr. Noemi Baysa initiated together with the former and current campus journalists of Malabon National High School from the Schools Division Office of Malabon City, National Capital Region.
The publication through its articles promotes global citizenship education and sustainable development goals.
The online publication featured works of students that focus on awareness of different local, national, and global issues delivered in different categories – news, features, opinion, science, and artworks, which include photos, illustrations, and literary pieces.
Baysa shared that PIGEON is committed to being a catalyst for change in creating a global community and in inspiring global citizens.
Guided by its tagline, Educate, Enlighten, Empower, its 11 editors and 29 contributors, uphold their pledge to continue writing and producing relevant articles and artworks to promote GCED and SDGs, to voice out their views and insights about global issues, to engage readers to critically think about global issues and what they could do or contribute to achieve the sustainable development goals, and to empower everyone with knowledge about local, national, and global issues for them to become promoters of peaceful, tolerant and inclusive societies.
Currently, PIGEON has already published in its website more than a hundred articles and artworks that are all aligned to the 17 SDGs.
Project PLAC (Professional Learning Action Cell ): Transforming more GCED advocates
Dr. George Borromeo, Public Schools District Supervisor of SDO Manila shared his Project PLAC (Professional Learning Action Cell) which utilized intercultural competence model for global transformation through Professional Learning Action Cell as an educational approach for benchmarking.
The project was designed for teachers, students, parents and the entire school community of Pedro Guevarra Elementary School in Manila with the participation of the students at Namyangju Somrang Elementary School in South Korea.
Phase 1 of the project, Project PLAC: Professional Learning Action Cell, was a capacity building for teachers in the integration of GCED concepts in their lessons. Lesson planning, critiquing, development of materials, and demonstration teaching were participated by 310 teachers.
Phase 2, Project PLAC: Presentation of GCED Lesson to Active Community of Learners, focused on the application of the teachers’ learning in Phase 1. Demonstrating teachings were conducted and were participated by 523 teachers.
Phase 3, Project PLAC: Promoting Love and Care, was considered the heart and soul of the project, involving both internal and external stakeholders of the school.
A total of 2,348 participants participated in the several activities he conducted including Parent Counselling; 4Rs Campaign; Project iCare, Batang Emergency Response Team Orientation, Clean-Up Drive, Recycling activities and Save Manila Bay Campaign; Project iLove, 4Rs Campaign: Improvised Boat Making; and Globalizing Students’ Values on Proper Waste Management and Marine Environmental Protection.
PLAC activities culminated in the publication of EDnnovation, a magazine of innovations in education multiple literacies for sustainable future. A website was also launched to showcase the highlights of the magazine.