Inclusive education is a significant step (in itself, also made of many steps) toward paving a just world for everyone, with no exceptions. In the impact it creates, one thing is often overlooked: within the passion of every advocate that seeks to make the world a better place, and that believes that it will happen, the community is often fostered as an unintended consequence.

As part of the KaISA Project’s implementation — led by the Bangsamoro Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) — to strengthen education systems towards inclusive education for all learners in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Timanan Central Elementary School (TCES) accepted the challenge to co-create a pilot Inclusive and Supportive Centre of Learning (ISCL) that is responsive to the contextual needs of learners. This was enacted through ‘Pintakasi’, or ‘bayanihan’, which refers to the Filipino cultural behavior where an entire community comes together for a common cause. TCES practiced this through enabling collaboration among the school community by taking a whole-of-community approach, where the TCES school community fully demonstrated their open-mindedness and willingness to contribute.

With support from the Australian Government through the Education Pathways to Peace in Mindanao (‘the Pathways program’), this ISCL facility was launched on 23 May 2023, following the guidance of the project’s Human-Centered Design Thinking Approach.

Transforming through learning about inclusive education

When TCES first encountered the KaISA Project or the Inclusive Schools Approach (ISA) during the Division Education Planning and Development activity of the MBHTE, the newly introduced concepts were intimidating to them. The teachers were confused with the new terminologies and mindsets the partner implementing organizations laid out for them. Grade 5 Teacher Rubirosa “Ruby” Baron admitted that, at first, everything was so confusing for her.

“Now, you can foresee that it’s done, it’s already here. So, what we did (referring to the outputs of the co-designing sessions), that’s it. That’s what will be inside the hub. What’s left is the finishing touches. We’re ready for the launching. So, for everyone who has their assignments, let’s make sure to do our part to follow our timeline. Let’s help one another. No one will help us except ourselves. We’ve already been given the guidance to make this happen. We can do this,” Teacher Ruby declared.

For Rolet Joy Romero, a grade 6 teacher, initially interpreted the ISCL as a classroom.

“I thought that the ISCL was a classroom. So, we didn’t anticipate that the ISCL was this hub. I really didn’t know that this was a hub. We thought, I thought, and most of us thought that this was a classroom,” Teacher Rolet shared.

TCES Principal Lourdes Germo also felt what other teachers felt when she attended the training for the first time. ISA and what it aimed to do for Timanan and the rest of BARMM had not yet reached Timanan before this event.

“Fellow teachers, like you, we also went through the same as you when we attended the training for the first time. We also didn’t know anything about the ISCL. So that’s why we suggested having more trainings for those other teachers who are not able to attend so they can also have an idea of what the ISCL is. Because you, fellow teachers, those who can attend already know this program. Help us share this with our co-teachers, even our pupils, and our parents. Let’s help one another to achieve this. And the tasks that were assigned to us, let’s also help one another. There is no leader, there is no teacher, we are all on the same level, for the good of our program,” Principal Germo said.

Despite all these initial reactions to the ISA, TCES decided to continue attending the sessions being organized by the KaISA Project. As they continued, they began to grasp each concept of the ISA and inclusive education and saw the value that this would bring to their school community. This inevitably formed them into active KaISA Champions, which they voiced during the conclusion of the Pilot Testing and Simulation Activity for the pilot ISCL, led by the MBHTE.

Making inclusive education happen strengthens a community

Designing and launching the ISCL was no easy task, and this could not be done alone. Among the remarkable things that the TCES leaders of the pilot ISCL achieved was organizing their community to build the ISCL together. More than a culmination of what the TCES school community had achieved with its partner implementing organizations, it was also a representation of what inclusion looked like: a celebration of diversity, of everything that made people unique, and of all the things people can achieve when they come together.

In creating the physical space of the ISCL, TCES educators, some individuals, and partner organizations contributed materials to complete it to actualize their vision of what an inclusive classroom looks like. All these were contributed by various individuals and organizations that support the TCES school community in their endeavor to make inclusive education a reality in their school. These are TCES educators, the MBHTE Directorate for Basic Education and its Bureau Directors, the Pathways program, and The Teacher’s Gallery, and other individuals.

Another highlight of the transformation that the ISCL inspired throughout South Upi is the local ordinance that was signed during the ISCL Launching. This ordinance, titled, “The KaISA Ordinance to Reach Every Child,” officially cements the commitment of South Upi to support the implementation of the ISA and ISCL for all learners in the municipality.

Remarkable as well is the monetary support that all schools in South Upi cumulatively raised to make the launch of the ISCL successful — a total of PHP 231,000 for ISCL launch preparations, food, decoration, labor, and other materials.

Moving toward the future of inclusive education

Fast forward to June 2023, the KaISA Project proceeded with further co-developing the ISCL by delving into the applications of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles in the context of the Bangsamoro. This packaged the training resources that the project had provided in its past trainings on the foundations of the Inclusive Schools Approach to standardize and simplify the content, process, and expand the reach of the training program. This is in recognition of UDL as a critical and core competency to further expand the initiative to establish more ISCLs throughout the region and to facilitate the adoption of the ISA across all schools.

Since the commemorative signing during the ISCL Launching, the LGU is further developing the KaISA Ordinance by strengthening this with data management policies to support evidence-based planning for programs catered to learners with diverse needs. This effort will be linked to the Learner Information System (LIS) and Bangsamoro Education Management Information System (BEMIS) to further enable this. This shall also serve as an avenue to establish community linkages for data sharing toward the effective delivery of inclusive social services for all types of learners.

The ISCL of Timanan Central Elementary School will now serve as a model of inclusive practice not only for Timanan, but for all schools in South Upi. Now, when resources, trainings, and referral to other services are needed by diverse learners, the ISCL shall be the standpoint where school communities can learn about inclusive education and see how they can be part of the future of inclusive education in BARMM.

Note: This story was submitted by Cherel Cantay, a Field Enumerator from SDO Lamitan. Her submission has been edited for grammar and accuracy. 

Before I start my story, I just want to express my gratitude for giving me the opportunity as a field enumerator to be part of the KaISA Reach Every Child Campaign. It was such an amazing challenge, adventure and achievement.

[The 20-Day Campaign to Reach Every Child] was a challenge for me. Being a teacher, as part of my career I already had experience with child mapping, but this activity is way [different] from the usual mapping activities. I was trained on how to execute the survey tool, but I still had doubts and felt pressure on the things that could possibly happen in the field. I had to travel for 15 kilometers from my residence since my assigned Barangays is in the town proper. 

I had some difficulties in explaining the content of the survey and clarifying it to the respondents due to language interference since I am not well versed in the Yakan, Tausug and Samal dialects (used by the locals who were interviewed). The weather conditions, heavy rains, slippery roads, footbridges, community misconceptions on the survey as ayuda (cash assistance from the government), 4Ps or scholarship grants, encoding and uploading data through the KaISA Disability Information Management System (DIMS), using gadgets, [intermittent] signal, [unstable] internet connection, and data errors (which were later resolved) were some of the issues I was very concerned with. However, I was able to cope and overcome those challenges. I was glad to solve those concerns with my cooperative Team Leaders and [fellow Field Enumerators]. 

My experience in this campaign was an amazing adventure. I was able to visit new places, meet different people, learn new things, discover the reality of the learners’ situation at home and acquire different stories of children.  Through this activity, I was able to see the situations of the children and how they were striving hard to continue their studies and some children who stopped schooling because of the [responsibilities that they needed to shoulder] to help their parents for family needs and expenses. Based on what I had encountered, it made me think that a teacher should not only see [what happens within] the four corners of the classroom but open their eyes and see the struggles of their learners at home.

And I’m proud to say that I’m one of the enumerators during the 1st [20-Day Campaign to Reach Every Child]! KaISA ako para sa bata, para sa bayan. At sana magkaisa tayo para sa kapakanan ng mga [bata sa Bangsamoro]. (Translation: I stand for children, for our country. And I hope that we stand together for the sake of children in the Bangsamoro.) 

As part of the Bangsamoro Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE)’s initiative with the support of the Australian Government to promote inclusive education in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) through the KaISA Project (also known as the Inclusive Schools Approach), identifying and locating learners with functional difficulties throughout the region was found to be a priority. To address this, the Child Finding Activity – dubbed as the 20-Day Campaign to Reach Every Child – was organized across all school divisions in the region among which is the School Division Office (SDO) of Lamitan. The implementation in SDO Lamitan was led by Team Leader Ma. Cristina Delos Santos, along with 10 Field Enumerators (composed of educators and school staff). In 20 Days, the team had unearthed many untold stories of children in the Bangsamoro.  

Challenges to reaching every child in Lamitan  

The Field Enumerators of Lamitan experienced many challenges in the pursuit of their goal. Heavy rains, impassable roads, poor internet connection, and power outages were among the difficulties that they had endured.   

However, the major difficulty that they encountered was some families feeling reluctant to take part in the survey, especially given that the members of the team were considered outsiders to their community. To address this barrier between them and the community, the team cooperated with the local community leaders to bridge the connection that they needed.

Eventually, the community warmed up to them, with parents of children with functional difficulties even taking the initiative to pave the way towards gathering the data they needed, acknowledging that this was vital to identify the issues that hinder the children of their community from pursuing education.  

Meanwhile, Badjao children also experienced bullying from their peers, discouraging them from going to school. Some also identified the trauma caused by family conflicts as a struggle that they dealt with. The combination of all these difficulties contributed to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.   

Members of indigenous groups, especially their children, have experienced historical marginalization that has led to their lack of access to education. Teacher Cristina details these factors: economic poverty, child labor, and geographic isolation. These barriers to education are further compounded by the lack of teachers to serve in impoverished and isolated communities.   

The campaign gave Teacher Cristina a new perspective on what it meant to reach every child through the Child Finding Activity and how it directly addresses the barriers to quality education that indigenous learners encounter. By providing a platform to identify, provide referrals and interventions for learners and teachers alike, it is an opportunity to strategize providing not only educational opportunities but also interventions for poverty that can improve their quality of life such as financial assistance from the Ministry of Social Services and Development.  

Teacher Cristina is dedicated to generating more programs to coach and mentor more educators and school staff to enhance what they had achieved within 20 days. Recognizing that this is only the beginning of making education more inclusive in Lamitan, she is now committed to furthering the reach and impact of the Inclusive Schools Approach.   

Teacher Cristina thinks the activity was the first step in generating programs fitted for learners’ educational and intersectional needs. For her, aside from the campaign, there should also be intervention and assessment in regular schools for more programs promoting inclusion for all learners to be implemented effectively.  

“[The 20-Day Campaign to Reach Every Child] is still our obligation. While we had served [by] enumerating learners in barangays, it was found out that in regular schools, we had learners [who were manifesting functional] difficulties that [needed] to be served prior to addressing needs of regular teachers who are already in mainstreamed classes,” Delos Santos added.   

With the efforts done by SDO Lamitan to provide quality inclusive education to the learners of Lamitan City through the Child Finding Activity, it is important that all sectors of the community must also contribute to make education reach all children and provide effective programs to address their needs. 

“We are also included in the community. Just because we have disabilities does not mean that we will be left out – it is not like that. We also have worth in society – we are valued.”   

This is a strong and heartfelt statement by a remarkable leader in South Upi, a municipality of Maguindanao del Sur, that highlights a need for representation in social inclusion. Brian Tenorio is an accomplished PDAO (Persons with Disability Affairs Office) Officer who is dedicated to addressing the barriers to education that people with disabilities like him experience.   

South Upi, a tri-people community – the Indigenous Peoples, Christians, and Moros – focuses on promoting social inclusion, particularly in education. Brian Tenorio, a member of the Inclusion Support Group (ISG) of Timanan Central Elementary School (TCES), participates in leading the implementation of the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE)-led Inclusive Schools Approach supported by the Australian Government for learners with disabilities at the pilot Inclusive and Supportive Center Centre for Learning (ISCL) designed for TCES. His dedication to promoting inclusion for all learners is evident in what he has achieved in promoting inclusive education and supporting the development and implementation of inclusive practices in South Upi.  

An empowered leader empowers others   

From a simple living, Brian Tenorio began his humble beginnings in serving the disability sector by being part of the PDAO South Upi staff in August 2021. This position empowered him to implement what he knew and to concretely make a change for the sector. Among his responsibilities was designing programs that would cater to the needs of people with disabilities. One of these interventions that PDAO South Upi implemented was establishing associations for people with disabilities per barangay, with Brian as the current president of his barangay. In South Upi, a federation was also established to oversee the associations in 11 barangays. This serves the goal of representing persons with disabilities and providing them with a platform to participate in building disability-inclusive communities.   

Furthermore, the Ministry of Social Services and Development continuously aids the barangay organizations through the PDAO with the needs of people with disabilities such as assistive furniture and devices. The assistance provided by the South Upi local government unit (LGU) helps the organizations to operate. The mayor of South Upi, Hon. Reynalbert Insular, shows committed, strong support for the sector, recognizing the importance of providing for the needs of all underrepresented sectors in South Upi to make social inclusion a reality.  

Even with the services provided, one of the obstacles that PDAO continuously mitigates is the isolated geographic location of the members – bringing concerns about poor signal for communication and rough roads unsuitable for people with difficulty in mobility. Brian stated that if there is a meeting with other barangay officers with disabilities, they cannot attend due to the said concerns. Setbacks like this did not stop Brian from continuing his campaign to empower people with disabilities.   

Representation in breaking the exclusivity chain   

Brian Tenorio firmly believes in the concept of inclusivity in schools. The inclusion of learners with disabilities with other classmates in the school through mainstreaming with appropriate teaching strategies and fostering inclusive learning environments disintegrates the understanding of exclusion and enhances acceptance and respect amidst differences.

  “Masasabi kong mahalaga talaga, kasi ‘yong mga bata… ‘yong may mga kapansanan na [may disability], ‘di na sila mahirapan na maghanap ng kanilang way, kumbaga. Kasi alam na nila kung saan sila lumugar at tsaka… doon sa mga kasamahan nila na… parang maiba ‘yong [perspective] nila,” the PDAO staff described.    

(What I can say is really important, because those children… those with disabilities, they will no longer find it challenging to find their way, basically. Because they will know where their place in the community is and… for their peers, they will change their perspective.)

Brian also added that inclusive education at TCES paved the way to eliminate cases of bullying steadily. Through the success of the Inclusive Schools Approach or KaISA Project, it enabled the children to accept all types of learners in the school; hence, he endorsed this campaign.

“‘Di natin maiwasan ‘yong bully [sa school]… andiyan ‘yong bullying – ‘di talaga ‘yan maiwasan. Pero sa dumating ito [inclusive education campaign], medyo okay-okay,” he added.

(Having bullies cannot be avoided in schools… bullying is there – it cannot be avoided altogether.But when this [inclusive education campaign] came, things became better.)

Passionate to contribute, Brian joined multiple activities as a part of ISG since the ISA’s inception in Timanan Central Elementary School. His insights helped to create a hub and referral systems appropriate for his sector. Brian Tenorio treasures the help provided by various stakeholders that not only received support but also the other locals with disabilities. He believes that representation will go far for advocacies like inclusive education, which is especially true for the KaISA Project’s ISG, composed of representatives of marginalized marginalised sectors to provide insight and experiences on what inclusion is.

“Kasali rin kami sa community. Hindi kami… porke’t may kapansanan kami, naiwan kami – hindi ganon. May halaga pala kami salipunan – may silbi kami,” Brian proudly expressed.

(We are also included in the community. Just because we have disabilities does not mean that we will be left out – it is not like that. We have worth in society – we are valued.)

For the pilot ISCL in TCES, Brian reflects on its potential impact on the school community of South Upi. Apart from that, the systemic approach such as referral systems will ensure that the needs of all learners are addressed and met. 

When one asks an educator why they pursued education and teaching children, the answer is similar from person to person, though in different words: because they believe in the power of education to shape the future of children. Through education, one can make their dreams come true, and create the future that they want for themselves.  

It is also the belief of educators, especially those who are in isolated areas where education may not be so easily accessed, that education is necessary to uplift the people of their community. Most times, the value of education can be found where one is – and inspires a person to make a significant impact to benefit everyone, no matter what challenges may arise. 

Iyasmen Dandamun, a KaISA Team Leader in the School Division Office (SDO) of Lanao del Sur, represented them and shared their collective effort in going beyond their capacity to create an inclusive Bangsamoro – starting by creating an inclusive Lanao del Sur. 

Learning and seeing the value of inclusion for the community 

2020 was a transformative year not only for Teacher Iyasmen, but also for most education professionals who catered to learners with disabilities in their school district. It was the year that transformed their collective understanding of what education can be and how it can change to be inclusive – not only for those with disabilities, but for every learner of all identities and backgrounds through inclusive education.  

When Teacher Iyasmen and her fellow Lanao del Sur Team Leaders (namely Coraisah T. Mimbantas, Hanifa Bacaraman, Carmina Macaindig, Asrizha S. Cosain, Janina M. Adapun, Rohaidah L. Hadjinor, Omerah M. Barangai, Fayediyah Aratuc, and Bayawan B. Mangandog) attended the first KaISA training – led by the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) with the support of the Australian Government – and returned to their school community, they realized that education for learners with disabilities was an emerging need and saw that there was a lack of awareness in the context of diverse learners. Using what they had learned, they were able to identify, see firsthand, and reflect on why learners with disabilities found it difficult to go to school. Many children with disabilities who belonged to their community had families who felt the need to protect them from the discrimination they could receive at school. Because of this, even the children themselves felt discouraged and ashamed of their condition, and in turn, of themselves.  

“Mismo yung bata, nahihiya siya kasi sa bahay nila, sa kanila is wala nang… di naman sa pag-asa, pero iniisip nila, bakit pa? Para saan pa? May patutunguhan pa ba yan kung mag-aral pa man? Kung may ganyan talaga, kung may program na ganito, pwedeng ma-encourage or pwedeng magkaroon ng interest yung parents pati yung bata na mag-aral, kasi… meron pa. Kaya pa. May pag-asa ka pa.” 

(Even the children themselves, they feel ashamed [of themselves] because at home, there is no… I wouldn’t say hope, but they think, why try? For what? Would they even have a future even if they study? If there’s something like this, if there’s a program like this, their parents can be encouraged, or they can gain an interest in enroling their children in school, alongside their children, because… There’s more. It’s possible. You have hope.) 

For Teacher Iyasmen, the KaISA Project, when finally fully implemented, will serve as a beacon of hope not only for children with disabilities, but every learner who seeks education for a brighter future. She describes education as a tool for empowerment – if one is educated, they can independently stand up for themselves because they know their value, dignity, and rights. 

At the same time, she observed that in Lanao del Sur, there were already some inclusive practices in place, and teachers were very willing to cater to learners with disabilities but needed the support to serve their educational needs.  

Why inclusive education is worth going beyond for 

Teacher Iyasmen described having felt confusion when they first learned learnt about the foundations of the Inclusive Schools Approach and the concept of inclusive education that was being introduced to them for the first time.  

“Nung una, lito. Di ko pa siya [maintindihan]. Pero kalaunan, dahil sa mga training, mga seminar, [nadiin] na sa akin kung ano yun incluisve education about sa KaISA. Lahat kasama. Lahat involved. Walang maiiwan talaga. I-rereach out mo yung mga bata na hindi pumapasok, kahit yung may disability, yung mga hindi kayang pumasok kasi nasa child labor sila, kasi naghahanap-buhay. Yung mga batang lagpas na sa edad… ayun, tuluy-tuloy na siya. Marami na akong na-learn sa inclusive education, maganda talaga siya. Marami talagang matututunan dito at marami kang ma-hehelp na tao.” 

(At first, [I felt] confusion. I didn’t [understand] it yet. But eventually, because of the training, the seminars, [I finally got] what inclusive education is. Everyone is included. Everyone is involved. No one will really be left behind. We will reach out those children who didn’t go to school, even those with disabilities, those who cannot go to school because they need to earn a living, those who have outgrown the usual school age… I learned a lot of things about inclusive education, and it’s really good. There is a lot to learn here, and this will greatly help a lot of people.)

All six Team Leaders came together and brainstormed, dividing the necessary tasks up among themselves [specify names and tasks]. When their plan was ready for the annual presentation to Lanao del Sur School Divisions Superintendent (SDS) Rubina Mimbantas Macabundar, they laid out a comprehensive plan that covered many topics and practices, including but not limited to formative assessment, addressing learners’ diversity, and behavior management in the classroom. 

It took two years before their proposed plan for this roll out was approved, all part of the due diligence of their SDS. One of the roadblocks they had encountered to approval was minimizing their budget while keeping the quality of their implementation and the amount of time that this would take up. A lot of questions were asked of them: Where would they find the budget? Were there donations?  

Come 2022, when the Team Leaders became more familiar with the concepts of inclusive education and built up their capacity through training provided by the KaISA Project, their plans were eventually approved. Teacher Iyasmen quipped that perhaps this was the reason why their plan was eventually approved. They finally rolled out these trainings, with the strong support of SDS Macabundar who deeply believed in the potential of all children and saw this initiative to create meaningful change for them. 

Inclusive educational practices are essential 

Teacher Iyasmen says that applying the concepts of inclusive education is important to recognize the uniqueness of every learner and ensuring that no one is left behind. This goal can only be effectively attained by catering to them based on their specific characteristics that made them unique. 

“Sa akin po, actually, isang nakikita ko na kailangan ito ma-share sa field, kasi unang-una, nandyan na yan eh. May mga [nakilala] na kami, during kasi sa mapping, na may mga bata na [learners with disabilities]. So, kung hindi nila alam… Eh di paano nila i-hahandle yung mga bata? Tapos kung hindi nila alam yung mga terms na dapat gamitin, yung mga [inclusive] languages? Papaano na, ma-bubully yung mga bata… [Dapat] at least aware yung mga teacher na hindi ito dapat, yung mga aware siya sa mga do’s and don’ts. So kahit papaano, maka-help. And then isa pa na as in… nag-udyok sa akin is yung mga training, nag-sink in sa akin is kung ang application mo sa mga regular learners is yung pang-[learners with disabilities], kung [learners with disabilities] nga natututo sila, how much more kung doon mo i-apply yun sa mga regular? So para sa akin, as in ma-aattain yung goal na ‘no child left behind’... Hindi mo talaga sila maiiwan eh, kasi nga differentiated yung instruction.” 

(For me, actually, one reason why I see this as important to share in the field, is because first, it’s already here. During the mapping (referring to the 20 Days to Reach Every Child Campaign), we have already encountered [children with disabilities. So, if they’re not aware… how will they handle these children? And if they don’t know [inclusive language]? Then these children will get bullied… Teachers will at least be aware that there are terms you are not supposed to use, be aware that there are dos and don’ts. So, this would help somehow. And one more thing that encouraged me is during the trainings, in sank in that if the application you have for regular learners is that of for [learners with disabilities], if [learners with disabilities] can learn, how much more if this is applied to regular learners? So, for me, to truly attain the goal of ‘no child left behind’… you really won’t leave them behind, because there is differentiated instruction.)

However, Teacher Iyasmen acknowledges that initiating an effort of this scale is not that simple. Having gone through the complex process herself, she knew that they were only able to succeed with a myriad of factors that happened to fall into place at the same time. Still, she emphasizes that making inclusive education happen is truly worth it to contribute to creating an inclusive Bangsamoro.  

For her, sometimes, all it takes is going back to the ‘why’ – and the ‘why’ is the collective hope the KaISA community has for every learner in the Bangsamoro. Though it may take a long time – five years, ten years, or fifteen years – Teacher Iyasmen is certain that change is possible, as long as one is willing to commit. 

Iyasmen Dandamun is the current Special Education (SPED) Focal Person of the School Division Office of Lanao del Sur, headed by Schools Division Superintendent Rubina Mimbantas Macabundar. She is serving as a Team Leader in the KaISA Project, alongside other Team Leaders mentioned who spearheaded the roll-out in their school division. Logistics and secretariat support were also provided by Janice Rivera and Lafayette Ampatua.