Batak parents’ challenges and aspirations in indigenous education: Insights for policies and practices
Keywords:
Batak, culturally-sensitive curriculum, education, indigenous people, resource deficiencyAbstract
This study examines the educational challenges and aspirations of Batak parents in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines. Guided by two central questions — “What challenges do you face in school education?” and “How would you like to see your children ten years from now?”— the research adopts a qualitative phenomenological approach to capture the lived experiences of 24 parents of Grade 5 and 6 learners from selected elementary schools serving the Batak community. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in the local language to promote authenticity and comfort in sharing. Thematic analysis, based on Braun and Clarke’s framework, revealed three key themes for educational challenges: economic barriers, resource deficiency, and curriculum-related challenges, which encompass financial instability, lack of educational resources, and struggles with standardized assessments and language barriers. For aspirations, three major themes emerged: educational achievement, economic stability and empowerment, and community leadership and contribution. Parents expressed hopes for their children to complete their education, secure stable employment, and contribute meaningfully to their community as leaders and role models. This study stresses the need for culturally responsive educational policies, improved resource allocation, and systemic interventions that address the unique challenges of indigenous communities
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