Bukidnon State University (BukSU) hosts the first Philippine Higher Education Conference on Indigenous Peoples Education, dubbed BIGKIS (Building Indigenous Knowledge for Inclusivity and Sustainability). The 2-day event (July 4-5, 2024) brought together participants from across the country to discuss and chart a path forward for strengthening Indigenous Peoples (IP) education within the country’s higher education system.
A community ritual was the first part of the BIGKIS activities.
BIGKIS is an initiative by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) that aims to deepen understanding and appreciation of Indigenous Peoples’ culture within higher education institutions (HEIs) across the Philippines.
The event tackles strengthening IP education in Philippine universities through various means: sharing best practices, addressing challenges, fostering intercultural dialogue, exploring alternative learning methods, and promoting cultural preservation and collaboration for sustainable development.
CHED Commissioner Ronald L. Adamat, keynote speaker, emphasized the importance of advocating peace education and bringing indigenous communities into higher education.
Following the preliminary sessions of Bigkis are plenary talks on the role of HEIs and integrating indigenous knowledge into the curricula, and IP music and arts as alternative platforms for indigenous peoples education.
Meanwhile, CHED officials and various HEIs gathered to affirm their commitment to promoting Indigenous Peoples and peace education in their institutions through a signing board activity. The Signing of the Commitment Board was one of the highlights of the first day of BIGKIS.
info and photos by Bigkis 2024
