EduNative

What is Monolingualism and why is it relevant in Indigenous culture erasure?

𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙪𝙖𝙡 (mono·​lin·​gual)
having or using only one language

With the Philippines having more than 170 dialects being spoken across the archipelago, it should be known that one dialect, Tagalog, shouldn’t be the only one acknowledged. The practice of Monolingualism is seen as a threat towards educational discrimination and it represents the lack of stability in politics.

This shows the lack of preparation and recognition towards Indigenous communities, which leads to the majority of the population to disregard and not put thought into the importance of culture.

It is not just THEIR culture, but everyone else’s.



SOURCES:

How Many Dialects In The Philippines (n.d.). Words Prime. https://wordsprime.com/how-many-dialects-in-the-philippines-2/

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Monolingual. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved November 28, 2025, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monolingual

Smolicz, J. J. (1984). National Language Policy in the Philippines: A Comparative Study of the Education Status of “Colonial” and Indigenous Languages with Special Reference to Minority Tongues. Southeast Asian Journal of Social Science, 12(2), 51–67. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24490825

“𝑾𝒊𝒌𝒂 𝒂𝒕 𝑲𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂: 𝒂𝒏𝒈 𝑲𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒍𝒖𝒘𝒂 𝒏𝒈 𝑲𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒃𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝑬𝒅𝒖𝒌𝒂𝒔𝒚𝒐𝒏” 📚

For many Indigenous learners, classrooms that overlook their language, culture, and identity can hinder their connection to learning. Representation matters. Inclusion matters. Feeling seen and understood matters.

In the Philippines, our education system still carries traces of a colonial-influenced past. Because of this, many Indigenous students experience unfairness in school since lessons don’t match their culture and traditions. Teachers, too, face challenges due to limited resources and rigid curricula, and there’s little Indigenous representation in policymaking. In some communities, finding teachers who speak the community’s own language is described as “not available.”

Yet despite these barriers, many educators continue to adapt. They use creativity, local knowledge, and community language to make learning more meaningful. When Indigenous teaching methods are properly integrated into schools, students stay connected to their roots and learn more effectively.

Education becomes powerful when schools collaborate with communities because every student deserves to feel a sense of pride in who they are.

sources:
Eduardo, J.O., & Gabriel, A.G. (2021). Indigenous People and the Right to Education: The Dumagat Experience in the Provinces of Nueva Ecija and Aurora, in the Philippines. https:/doi.org/10.1177/21582440211009491

Rosal, M.A., & Cruz, J. (2024). View of Decolonizing Curriculum: A study of Indigenous Pedagogy in Mindanao, Philippines. https://journal.grasglobal.org/index.php/gdhp/article/view/3/22

Esparrado-Kalidas, A.J. (2025). Challenges in Implementing a Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy in Indigenous Formal Education https://doi.org/10.55016/ojs/jisd.v13i3.81550

“𝙀𝙙𝙪𝙠𝙖𝙨𝙮𝙤𝙣 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮 𝘀𝗮 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗯𝗼: 𝗣𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗼, 𝗛𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗮𝗽𝗮𝘁 𝙋𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙠𝙤.”

Despite the Republic Act No. 8371 “The Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997,” which was created in order to protect and promote their rights, this cannot be considered efficient without real funding provided. Advocates raised alarms over a proposed P80.1-million cut to the IPEd budget for 2025, which would reduce it to just P74.3 million from the previous year's P154.4 million. Teachers from the Lubos na Alyansa ng mga Katutubong Ayta ng Sambales (LAKAS) have already expressed that they "cannot give our students quality education with a measly budget."

Although there are improvements, its implementation is uneven and hampered by limited resources. For education to truly empower indigenous communities, it must be supported by political will and substantial financial investment.

How can we say we support education when we disregard others just because they aren’t mainstream, which includes Indigenous people? Their dreams and rights should never be overshadowed.



Reference:
Sigales, J. (2024, October 5). IP education group urges more funding for program. Inquirer. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1990159/ip-education-group-urges-more-funding-for-program

𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐤𝐚𝐬𝐲𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 🎓

“Education is a right, not a privilege.”
How often do we hear this? It goes without saying that education is available, that education is powerful because no one can take it away from us, but in reality, that’s not the case for everyone. Access to education for our Indigenous Peoples should never be an uphill battle.

Let us push for an educational system where every learner feels seen, valued, included, and supported. Equal access, inclusive classrooms. 📚