IP in basic education curriculum gets further push

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines said it is vigorously working to integrate intellectual property (IP) education into the basic education curriculum, stating its plans to work with the Department of Education (DepEd) so that children will have the full knowledge in protecting IP.

During a recent four-day regional seminar for teachers and the youth, IPOPHL Deputy director general Ann Claire C. Cabochan said IPOPHL is also looking forward to partnering with the DepEd soon to integrate IP principles into the country’s national education system.

“A child educated on the importance of IP is more likely to grow into an adult who values and protects intellectual property. This cultural shift could lead to a reduction in IP-related violations in the future and greater innovation and creativity,” Cabochan maintained.

The event, organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and IPOPHL and supported by the Japan Patent Office, forms part of IPOPHL’s broader push to bring IP to more classrooms and cultivate a culture of IP respect and appreciation among the younger generation.

About 30 curriculum designers, policymakers, teachers and education advocates from seven countries in Southeast Asia gathered at the event to share best practices in bridging IP stories to the youth, offering insights and inspiration for the Philippines’ efforts in bringing IP into more classrooms.

The event highlighted the role of creative teaching methods in making IP education accessible and engaging for young learners.

Modules can include storytelling about inventors and creators, hands-on activities like creating innovations, and lessons on the consequences of piracy and counterfeiting.

“Integrating IP into the education curricula is one way in which we can empower future generations to harness the power of their ideas through retaining the value of their intellectual property,” said Altaye Tedla, head of WIPO Academy’s Distance Learning Program.

She added that investing in the education sector and ensuring that educators and education policymakers have the tools and knowledge to integrate IP efficiently into school curricula will cultivate the creativity and entrepreneurship of the young generation.

Hani Aji, Associate Training Officer at the WIPO Academy’s IP e-Learning Section, underscored the role of educators in reaching out to the younger generations.

“Sustainability is essential to us, and we cannot reach sustainability without the educators,” Aji said, sharing that WIPO Academy’s teacher certification course has equipped more than 2,500 teachers on IP globally over the past seven years.

He added that WIPO Academy has developed comprehensive lesson plans and student activities that are readily available for teachers to customize to their classroom and culture.

For its part, IPOPHL has been empowering IP in schools through initiatives like the Young IP Advocates Program.

The program helped lead the four WIPO Youth Ambassadors from the Philippines — Yzhae Marrione Capuno Villaruel, Josefino Nino Ligan, Chesyne Danielle Galura Pepito and David Elijah Corsini Atup — to secure and obtain patent protection for their inventions.

To ensure youth innovations reach markets, IPOPHL also launched the Youth IP Incentive (YIPI) Program, offering waived application fees, technical consultations, and capacity-building to qualified applicants. Among the first to benefit from YIPI is PiliSeal Inventor Mark Kennedy Bantugon, whose technology has attracted international investment and attention.

IPOPHL has also partnered with the Manila Science High School and the Philippine Science High School System to mainstream IP learning at the secondary level. This initiative was extended to universities and colleges through its tie-up with the Commission on Higher Education.