DepEd Cordillera integrates traditional indigenous crafts into HS curriculum

BAGUIO CITY — High school students in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) are gaining broader opportunities to connect with their ancestral roots as public schools integrate indigenous knowledge and traditional practices into the regional curriculum.

The Department of Education (DepEd) Cordillera is driving the cultural preservation effort through its Indigenous Peoples Education Program and the Strengthened Senior High School Curriculum, offering hands-on instruction in traditional trades such as weaving, pottery, blacksmithing and wood carving.

Across the region’s provinces, public high schools have introduced specialized electives rooted in local cultural heritage.

In Abra, Peñarrubia Integrated School provides instruction in natural dyeing, embroidery, and loom weaving, while San Quintin National High School teaches students how to craft “kattukkong,” a traditional headgear made from dried bottle gourd shells.

Over at Baguio City, Pines City National High School incorporates traditional weaving and garment production into its “e-PADAIT” program, which combines heritage crafts with digital marketing and e-commerce training for Technical-Vocational-Livelihood students.