BENGUET Provincial Board (PB) Member Juan Nazarro Jr. said he will file a resolution exempting the province from the mandatory teaching of autonomy among elementary pupils.  Nazarro said children should not be involved in the discussion of autonomy, adding that they, being minors, could not participate in the plebiscite. “Why involve the children in the discussion of autonomy. If an 18-year-old child could not understand what autonomy is, how much more an elementary pupil?” he asked.

Nazarro was reacting to moves by the Regional Development Council and the Department of Education that seek to intensify the information drive for the Cordillera Autonomous Region.

The information campaign sought to include elementary pupils, secondary, college, and vocational students in a discussion on autonomy. This is to increase the level of awareness of the people on matters relating to Cordillera’s renewed bid for an autonomous region.

Discussions on autonomy would be incorporated in the Araling Panlipunan subjects of Grades IV, V, and VI.

“There are other important matters which must be taught than autonomy,” Nazarro said.

The board member said he would file a resolution urging that Benguet be exempted from the discussion on autonomy in the elementary level.

“Let the other provinces accept it if they want,” he added.

Education officials were invited to attend the Provincial Board’s regular sessions and clarify the agreement on the incorporation of autonomy in classroom discussion.

The information dissemination on autonomy was allotted a budget of P33 million.