𝐍𝐕𝐂 𝐂𝐨-𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦 𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐨 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐮𝐦

North Valley College Foundation, Inc. (NVCFI) once again affirmed its commitment to transformative and socially responsive education as it co-hosts the landmark forum, “𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒙𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑪𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆: 𝑺𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒐’𝒔 𝑷𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝑬𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑪𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒖𝒎,” a gathering of Mindanawon intellectuals, educators, cultural workers, researchers, and advocates dedicated to reimagining education through the lens of identity, history, and human dignity.

Held as a platform for critical dialogue and cultural reflection, the forum brought together voices from across Mindanao to examine the place of Mindanawon narratives, indigenous knowledge systems, local histories, and multicultural realities within the Philippine General Education (GE) curriculum. The event became more than an academic engagement. But it’s a collective affirmation of mission, culture, and identity among institutions and individuals who believe that education must remain grounded in the lived realities of the people.

As co-host of the gathering, North Valley College Foundation, Inc. positioned itself as a bastion of democracy, academic freedom, and critical thinking. which are values deeply rooted in the mission of higher education institutions (HEIs). By opening its doors to meaningful discourse on curriculum, culture, and nationhood, the institution underscored its role not merely as a center for instruction, but as a dynamic space for intellectual exchange and social transformation.

The forum highlighted 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒖𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒙𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒛𝒆 𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝑬𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒖𝒃𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒖𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔, 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒈𝒈𝒍𝒆𝒔, 𝒂𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒐’𝒔 𝒕𝒓𝒊-𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 – 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒐, 𝑳𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒅, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒐𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔. Participants and speakers will emphasize that education must go beyond standardized content and instead foster cultural understanding, social responsibility, and critical consciousness among students.

Faculty members, scholars, and education advocates are expected to share insights on how GE courses can become instruments for peacebuilding, intercultural dialogue, and humanization of education. Discussions will revolve around integrating Mindanawon perspectives into philosophy, literature, history, social sciences, ethics, and civic education, ensuring that learners encounter a curriculum that speaks to their identities and social realities.

For NVC, co-hosting the event reflects its continuing participation in national and regional conversations concerning the future of Philippine education. It also demonstrates the institution’s support for General Education faculty members who stand at the forefront of shaping students into culturally grounded, critically engaged, and socially responsible citizens.

The gathering likewise served as a celebration of Mindanao’s intellectual and cultural heritage. Through conversations, shared experiences, and collaborative reflections, participants affirmed that the future of education lies in embracing diversity, contextual learning, and the humanization of pedagogical spaces.

In an era marked by rapid globalization, technological transformation, and social fragmentation, the forum stood as a reminder that education must remain deeply human, dialogical, and rooted in the communities it serves. By helping convene this important discourse, North Valley College Foundation, Inc. continues to embody the role of an HEI committed not only to academic excellence, but also to cultural integrity, democratic participation, and the pursuit of a more inclusive and humane future for Mindanao and the nation. [𝑫𝒓. 𝑹𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒐 𝑷. 𝑩𝒂𝒚𝒐𝒅, 𝑷𝒉𝑫]