Alain T. Morales

Bataan National High School Senior High School

Completed 2026

ABSTRACT

This action research explores context-based solutions to address the academic, emotional, and cultural needs of fourteen (14) Grade 12 Indigenous Peoples (IP) students experiencing multi-layered educational hurdles and cultural adjustment challenges at the Bataan National High School – Senior High School dormitory.

The study employed a qualitative exploratory research approach within a participatory action research framework. Data were gathered through narrative collection via interviews and focus group discussions with students, teachers, and dormitory staff to analyze how culturally relevant pedagogy influences student engagement and identity affirmation.

Qualitative analysis revealed that integrating localized lessons provided cognitive familiarity, enhanced comprehension, and boosted behavioral engagement. Furthermore, embedding indigenous knowledge into the curriculum validated student identities, dismantled social stigma, served as an emotional buffer against residential displacement, and fostered academic resilience.

The study focuses exclusively on a small cohort of 14 Grade 12 IP students within a specific school dormitory, meaning the findings may not capture the broader perspectives of families or communities.

The study recommends institutionalizing Culturally Responsive Pedagogy through systematic cultural mapping, establishing holistic residential support like “Balik-Kultura” programs, and involving tribal elders as consultants to preserve the authenticity of indigenous knowledge systems.

This research fulfills a critical gap by aligning localized, context-based instructional interventions with Sustainable Development Goal 4 and DepEd Order No. 51, s. 2014, providing a scalable framework for sustaining educational equity among displaced indigenous learners.