The Educated Citizen: Cultural and Gender Capital in the Schooling of Aetas’ Children in the Municipality of Janiuay

This qualitative research investigate the educated citizen, Cultural and Gender capital in the schooling of Aetas’ children in the Municipality of Janiuay is largely focused on three domains or methodologies: grounded theory, phenomenology, and ethnography – although there are many other forms of qualitative inquiry (Murphy et al 1998). This study combines extensive participant observation and in-depth group/individual semi-structured interviews with six (6) elementary teachers and ten (10) Aetas’ mothers. The respondents provided their insight to acquisition of elementary education at public elementary school. The result of interview and observations suggested that the educated citizen was a construct that could help explain issues concerning the education of Aetas’ children in Janiuay, Iloilo. In addition, the educated citizen seemed to have basic components-cultural and gender capital- intertwined in the children’s academic achievement. The results revealed that The male aetas are looked upon by the aetas themselves as the head of the family, its protector and who does the hard work; the female aetas are looked upon as the ones caring the baby, selling products for their livelihood, doing the cooking and cleaning of the house; Aetas don’t want to be left behind in the current trends, education, and standard of living; the modern aetas become knowledgeable due to education and they earn it in school; some of aetas are already professionals such as: teachers, seafarers, and administrative aid employee in the municipal office.

Keywords: educated citizen; cultural; gender capital; schooling; aetas’ children; municipality of Janiuay.