Beyond Geographic Barriers: Exploring the Educational Experiences, Challenges, and Aspirations of Indigenous Peoples Learners in GIDA Communities

This study explored the educational journey of Indigenous People (IP) learners from Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA) in Apopong District, Division of General Santos City. Specifically, it examined their lived experiences, challenges, coping mechanisms, and insights to generate evidence that may inform culturally responsive educational policies and practices. A qualitative multiple case study design was employed involving five purposively selected Indigenous learners. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed using cross-case thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns and shared meanings across participants' narratives. The findings revealed that the participants' educational experiences were characterized by enduring daily hardships, achieving success despite adversity, receiving meaningful teacher support, and maintaining strong cultural identity. Major challenges included inadequate educational resources, long distances to school, limited teacher preparedness for culturally responsive instruction, discrimination, and insufficient recognition of Indigenous language and traditions. To overcome these barriers, participants relied on family support, teacher encouragement, peer collaboration, community guidance, spiritual faith, and personal determination. Their experiences fostered resilience, strengthened cultural pride, and reinforced the belief that education serves as a pathway toward individual advancement and community empowerment. The study concludes that culturally responsive education, supported by inclusive policies and collaborative stakeholder engagement, is essential for improving educational equity among Indigenous learners in GIDA communities. Strengthening teacher capacity, expanding access to learning resources, integrating Indigenous knowledge into the curriculum, and reinforcing school-community partnerships can enhance learner participation, academic persistence, and well-being. These findings contribute to the literature on Indigenous education by demonstrating that resilience and cultural identity function as key assets in overcoming educational disadvantage and advancing inclusive, equitable, and sustainable educational development.