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COTABATO CITY — The Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) reached an enrollment milestone of 1,258,253 students.
This diverse enrollment includes 1,119,391 students in Basic Education, 63,565 in Secondary Education, 55,172 in Madaris (Islamic Schools), and 20,195 in Higher Education, spread across 4,635 schools, including Community Learning Centers (CLC), AKAP Learning Centers, Madrasah (singular of Madaris) Schools, and training centers.
This enrollment rate as of the 1st of September underscores MBHTE’s commitment to providing access and quality education in the region. Under the leadership of Education Minister Mohagher M. Iqbal, the ministry is dedicated to overcoming educational challenges and ensuring access to education for all.
Minister Iqbal’s vision extends beyond mere enrollment figures. He has issued a call to action, stating:
“Our mission is clear — we will continue enrolling children until every classroom is filled with eager learners.” His commitment to inclusive education is unwavering, emphasizing that education should be accessible to all, including Alternative Learning System (ALS) program learners.
Minister Iqbal stressed:
“We are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that all learners, including ALS have the same opportunities as any other child.”
To achieve this goal, MBHTE actively engages communities, parents, and stakeholders through awareness campaigns, community outreach programs, and innovative enrollment strategies.
MBHTE faces the challenge of equipping teachers, educational institutions, and school divisions to effectively implement the MATATAG Curriculum, or Kindergarten to 10 (K to 10). The ministry invests in educational technologies, particularly for remote and underserved areas, to bridge the urban-rural divide.
Early Childhood Education (ECE) is also a priority in BARMM, aiming to provide a seamless educational journey for young learners.
Coordination between School Divisions, local government units (LGUs), and local school boards is crucial in enhancing the quality of education.
Efforts are underway to foster greater parental involvement in their children’s education, and socio-emotional learning remains a focal point for holistic education in the region.
MBHTE is committed to providing equitable educational opportunities, including strengthening the ALS and addressing challenges posed by disasters and climate change by creating climate-resilient and eco-friendly schools and classrooms.
Collaborating with the support of UNICEF, Pathways and other development partners, BARMM will actively create lesson exemplars aligned with the MATATAG’s curriculum’s core principles.
To further enhance the quality of education, MBHTE is influencing local governments to increase contributions to the Special Education Fund (SEF) beyond 1%.
Under Minister Iqbal’s leadership, BARMM and its partners are resolutely working to provide every child in the region with an education that empowers them for the future, reinforcing BARMM’s determination to forge ahead in the field of education.
The Bangsamoro government through the MBHTE has time and again enunciated that “No Bangsamoro learner shall be left behind”.
The Bangsamoro region, established in 2018 by the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) to implement the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), is made up of the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, the cities of Cotabato, Lamitan, and Marawi, as well as the Special Geographic Area’s (SGA) 63 barangays or villages that voted “Yes” in a plebiscite in February 2019 to be under the BARMM jurisdiction.
According to the Philippine Atlas BARMM has 4,404,288 people. It has 116 municipalities: Basilan, 11 municipalities; Lanao del Sur, 39; undivided Maguindanao, 36; Sulu, 19; and Tawi-Tawi, 11. Its component cities are Cotabato (the regional center and capital) in Maguindanao; Lamitan in Basilan; and Marawi in Lanao del Sur. (✓)