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COTABATO CITY, March 11, 2024 (SDN) Bangsamoro Education Minister Mohagher M. Iqbal on Monday welcomed the advent of Ramadan this year, calling for unity “in our shared journey towards enlightenment through education.”
He emphasized the “collective efforts in education” of the people of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), “are crucial in paving the way for a brighter tomorrow” for the region.
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.
Since his assumption in 2019 as head of the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE), Iqbal, also a Member of Parliament (MP), he has been implementing various reforms to raise the quality of education in the Bangsamoro region.
Central to his reform agenda are the hiring of thousands of teaching and non-teaching personnel, the construction of new schools to augment classrooms, providing IT equipment and school supplies, among others.
Bangsamoro individuals play a pivotal role in cultivating peace and ensuring BARMM prosperity
Under his leadership, the MBHTE operates on the maxim that “No Bangsamoro learner shall be left behind.”
Iqbal, executive vice president and vice president for Central Mindanao of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), the political platform of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), cited the significance of the Muslim holy month.
“As we embrace the spirit of Ramadan this year, let us take this time to strengthen our resolve, deepen our understanding, and reinforce the bonds of kinship and solidarity. Together, we can build a legacy of knowledge and harmony that will echo through generations.”
He added that performing Ramadan fasting revolves around not only about abstention from eating and drinking, but “an opportunity for all Muslims for spiritual rejuvenation, cleansing, and self-reflection.”
On March 10, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), the BARMM, and the Ulama Council of Zamboanga Peninsula (UCZP), declared the beginning of Ramadan to fall on Tuesday, March 12, after the non-sighting of the crescent moon that ushers in the Islamic holy month.
The BARMM education chief laid down the role of the individual Bangsamoro.
“Each member of the Bangsamoro plays a pivotal role in cultivating peace and ensuring the prosperity of our region. Hence, this Ramadan, let us unite in our shared journey towards enlightenment through education. Our collective efforts in education are crucial in paving the way for a brighter tomorrow for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Education is the foundation upon which we build our future, and during this month of generosity and contemplation, let us reaffirm our commitment to nurturing the minds and hearts of the next generation of leaders, innovators, and professionals.
“As we embrace the spirit of Ramadan this year, let us take this time to strengthen our resolve, deepen our understanding, and reinforce the bonds of kinship and solidarity. Together, we can build a legacy of knowledge and harmony that will echo through generations.”
He issued his message as MBHTE head.
Iqbal said: “On behalf of the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education, I wish you a Ramadan filled with peace, wisdom, and blessings. Ramadan Mubarak!”
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. — EDD K. USMAN (✓)