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ZAMBOANGA CITY – A second consultation phase on the reactivation of two school division offices (SDOs) of Sulu was held Monday, May 20, at the city’s Grand Astoria Hotel.
Participated by the division’s school heads, nurses, and personnel, the consultation aims to engage in a dialogue and serve as a platform to gather their insights and share experiences, best practices, and innovative ideas.
In his message via Zoom, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Education Minister Mohagher M. Iqbal acknowledged the presence of all involved who signified their commitment to this cause and willingness to contribute to improving the educational framework.
“We understand that these discussions may bring up difficult topics or differing opinions, but we are here to support and guide you. By working together, we can identify our challenges, brainstorm solutions, and develop strategies to enhance the quality of education in our region,” said Minister Iqbal.
The separation of Sulu SDO is pursuant to BARMM Executive Order No. 0002, series of 2021, which the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) has not yet enforced mostly due to the pandemic and fewer leveling-off sessions at that time.
In a nutshell, the EO is aligned and has a similar objective with the existing two-school division arrangements for big provinces such as Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur.
It can be recalled that the first consultation was held last February 21, 2023, with the Sulu SDO’s stakeholders.
“I want to reaffirm the MBHTE’s unwavering commitment to continuously improving the education system in BARMM. We are dedicated to providing support and resources necessary to ensure that every Bangsamoro child can access quality, inclusive, and relevant education,” the Minister concluded.
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. With the recent plebiscite at SGA, the BARMM now has eight new municipalities as residents voted “Yes”.
According to the Philippine Atlas BARMM has 4,404,288 people. It has 116 municipalities (plus eight newly established under the SGA: 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. (✓)