In a significant move to enhance the quality of education within the country's Madrasah system, the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE), together with the governments of Australia and the Philippines, representatives from several embassies, and the Department of Education (DepEd), launched the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) Madrasah Education Strategic Plan (MESP) on Thursday, July 18, in Makati City.

In his welcome remarks, MBHTE Minister Mohagher M. Iqbal underscored the need to ensure that “no Bangsamoro child is left behind in their learning.”

“Strengthening madrasah education represents ‘unity in diversity.’ It demonstrates Bangsamoro’s firm commitment to preserving our region’s rich historical, religious, and educational heritage while creating an inclusive environment where every learner, regardless of background, can succeed,” Iqbal said.

Iqbal added that madrasah education is “integral to our people’s aspiration to shape our educational policies and systems.”

“Therefore, the Bangsamoro deserves genuine autonomy that all parties should honor,” Iqbal said. “A thriving autonomy is the true solution to the recurring internal conflicts in the region,” he added.

In their keynote messages, BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim and Australian Embassy Deputy Head of Mission Dr. Moya Collett highlighted the importance of building the foundations for lasting peace through Madrasah Education.

“As neighbors and strategic partners, Australia and the Philippines share the goal of achieving a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region — and we believe that education plays a vital role in achieving this,” Collett said.

The current situation and challenges

During the event, the current situation of madrasah education in BARMM was also discussed.

To date, the Islamic Studies and Arabic Language (ISAL) Curriculum is “yet to be formulated” while the Islamic context is “not integrated” into the current K to 12 curriculum used in the BARMM.

Moreover, madaris receive insufficient funding to carry out quality education, and in the case of traditional and private madaris, they are significantly underfunded compared to state schools.

It was also pointed out that many madaris in the Philippines have been challenged with poor educational facilities and buildings that are not conducive to learning.

New strategic plan

The new plan was launched at a forum convening under the unifying theme, “Madrasah Education: Building the Foundations for Lasting Peace.”

MBHTE Director General for Madaris Education Tahir G. Nalg presented the MESP. “This plan is not merely a document but a vision for the future,” he said.

This initiative, from 2024-2026, reflects a robust commitment to elevating educational standards and ensuring that students in Madrasah schools receive an inclusive and high-quality education.

The strategic plan focuses on key areas such as curriculum enhancement, teacher training, infrastructure improvement, community engagement, and robust monitoring and evaluation.

Through these efforts, the MBHTE seeks to transform Madrasah education into a model of excellence, fostering better educational outcomes and a more inclusive learning environment for all students.

The new strategic plan is the first to focus on madrasah education since the establishment of the BARMM in 2019.

It serves as a blueprint to enhance the quality of formal madrasah education and develop Muslim learners who are holistic, morally upright, and committed to excellence.

A madrasah is an Islamic school or educational institution, and approximately 1,700 formal and non-formal madrasahs serve more than 84,000 learners across BARMM.

MBHTE highlighted progress on madrasah education and the current challenges and opportunities outlined in the strategic plan.

Strengths and opportunities

Amid the challenges, the MBHTE sees opportunities through the new strategic plan as there are more than a thousand madaris across the BARMM, enabling more children to access education.

There is also a growing number of madrasah learners who are digital natives and eager to learn. Increased funding support from the BARMM parliament, local government units, and donors can help address issues and infrastructural requirements of the madaris.
Once implemented, the MESP aims to contribute to the improvement of key priority areas in madrasah education.

Bangsamoro learners, regardless of gender, physical ability, and social or economic status, will increase by 30 percent.

All learning materials for every subject will be aligned with the new curriculum, and the number of madaris with permits to operate will increase by 15 percent.

During the press conference, the MBHTE officials also expressed willingness to meet with new DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara to discuss the curriculum and other concerns related to madrasah education.