Islamic values and Arabic language education are now in the mainstream of Philippine education. As mandated by Department of Education Order No. 51, the two subjects are now taught in public schools around Mindanao and in some parts of the country that have at least 30 enrollees who are Muslims.According to the Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao (BEAM), which partnered with DepEd in three Mindanao regions to implement a Muslim education roadmap, there is a plan to institutionalize madrasah education, contextualize aspects of DepEd's Revised Basic Education Curriculum (RBEC), provide alternative learning system for Muslim out-of-school youth, to create a special fund for the madaris (Islamic schools, plural for madrasah), among others. Islamic values and Arabic, taught only in the madaris before, is now offered as the Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (or ALIVE curriculum) in public schools, said Noor Saada, BEAM Muslim education coordinator. Classes started in school year 2005-2006 in pilot schools in select areas, according to Wallina Tambuang Motiva, DepEd Muslim education and madaris coordinator in Southeastern Mindanao. BEAM announced that ALIVE is now taught in at least 1,010 classes in Southeastern Mindanao, Southwestern Mindanao and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Saada could not provide figures for other parts of Mindanao and the Philippines, but said the classes are now held nationwide in public schools that have at least 30 Muslim pupils. ALIVE, part of an integration of the Islamic values and Arabic language in the basic education curriculum for Muslim students studying in public schools in the country, is among the key actions provided in DepEd's Muslim education roadmap. DepEd Order No. 51 series of 2004 provided for a "Standard or unified Madrasah Curriculum" for private madaris seeking government recognition. It also provided for the ALIVE curriculum in public schools, which was developed by a group of Ulama representing Muslim communities, Saada said.
In the ALIVE curriculum, Saada said, Muslim students in public schools still take RBEC subjects such as English, Math, Science, Filipino, and Makabayan. In addition, he said, they will also take four Islamic studies subjects: the Qur'an; Seerah (Life story of the Prophet) and Hadith (Sayings of the Prophet); Aqueeda (Conduct) and Fiqh (Jurisprudence) and Arabic. Saada clarified that the extent of the subjects covered varies from one grade level to another. He said Islamic studies focus on values education for the Muslim children. Non-Muslim students could take the ALIVE curriculum as an elective, but only with their parents' consent. This development will reportedly help Muslim children studying in public schools because they do not have to go to school seven days a week. He said at present, Muslim students attend Monday to Friday classes in public schools and Saturday to Sunday classes in madaris.
An ustadz (or a Muslim mentor), who shall become a regular teacher of the public schools, will handle the Islamic and Arabic subjects. Around 1,000 asatidz (plural of ustadz), Saada said, are expected to finish the accelerated teacher education program in six Mindanao universities in 2008 so DepEd could hire them as regular teachers. The non-Muslim teachers will handle the RBEC subjects but asatidz could also be tapped. The asatidz attended a 23-day Language Enhancement Program before teaching. The program serves as their orientation to the Philippine educational system.
Muslim education in public schools has gained headway in Southeastern Mindanao, Motiva said. From 36 public schools that offered ALIVE in 2005, the number has now almost doubled at 70. She said with 210 asatidz, they have an enrolment of approximately 15,000 in Davao City, Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, Tagum City, Compostela Valley, Panabo City, Samal Island, Digos City, and Davao del Sur. Saada said the integration of the subjects in the RBEC curriculum promises to help build "bridges of dialogue" between Muslims and non-Muslim students.
| Teaching Arabic, Islamic jurisprudence and the Hadiths will bring all the peoples of the Philippines together. Kumbayah, Allah, kumbayah. |
| Ask the Soddies for some loose change. I just bought gas this morning. |