MAKATI CITY — The Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) represented by its Minister, Mohagher Iqbal, and the Universitas Islam Darul ‘Ulum (UNISDA) of Indonesia, represented by its Rector, Muhammad Hafidh Nashrullah, signed here Thursday, July 18, during the Madrasah Education Partners Forum, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which aims to improve madrasah education in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The MoU was the product of the successful series of dialogues and benchmarking activities undertaken by the MBHTE’s Directorate General for Madaris Education (DGME) in Indonesia since 2022 to discuss partnerships driven by the same goal.
In his welcome address, Minister Iqbal underscored the event as a great privilege to shift local perceptions and challenge stereotypes about madrasah as a significant component of the Bangsamoro education system.
“While we are not here to change the world, at the very least, we are gathered here to understand and recognize madrasah education and its role in building the foundations for lasting peace,” he said.
Iqbal strongly believed that madrasah education is not just an educational system but a way of life embodying the Bangsamoro’s values, culture, and faith. To him, it truly exhibits and portrays the Islamic perspectives of knowledge, comprising of “revealed knowledge and acquired knowledge”.
Following the developed Madrasah Education Strategic Plan (MESP) presented by DGME Director General (DG) Tahir Nalg, the MBHTE committed to enhance the quality of formal madrasah in BARMM this 2024 to 2026.
“To reiterate, this plan is not merely a document but a vision for the future,” DG Nalg emphasized.
The MESP, according to him, encompasses programs aimed at enhancing the quality of formal madrasah education, aligning with the targets outline in the national SGDs, the Philippine Development Plan, and the BARMM plans of the Bangsamoro Development Plan and Bangsamoro Education Reform and Development Plan.
While the importance of madrasah education to the Bangsamoro cannot be overstated, the MBHTE is firm that through this system, peace, tolerance, and understanding can be instilled in the children.
Meanwhile, the MoU, which shall take effect for five (5) years upon signing, will further improve research and development and community service in the region which includes education and teaching, training and mentoring, scholarships, among others.
The MESP was developed with technical assistance from the Australian Government through the Education Pathways to Peace in Mindanao Program, in cooperation with the Department of Education.
