The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is struggling with the nation’s lowest basic literacy rate, pushing the regional government and a national commission to work together and address longstanding educational challenges.
The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) recently concluded a two-day visit to BARMM, meeting with regional officials led by Chief Minister Ahod “Al-Hajj Murad” Balawag Ebrahim.
They have joined forces with the Bangsamoro government to tackle the region’s critical education challenges, aiming to uplift the BARMM’s rock-bottom literacy rate and ensure equal access to quality education.
“To achieve our goal of having one Bangsamoro professional in every family and no Bangsamoro student left behind, we therefore need all hands on board,” said Chief Minister Ebrahim during the opening statement.
“I hope that by coming together today, we can identify comprehensive approaches to addressing the systemic and structural issues facing the education sector,” he added.
BARMM struggles with a basic literacy rate of 78.7%, significantly lower than the national average (94%), according to the 2019 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey.
This disparity has prompted calls for an education reform effort focused on improving access to quality education and ensuring the curriculum reflects the Bangsamoro’s unique cultural and historical background.
“The journey to improve education in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is a challenging yet essential endeavor,” said Mohagher Iqbal, Minister of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE) in BARMM.
Iqbal emphasized collaboration between the national and regional governments as crucial for progress.
EDCOM 2 echoed the need for a collaborative approach. “We look forward to working closely with BARMM to better understand the education challenges faced by the Bangsamoro, and to jointly strategize on how it could be addressed,” said EDCOM 2 Executive Director Karol Mark Yee.
The Commission also plans to learn from BARMM’s successes in other areas, such as reducing childhood stunting rates.
During the visit, EDCOM 2 representatives met with Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) and school administrators to discuss challenges in pre-service education, teacher training, and curriculum development.
They identified a need for improved coordination between the national Department of Education and the MBHTE.
These consultations aim to develop a roadmap for reforming BARMM’s education system, ensuring all Bangsamoro students have the opportunity to succeed.
