DepEd-6 strengthens Madrasah Education Program
Department of Education -- Western Visayas under Regional Director Victoriano Tirol has strengthened the implementation of Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education Program in public schools.
This nationwide program is anchored on the DepEd's global commitment on Education for All (EFA) to provide access to quality education that includes all forms of educational system. Based on the said principle children of school-age should be given quality education irrespective of their race, color, religion and culture.
For Muslim children enrolled in public schools, Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE) should prepare them for a generation of learned and intellectual Muslims imbued with Islamic Values and spiritually prepared to serve the people and the country as a whole.
This program is part and parcel of the DepEd's Muslim Basic Education Roadmap in response to the relevant provisions of the President's 10-point Agenda, the Medium Term Development Plan, and the Expand Organic Act for Muslim Mindanao. The government has the mandate to give importance to the welfare of our Muslim brothers. With the implementation of the 1996 Peace Agreement; Madrasah Education is declared a vital component of the National Education System. Hence, this program is realized in Region VI -- Western Visayas.
Through the concerted efforts of the Regional Director, Chief of Elementary Education Division, Schools Division Superintendents, District Supervisors, Principals and with the support of the Local Executives, this region has identified 7 divisions as Madrasah Education Centers with dominant Muslim enrollees. The following divisions identified were Aklan, Antique, Bacolod City, Iloilo, Iloilo City and San Carlos City.
To ensure consistent implementation of DepEd Order No. 46, s. 2005, a Two-day regional Work-Conference Orientation for DepEd Officials and Personnel Involved in the Implementation of the Standard Curriculum for Madrasah Education Program was conducted in Punta Villa, Arevalo, Iloilo City last January 30-31, 2007. This training program provided avenue to resolve various issues relative to implementation of the program like: School Mapping and Needs Analysis; Selection and Recruitment of ALIVE Teachers; Building Parents and Community Support; Deployment, Compensation and Sourcing of LGU Support; Organizing ALIVE Classes; Class Scheduling; Grading System and Carding; Selection of Honors and Integration of ALIVE Activities in School; and Monitoring of ALIVE Students and Teacher Performance.
The training also aimed to validate the initial draft of the national policy paper addressing the generic issues on ALIVE implementation and endorsed it as ALIVE Implementation Guide. The training program was spearheaded by Atty. Victoriano B. Tirol, Jr., Ed. D., Ph. D., Regional Director, through the Elementary Education Division Chief Dr. Mina Celia Angostura with close supervision and support of Dr. Manaros B. Boransing, DepEd Undersecretary for Mindanao Affairs as Keynote Speaker, National Policy Adviser and Senior Consultant.
(* The author is the Principal of Tabucan Elementary School)