P.C. Bayanihan Elementary School in the municipality of Isulan in Sultan Kudarat, a province in the Region of SOCCSKSARGEN (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos) in Mindanao, has been actively implementing the Madrasah Education Program (MEP). Madrasah means schools for Muslims or for Islamic learning.
This is one of the priority programs of Department of Education (DepEd) under the guidance of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., according to DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara.
The MEP is a comprehensive program in public and private schools that aims to provide appropriate and relevant educational opportunities within the context of Muslim culture, customs, traditions, and interests. It integrates the Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE) in the basic education curriculum.
With predominantly Muslim students, P.C. Bayanihan ES is one of Philippines’ several Madrasahs not just in Mindanao, but across all regions of the country. Based on the DepEd report in 2021, there were 1,124 School Implementers of MEP in the country, including 95 in Metro Manila. These MEP schools have a student population of between 60,000 and 100,000.
The DepEd has lauded P.C. Bayanihan for its “best practices” in implementing the MEP, said school principal, Ma’m Ruby Lapide. The principal happily shared, “Ang P.C. Bayanihan Elementary School ay tinaguriang best implementer ng Madrasah Education Program. Itong programa ng Department of Education ay napakalaking tulong at malaki ang impact sa buhay ng mga bata. Ang focus nito ay ‘yung Islamic values at saka Arabic language. Napakalaki ng tulong na naibigay sa mga kapatid natin na Muslim, na kahit hindi man makapagtapos ng college ang ilan po sa kanila, nakakapag-abroad sila, nagkaroon sila ng malaking kita.”
To further maximize the benefits for the children and their parents, as well as for their communities and the whole Muslim education system, President Marcos Jr. through DepEd has strengthened the MEP by increasing its funds.
Institutionalization of MEP
President Bongbong Marcos Jr.’s father, former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., established the MEP in the Philippines.
On April 28, 1973, the former President signed Letter of Instruction No 71-A which states:
“TO: The Secretary of Education and Culture
WHEREAS, Arabic is now becoming one of the languages often used in international conventions, and is at present spoken by millions of peoples in the Middle East and other parts of the world;
WHEREAS, Arabic is also spoken by a sizable number of Filipinos, especially in predominantly Muslim-populated areas in Mindanao…
WHEREFORE, I hereby direct the Secretary of Education and Culture to allow and authorize the use of Arabic as a medium of instruction in schools and/or areas in the Philippines where the use thereof so permits.”
On March 31, 1982, President Marcos Sr. also signed Letter of Instruction No. 1221, stating:
“The Prime Minister
The Members of the Cabinet
The Minister of Education and Culture
In order to optimize the development of the human resources of the nation, and to preserve and enhance the nation’s Islamic heritage, you are hereby directed to:
Formulate and adopt a program for the development of the Madrasah Schools for the improvement of their teaching staff and instructional facilities, but priority must be given… to their progressive integration as a sector in the national educational system, with enhanced curricula, to the end that their graduates join the mainstream of Philippine education, endowing them with the capability to contribute to the modernization of their communities within the framework of their Islamic faith…
Establish and strengthen programs in the teaching and learning of the Arabic language which is vital to educational programs in Mindanao, but is also a valuable field of study and professional education in higher education as a required or optional subject…”
Meanwhile, DepEd’s Department Order (DO) 57, s. 2010 (Implementation of the Basic Education Madrasah Programs for Muslim Out-of-School Youth and Adults) states:
-DepED is implementing the Madrasah Education Program, as a response to the call for global commitment on Education for All. It is guided by the Roadmap for Upgrading Muslim Basic Education. There are three major components under the Roadmap: (1) Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE) in public schools, (2) Standard Madrasah Curriculum in Private Madaris (Islamic educational institutions), and (3) Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE) for Muslim Out-of-School Youth and Adults…
Aligned with the directive of President Marcos Jr. to boost the implementation of education programs, DepEd issued DO 011 series of 2024 signed by Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara which states:
“The Department of Education shall strengthen the implementation of Madrasah Education Program {MEP} to provide learners with culturally appropriate and Islamic-friendly educational opportunities through the integration of Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE} in public madaris (schools} and K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum in private madaris.
To ensure the effective, efficient, and continuous implementation of MEP by addressing the diverse educational needs of ALIVE learners, DepEd shall increase the MEP Program Support Funds (PSF}…
In light of these considerations, the following provisions of DepEd Order (DO} No. 025, s. 2021… shall be amended as follows:
…All SDOs with public elementary and/or secondary schools with organized ALIVE classes, having a total of at least 10 Muslim learners per class, shall receive PSF…
… Each Contract of Service Asatidz shall be entitled to receive a regular monthly compensation of Twelve Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (₱12,500)…
The Sultan Kudarat experience
All these laws have been operationalized successfully on the ground.
DepEd District Madrasah Education Coordinator Al Hamid Batulawan said, “Ang traditional Madrasah na pagtuturo ay ginagawa dito sa pampublikong paaralan. Maraming training kaming pinagdaanan. Gumawa ng series ‘yung aming Division ALIVE Coordinator na kung saan, hindi lang isang beses isang taon, kundi umabot pa ito sa tatlong beses, ay may traianing ang aming kaguruan… Kasama sa training ang mga Asatidz (male teachers) para ma-master nila ang pagtuturo para dun sa mga bata na nagsisimula pa lang magbasa ng Arabic language.”
He added, “Ngayon po, sa whole division ng Sultan Kudarat, ang P.C. Bayanihan Elementary School lang po ang tanging paaralan na nagtuturo from Kindergarten hangang Grade 6 ng Arabic language at Islamic values. ‘Yun pong tinatawag naming ALIVE, ang mga bata mula Kindergarten hanggang Grade 6 ay nagpapasalamat dahil sa kanilang naging pagtatapos sa aming paaralan. Iyan po ang isa sa mga highlights namin dito.”
A local leader said, “Maganda talaga itong Madrasah… sa mga bata… at sa lahat ng mga tao. Kasi nalalaman nila ang tungkol sa Islam. Kasi dito ay merong pag-aaral tungkol sa pagsamba kay Allah at tungkol sa pag-aaral magsalita ng Arabic language.”
Student Israhinia Digyalab said, “Ang natutunan ko po dito ay kung paano magdasal at ‘yung five pillars of Islam. Nagpapasalamat po ako kay Pangulong Bongbong Marcos Jrr dahil sa ALIVE program at sa pagkakaroon po namin ng Madrasah.”
Another student, Alamin Galoy, shared, “Nagpapasalamat po ako kay President Marcos Jr. dahil naturuan po kami mag-intindi ng ibang lengguwahe at magbasa sa Arabic language.”
Meanwhile, student Binjunide Inidal said, “Nagpapasalamat po ako kay Pangulong Bongbong Marcos Jr. sa pagkakaroon ng ALIVE classes upang kaming mga Muslim ay matuto sa mga aspekto ng aming kultura.”
With President Marcos Jr. continuously strengthening the Madrasah Education Program through DepEd, Muslim students are assured of government support for their development anchored on a dynamic education system. Knowing one’s culture means empowering the people, and the Madrasah Education Program is one way for the Muslims not only to deepen their faith but also prepare themselves for the world of work.
