Australia strengthens support to quality, inclusive education in BARMM
COTABATO CITY — Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Steven J. Robinson, AO reaffirmed Australia’s commitment to strengthening the educational system of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as part of the efforts for peace, stability, and prosperity of the region.
“We have been in BARMM for about 30 years at a close relationship, especially in education and that’s one of the areas that we focus upon that helps foster an inclusive and cohesive community. We all understand that education is the basis for a sound future,” Robinson said during the In-Service Training for AKAP Grade 1 Learning Facilitators at EM Manor Hotel, Cotabato City on 09 February 2022.
The activity is organised under Abot Kaalaman sa Pamilyang Pilipino (AKAP) Bangsamoro, a flagship program of the Ministry for Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE), supported by the Australian Government in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) through the Education Pathways to Peace in Mindanao (Pathways) program. AKAP aims to provide contextualised and relevant educational intervention for school-aged children in identified school-less and marginalised barangays across the Bangsamoro region.
STRENGTHENING ACCESS TO QUALITY, INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
About 43% of learners in BARMM are unable to graduate at the elementary level. A compelling number of children drop out of school due to armed conflicts.
Of the 2,490 barangays in the BARMM, about 30% or 760 barangays neither have elementary schools nor teachers while 210 barangays are classified as school-less.
Through AKAP, about 5,000 learners who had never been enrolled in school were given access to education.
Launched in 2020, AKAP introduces a contextualised education curriculum to the need of the community, including the indigenous peoples (IPs), through the Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM), a formal learning method similar to what is taught in the MBHTE public schools.
Tahderiyyah Islamic curriculum and IP education are also used in barangays that may need them. Qualified learning facilitators of the program were also trained to teach using ADM.
As of 2021, about 93 learning facilitators have been deployed to 61 catchment schools to provide education services to identified AKAP areas.
The project also involves parents, communities, and local government units (LGUs), fulfilling the proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.”
“We know how important these early years are to building a strong foundation in reading and writing. Since 2019, we have supported the MBHTE to deliver alternative and culturally appropriate learning through the AKAP program of which you are all part,” Ambassador Robinson said.
SUSTAINING THE GAINS OF THE AKAP PROGRAM
MBHTE will also be allocating an additional PHP 18 million for ADM this year, on top of the construction of more school buildings, feeding activities, support for human resources, and materials support provided to learners and learning facilitators.
With the support of the Australian Government, MBHTE sustains the gains and hopes of AKAP to bring more children to school, contributing to the peacebuilding and development in the region.
Robinson also expressed appreciation to the learning facilitators and partners who work with Australia to ensure quality, inclusive, and equitable basic education to all children across the BARMM. He also commended MBHTE’s efforts to resume face-to-face classes and ensure safe return to school.
“Your work is absolutely viable to ensure that the children of the Bangsamoro can still have access to learning because this is certainly the goal. And I know that this takes a great deal of perseverance, innovation, and commitment. Your continued efforts will make sure that no Bangsamoro child will be left behind,” said the Ambassador.
Pathways Team Leader Caroline Vandenabeele also expressed her appreciation for the learning facilitators’ contribution to education in BARMM.
“The learning facilitators are incredible: the jobs you are doing in some of these challenging circumstances, still giving access to all children to learn. This also helps them in different contexts of COVID; to be able to have a responsive way of engaging with children and moving forward with the learning of children in the BARMM,” she shared.
Pathways program is supported by the Australian Government in partnership with the Government of the Philippines to support quality inclusive Kindergarten to Grade 3 education for all children across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. The program focuses on early years education as the foundation for life-long learning and development.
For 76 years, the Philippines is one of Australia’s longest-standing bilateral relationships. Australia has been in a close relationship with BARMM for 30 years now, especially in education and development, as part of its commitment to mateship and the Philippine spirit of bayanihan.