Starting Again After Escaping War
by Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS)
Cousins Mary Joy (7) and Justine (6) are two of the Teduray learners at Lanting Learning Center in the remote Municipality of Talayan, Maguindanao. Before, the two had only dreamt of going to school since their parents were occupied with finding a safe place for their families to escape the conflict.
Mary Joy’s mother, Lolita Sebio Babas, 34, shared that they used to live in Kigan village, South Upi, about 80 kilometres from Talayan. However, they have been displaced numerous times around Maguindanao and Upi due to skirmishes between local government forces and non-state actors, and recurring conflicts between feuding families. Issues on land-grabbing and harassment of indigenous peoples (IP) farmers also caused other Teduray populations to be displaced. It was only in 2017 that they were finally able to settle in Lanting.
“We remained here in Lanting because we have nowhere else to go,” Lolita said, adding that after trying to start over many times, they hope to stay in this land for good.
The family plants corn and bananas for a living, like most of the other community members. However, they still can barely afford to buy their daily needs, less so spend on school fees and transportation to send their children to school.
Even transporting their harvests from the field to the town is a challenge due to lack of infrastructure to cross the mountains, and rivers. They, therefore, use horses or carabao (water buffalo). Due to additional work and expenses, any amount earned is not enough for the family’s needs.
As for Mary Joy and Justine, and many little children like them, the journey to reach the nearest school is also difficult, especially during rainy seasons.
FINALLY GOING TO SCHOOL
Through the Abot Kaalaman sa Pamilyang (AKAP) Bangsamoro, the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS), BRAC International, and other local partners established a learning centre managed by catchment school Tamar Elementary School that is closer to where Mary Joy and Justine live.
AKAP is a flagship program of the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE). With support from the Australian Government in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) through the Education Pathways to Peace in Mindanao (Pathways), AKAP aims to provide contextualised and relevant educational intervention for school-aged children in school-less barangays across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Established in 2008, Tamar Elementary School is not only a learning site but also an evacuation centre for the Tedurays of Talayan whenever fighting breaks out. Since 2012, the elementary school has served as a catchment school to seven (7) learning centres, including Lanting Learning Center.
“I’m grateful that there is finally a school near our barangay,” Lolita shared happily. “AKAP has also provided the school supplies that Mary Jane needs to study such as notebooks and pencils,” she added. Mary Jane is very fond of drawing and colouring, so she is encouraged to go to school because she will be able to take home her crayons. On the other hand, Justine, who had problems with writing, is now able to do so properly.
A NEW DREAM
While Justine, Mary Joy, and their classmates go to the learning centre for their education, Lolita, her husband, and most of the parents have also learned basic literacy and numeracy — an opportunity they lost before because of the constant need to keep themselves safe from armed hostilities.
The parents became interested in reading and writing after listening to their children’s teachers. Through time, most of the parents now know how to write their own names — and even help review their children’s lessons.
Before AKAP’s intervention, Mary Joy’s parents did not have aspirations; and had accepted the fact that, perhaps, their entire lives would only be about fleeing from armed conflicts and planting corn and banana to survive.
But now, Lolita wants Mary Jane to finish schooling. “I will do anything just for Mary Jane to graduate,” she said firmly.