JOLO, Sulu – A total of 1,203 aspiring applicants from Sulu took part in the Islamic Studies and Arabic Language (ISAL) teachers qualifying exam on May 26 held at Sulu National High School.
Aimed at selecting qualified candidates for the ISAL program of BARMM, only 81 slots are available specifically for Sulu in 2024, out of a total of 796 slots allocated for the whole region for the same year.
In an interview, Administrative Assistant I Nizar Hamid provided insights into the competitive nature of the selection process. He highlighted the limited number of slots available and the high number of applicants vying for admission into the ISAL program. Despite the challenges, the Ministry of Basic Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) remains committed to ensuring fair and transparent selection criteria.
“Ang mga makakapasa ay magkakaroon muna ng In-Service training bago sila ma-deploy and next, ay mayroon kaming hiring ulit. Yearly po itong hiring namin for ISAL teachers,” Hamid said.
[Passers will first undergo In-Service training before they will be deployed and then, we will have another hiring. This is our yearly hiring process for ISAL teachers.]
Additionally, the Directorate General for Madaris Education (DGME) of BARMM’s education ministry is set to expand its ISAL program, which will enable ISAL teachers to take on new roles in public madrasahs, in addition to their current duties.
“In the near future ay ma-implement din ‘yong public madrasah para doon din po ang ISAL teachers natin magtuturo, In shaa Allaah,” he added.
[In the near future, we will also implement public madrasahs where our ISAL teachers will be teaching, Allah willing.]
Sulu Madaris Division Head Yahya Titong expressed his well-wishes to all participants, encouraging them to give their best effort during the exam. He emphasized the importance of preparation in achieving success in the ISAL qualifying exam.
“We wish success sa mga examinees and we hope na may another exams pa ang MBHTE-DGME para matugunan pa yung mga pangangailangan namin [dito],” Titong said in an interview.
[We wish success to our examinees and we hope for further exams to be conducted by the MBHTE-DGME in order to address our needs here.]
The examination process aims to identify talented individuals who demonstrate a strong passion for teaching and a deep interest in the Islamic studies and Arabic language and in alignment to the BARMM’s 12-point priority agenda of ensuring that youth in the region receive a quality and holistic education.
As the results of the ISAL qualifying exam are awaited, a successful outcome is anticipated that will pave the way for a new generation of scholars and educators in the field of Islamic studies and Arabic language. (Alline Jamar M. Undikan/BIO)
