COTABATO CITY – To officially open School Year 2020-2021 in the region, Bangsamoro Government’s Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE) joined the nationwide simultaneous flag-raising ceremony on Monday, October 5.
Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal rang a gong to signal the formal opening of classes during a kick-off ceremony held at Sitio Tenorio, Datu Odin Sinsuat, in Maguindanao. With the theme “Maging Ligtas, Mag-aral! Tuloy ang Pag-aaral kahit nasa bahay!”, the ceremony highlighted that despite the pandemic, children’s education must continue.
“As a response to the pandemic, we resorted to alternative, home-based learning modalities where the parents or guardians shall also educate their children,” Minister Iqbal said.
Iqbal emphasized that the ‘new normal’ is a challenge to everyone especially to the teachers who are at the forefront of delivering education services to the people.
He said the ministry will overcome the demands of the new normal with “combination of grit, the resources available to us, the principle of Moral Governance as the driving force, and the cooperation of stakeholders.”
Fernando Landol, a security guard and a father of a Grade 10 and a college student, shared that amidst the Covid-19 crisis he still decided to send his children to school because he worries about their future.
He said he is confident that the MBHTE will provide quality education despite the pandemic. “Pinagsisikapan ko na makapag-aral sila at makapatapos dahil nagbabakasakali ako na makakuha sila ng trabaho,” Landol said.
“I want to assure you that we in the BARMM Education Ministry will establish a quality, balanced, and inclusive education system in the Bangsamoro, Insha Allah. We will safeguard our teachers, parents, and students’ welfare in these trying times,” the education minister said.
Iqbal also announced that the MBHTE was given a sum of P189-million, earmarked for the expenses of its various projects.
He said that the fund came from the transition development impact fund of several Members of the Parliament.
“Each MP is required to choose from among the ministries where to put that money for the benefit of the constituents of the BARMM, and Alhamdulillah, many of the MP have put up their money to fund the various projects in the MBHTE,” Iqbal said. (Bureau of Public Information)
