Arabic, Islamic studies in curriculum

Starting in June, government-run schools in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will include Arabic language and Islamic studies in the curriculum, said the Department of Education (DepEd) in ARMM.

Dr Mae Saligoin, assistant secretary, ARMM Department of Education, said public school pupils will be taught the Arabic language and Islamic values "in a more organised and effective manner" that will complement what is being taught in independent madrassas in the region.

Salagoin said that by integrating Arabic language and Islamic values into the curriculum, more Muslims in the region will be encouraged to enrol in public schools.

In past years, government-run educational institutions in the ARMM followed the national curriculum, which does not consider Muslim sensitivities in certain issues and is largely based on Christian values.

Based on the last government census carried out in 2000, 33 per cent of the total population in the ARMM are in the 6-16 school age bracket.

The census indicated that about 20 per cent of this group had not been educated.

The ARMM study showed that the region had a relatively low school participation at the primary and elementary levels, which had been pegged at 82 per cent.

Shortfalls have been attributed to difficulty in accessing basic education and quality of education being provided.

The addition of the Arabic language in the ARMM schools' curriculum is part of a five-year project dubbed "Basic Education Assistance in Mind-anao", initiated and supported by the Australian Agency for Intern-ational Development.