Bangsamoro education stakeholders’ gather on transition strategy
Various stakeholders on Bangsamoro education expressed commitments and support to the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) in addressing the development gaps, more so with the education sector articulated in the Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP) to move forward for implementation.
In a recent informal conversation on Bangsamoro education for children on January 14, 2015 at Lispher Inn Hotel, Matina, Davao City, representatives from Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Tarbiyyah (education) committee, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS) met to come up with an initial exchange of information, views and ideas for the smooth transition of the education system in the region.
“Smooth transition towards relevant quality education for children is our objective for today’s meeting”, UNICEF chief field officer Rebecca Pankhurst said in her opening message.
“This is just the beginning of a series of meetings that shall be conducted by education stakeholders in the Bangsamoro to finally define the set of actions with regard to the implementation of education strategy”, she said.
Mr. Guiamel Alim, chair of Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS) led the facilitation of the informal conversation.
BDA program division head Engr. Windel P. Diangcalan presented the BDP highlights focused on education. The very intention of the presentation is for the body to identify and comment of the same as part of further refinement of the BDP.
DepEd Asec. Noor Saada, who presented the ARMM basic education revealed the voluminous complications facing ARMM today.
”DepEd ARMM is very much willing to sit down with the body anytime to brainstorm on how they can contribute in the upcoming interim BTA towards Bangsamoro government”, he said.
Meanwhile, MILF Tarbiyyah representative Dr. Ismael Abdullah expressed his appreciation for initiating the meeting.
Said Dr. Abdullah, “it is now the proper time to inform the body that MILF Tarbiyyah has their own plan pertaining to education sector, but we’re unable to present it to the public due to financial constraints.
“After small group discussions I really can’t believe that we’ve reached this far, UNICEF education division chief Hideko Miyagawa said after the meeting.
The meeting, attended by 11 participants was initiated in partnership with UNICEF.