Teaching peace,unity via Islamic education

Madrasahs offer key to preserving national identity Claire Delfin, Quezon City Philippines 2012-06-26 15:34:42

Muslim children attend a madrasah in Quezon City. (Photo by Claire Delfin) An elementary school in Quezon City is attracting more than its share of pupils even on a Saturday. Classrooms are filled with children in their traditional Muslim garb while parents mill around outside. Aside from attending regular classes from Monday to Friday, young Muslims in this part of Manila return to school even on a Saturday to attend the madrasah (Islamic school). This is important for Muslim children. They will not only learn about their religion and Islamic values, they will also learn Arabic, which is one of the leading languages in the world, said Solaiman Tanog, an asatid (teacher) and founding president of the Quezon City Asatidz Association. He hopes the children will see the value of having gone to the madrasah when they grow up. The madrasah is located in a village that has been home to a sizable Muslim population for years now. It is also where the country's madrasah education was pilot tested during the 2005-2006 school year. During its first year, classes were only held for elementary pupils, but with the implementation this year of the K+12 program, more madaris (plural of madrasah) are being set up for kindergarten and high school students in Muslim communities around the country. (K+12 refers to kindergarten plus 12 years of basic elementary and secondary education.) The Education Department said the introduction of Islamic education is designed to respond to the needs of Muslim children. "It aims to unify the long history of dichotomy among Muslims and promote a national identity," said Education Secretary Armin Luistro, a La Salle brother. He said the implementation of the madrasah curriculum is "the key to peace and prosperity."

Dr Manaros Boransing, former undersecretary for Mindanao Affairs in the Education Department, said education in madaris made the survival of Islam in the Philippines during the Spanish and American colonization periods possible. He said, however, that it was not until the 1970s that the importance of Islamic education for Filipino Muslims was first noted. Perhaps the Moro rebellion in the early 1970s drew the governments attention to the importance of madrasah education, Dr Boransing said. In 2010, the government established the Office of Madrasah Education, which is tasked with introducing initiatives to widen the implementation of Islamic education and upgrading the training of asatidz. For this year, the government has approved the allocation of 300 million pesos (US$7 million) to fund programs for the education of young Muslims. We are happy with the madrasah classes. Even if there are a lot of things to do on a Saturday, I dont mind coming here to fetch my 5-year-old child, said a mother of a kindergarten pupil.
Source: http://www.ucanews.com/news/teaching-peaceunity-via-islamic-education/53898

Government to fund Muslim education

Program aims to promote peace and development through education ucanews.com reporter, Manila Philippines 2011-07-14 15:23:52

Students and teachers gather for the launch of an Arabic language program at a madrasah in Tacloban City The government has announced the release of 251.6 million pesos (US$5.9 million) in funding to implement the madrasah education program. The funds, released through the Department of Education, were in line with President Benigno Aquinos commitment to improve the standard of education in the country as a tool for peace and development, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said in a statement this week. Education is the central strategy of the Aquino administration for investing in the people and enhancing their opportunity to gain meaningful employment, Abad said. He added that the government also needed to mainstream and institutionalize madrasah education as part of the national system of basic education. The program has three components: Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE) in public schools, ALIVE for out-of-school Muslim youths and adults, and assistance to private madaris (schools for higher religious education). Of the funds released, 173.25 million pesos will go to the office of the education secretary while 78.35 million pesos will be released directly to school division offices to cover the allowances of Muslim teachers. Abad said the fund release is 48.4 million pesos less than the 300 million pesos originally requested by the education department.
Source: http://www.ucanews.com/news/government-to-fund-muslim-education/23768