Thursday, May 31, 2012

RLA committee investigates DepEd-ARMM

The Committee on Education, Arts, Culture and Sports Development headed by Assemblywoman Samira Gutoc-Tomawis invited DepEd-ARMM for its first committee hearing. Assistant Secretary Noor Mohammad Saada and Director Alia Cali of Madrasah Education represented DepEd-ARMM.


Saturday, May 26, 2012

PIA: Grades I and 7 ARMM public school teachers undergo training on K+12 program curriculum

By Perlita B. Changco,  Philippine Information Agency

Grades 1 and 7 teachers in public schools have been trained all over the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) for the implementation of the K to 12 curriculum starting this school year, which started May 21 and will end today, May 25.

The K to 12 program begins with kindergarten, six years of elementary education, four years of junior high, and two years in senior high school.

According to Department of Education (DepEd)-ARMM regional secretary Atty. Jamar Kulayan, the agency fully supports the K to 12 program manifesting government’s efforts to improve the country’s quality basic education as he acknowledged the need to raise the literacy rate in the autonomous region.

Underscoring the collaborative efforts in instituting reforms in the ARMM bureaucracy, Kulayan expressed optimism K to 12 would greatly help improved and strengthen the foundation of basic education particularly, with the inclusion for the use of ethno and multi-lingual approach in the curriculum.

“We don’t intend to be left behind especially with the use of the mother tongue as a start like Maguindanaon, Maranao and Tausug as a medium of instruction, nakakarelate dito ang mga bata para mas madali nilang maiintihan ang lesson and then ire-reinforce ng Pilipino and English subject,”’ Kulayan said. 

Based on studies, he said, the use of the multi-lingual as medium of instruction has been proven most effective in basic education process adding that modules and other instructional materials are provided as guide in the training.

Meanwhile, to make learning more conducive, Kualayan said, DepEd-ARMM in partnership with USAID has allocated P2.5 million for the repair and painting of 50 schools located along the national highway dubbed at “Kulayan ang Paaralan” in the ongoing conduct of the 2012 Brigada Eskwela. (pbchangco/PIA Cotabato City)

Friday, May 25, 2012

"No fees collection" Policy

School heads, teachers and the communities in the ARMM are reminded on the voluntary contribution policy:

  • No fees shall be collected from Kindergarten to Grade 4 for the duration of the school year.
  • From June to July, no fees shall be collected from Grade 5 to high school. However, starting August fees maybe collected for the following: BSP/GSP, Anti-TB, Red Cross, PTA and membership in pupil/student government/organizations.
  • PTAs can only collect after presenting to the members in an assembly financial report of the previous collection. Even then, contributions are voluntary, not mandatory.
  • PTA membership fee is per member basis regardless of the number of children a parent-member has enrolled in school.
  • PTAs are to refrain from collecting exorbitant fees.
For additional information, please refer to DepEd Order 41, s. 2012, issued on today May 24, 2012. to access this memo, please click here ...


ZamboToday: ARMM DepEd gears for opening of classes in June

By Hader Glang

In preparation for the opening of classes for school year 2012-2013, theDepartment of Education (DepEd) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) launched its "Balik Eskwela" program and "Brigada Eskwela 2012" in the five provinces of the region.

ARMM DepEd Sec. Jamal Kulayan last week kicked off the ceremonial painting of Marawi Central Pilot Elementary School. He was accompanied by Mayor Nur Yasmin Candada and Marawi DepEd officials headed by School Supt. Dr. Mona Ampuan Makatanong.

"We're going around to help the DepEd in its Balik Eskwela program in several public schools in ARMM in the repair and cleaning of school rooms in preparation for the opening of classes on June," Kulayan said.

Aside from assisting Brigada Eskwela in order to prepare safe and convenient environment for school children, Kulayan said they were also tasked to distributelesson plan class records and books to teachers.

Acting ARMM Regional Governor Mujiv S. Hataman announced that there were some 2,300 available items for new teachers in the ARMM.

"Sa ngayon may bakanti kaming 2,300 teachers item. Ang priority namin ngayon ay LET (Licensure Exam for Teachers) passers," Hataman said in an interview.

He said that teachers outside ARMM who are LET passers can apply. "Puwede. Pero ang tanong mayron bang gusto? Actually, ang gusto ko puwede silang mag apply kahit outsiders sila kasi nga nangangailang kami ng quality of teachers."

With many applications are received in the region, Hataman appealed to the region’s governors, mayors, and DepEd officials “na huwag politikahin ang application ofteachers, at unahin natin ang mga LET passers.”

While Hataman admitted that in his administration’s effort to institute changes, some promises were broken, “not because we wanted it but because of the resistance of those affected by the changes.” 

He cited the case of systematizing the releasing of salaries of the teachers in the ARMM through automated teller machines (ATMs). “Nahirapan ang Landbank sa disiplina ng mga nag-oopen ng account,” he said. 

He appealed to the teachers to be patient with the new system as he is aware of some complaints that teachersassigned in the islands and far-flung communities would still have to spend time and money to visit banks in urban centers to claim their salaries in ATM. 

He said that the system is the same with salaries released through checks, “the teacher will still have to visit a bank to encash his/her check.” 

Hataman pointed out that this system is for the benefit of the teachers because their salaries will already be free from unauthorized and illegal deductions.

He assured that by the opening of classes in June, all salaries will already be in ATMs, complete with identificationcards with picture and in biometrics.

Meanwhile, Governor Hataman vowed to address the record low literacy rate gripping the 21-year-old region.

Education experts traced the problem to various factors including the scarcity of licensed teachers in the ARMM.

ARMM which has the lowest literacy rate in the country, Governor Hataman also vowed to address the scarcity of quality teachers.

He is launching a special program giving prospect teachers aspiring to take the LET free review classes, reference books and transport expenses.

The ARMM DepEd is currently building classrooms and making chairs. The construction of these classrooms are being rushed for the opening of classes in June.

"Kakulangan sa classrooms mayron tayo...mayron tayo...pero marami din ang on-going construction ng mga school buildings. Ang problema namin may nabigyan na hindi naman priority kaya inaayos pa namin ang systema na iyan kasi nag monitor iyong team namin, mayron talaga na hindi na kailangan," Hataman said. 


Tempo: Islamic-friendly curriculum in ARMM

By INA HERNANDO-MALIPOT

Manila, Philippines – The Department of Education (DepEd) will introduce an Islamic-friendly and culturally-sensitive curriculum in Autonomous Region Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to be implemented when classes resume this coming June.

In line with the continued efforts of the national government to allot resources to further train Muslim teachers, the curriculum was launched recently in Lamitan City, Basilan. The event was attended by DepEd representatives and ARMM officials and the local government unit of Basilan.

Currently, there are two types of curriculum prescribed in Madrasah or Muslim educational institutions. The Enriched Curriculum for Public Elementary Schools uses the Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE) taught by qualified asatidz (Muslim teachers) who were trained by DepEd. The other is the Standard Curriculum for Private Madaris (Muslim schools) which teaches subjects such as Qur’an, Seerah (Life Story of the Prophet), Hadith (Sayings of the Prophet), Aqueedah (conduct), Fiqh (jurisprudence) and Arabic language alongside Science, Math, English, Filipino and Makabayan.

Earlier this year, Education Secretary Armin Luistro signed a memorandum of agreement with then ARMM Governor Ansarrudin Alonto-Adiong for the implementation of ALIVE curriculum in the ARMM region.

“We are glad that the Madrasah ALIVE curriculum will be finally taught in the heartland of Muslim society years after it was first successfully implemented in seven other regions including the National Capital Region where there is a sizable Muslim population,” said Luistro.

Luistro added that he pursued the implementation of Madrasah curriculum believing that “education is key to peace and prosperity.” He explained that the Madrasah education is the number three priority in President Benigno Aquino III’s ten-point education agenda.

Source: http://www.tempo.com.ph/2012/islamic-friendly-curriculum-in-armm/#.T8eY-LCXT_8

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

ARMM Officials joined Brigada Eskwela

ARMM officials have joined Brigada Eskwela, this is the ith time that line agencies have actively participated in the annual school maintenance week.

Snapshots of their activities provided below:
ORG Chief of Staff Amihilda Sangcopan confers with school officials at Parang, Sulu,
as her team joins in the annual Brigada Eskwela in her mother's hometown. CoS Sangcopan gave up
a scheduled management training in Boracay to be in Sulu for this activity. 
OBYA Executive Director Prof. Hani Bud and BCH Executive Director Ardan Sali plant a tree
at one of the schools they've participated for the Brigada Eskwela in Sulu.
Brigada Eskwela with free haircut, ice cream at school supplies and Mambuay Elementary School,
Wawalayan-Marinaut, Marawi City, adopted by CabSec Norkhalilah Mambuay-Campong.

ARMM lands 13th in the 2012 Palarong Pambansa

The ARMM landed 13th in the 2012 Palarong Pambansa with 3 gold, 1 silver and 3 bronze.

17 regions participated this year.

NCR was overall champ with 114 gold, 67 silver and 64 bronze.




National School Maintenance Week


Thursday, May 3, 2012

DepEd-ARMM and AAI inked partnership


MOU Signing DepEd ARMM




May 2, 2012 - The Department of Education (DepEd) -Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao(ARMM) and the Asia America Initiative (AAI) had a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in a Program called Development for Peace Schools (DPIS), DepEd-ARMM office in Cotabato City. The MOU signing is represented by DepEd ARMM Secretary Culayan and AAI Country Director Bai Rohaniza Sumndad-Usman.

Philstar: Ghost students, ghost teachers, ghost schools haunt ARMM

By Jaime Laude



MANILA, Philippines - Who’s afraid of ghosts?

Not Jamar Kulayan, the newly-appointed regional secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) in the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARRM), who declared that he intends to rid all “ghosts” within his department – ghost students, ghost teachers and ghost schools.

Now on a ghost-bashing binge, Kulayan, a Tausog, said he uncovered these irregularities right after his appointment as ARRM DepEd secretary in January this year.

“When I got appointed as ARRM DepED Secretary, I was under instructions to institute reforms in the region’s educational system and was really surprised to find out the existence of ghost students, ghost teachers and ghost schools,” Kulayan told The Philippine Star.

He said previous ARRM education officials, for reasons only known to them, appeared to have turned a blind eye on these illegal practices – the listing and submission of lists of ghost student-enrollees, employment of ghost teachers, and wrong reporting of the total number of active schools.

Aside from ghost students, ghost teachers and non-existing public elementary and high schools, ARRM also used to be known as a haven of “ghost voters.”

Based from his initial discovery, Kulayan said that it has become the practice in the region for teachers to bloat the name of their student-enrollees every school registration.

This, he said, is part of the scheme to justify the creation of ghost schools and the hiring of ghost teachers.

Kulayan said during graduation, those involved in these illegal education scheme, simply hire children like Badjaos to march in front of higher DepEd officials to make it appear that a particular school is truly in operation and also to cover their illegal acts.

ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman acknowledges these irregularities in the region, saying the databank system established by the previous administration showed that there are discrepancies in the number of teachers, schools, and students in the region.

In Lanao Del Sur, ghost schools exists as reflected by the excessive number of national secondary schools which are not reflective to the total number of students in the province.

Records from ARMM DepEd showed that there are 144 schools operating in the province or 14 schools higher than the official number of 130 schools (Lanao del Sur) as reflected in DepEd’s records in Manila.

The presence of two elementary schools with the same name, La Mesuna Laud East and West in Siasi, Sulu, also showed that elementary schools are not exempted from the fraud.

Siasi is an island municipality with only a few number of elementary student enrollees, mostly Badjaos.

Mujiv’s island province of Basilan is also not exempted from these irregularities.

Abandoned public elementary schools are no longer in operation because of the conflict, are also being reported as “active” complete with students and teachers.

Also in one of his inspection trips, Kulayan said he saw a tarpaulin prominently placed along the national highway declaring an ongoing first anniversary celebration of a certain school.

When he checked the place, Kulayan said he was disappointed when he saw nothing but dust-covered tables and chairs. When he tried to verify, he was told that everybody – teachers and students — had already gone home.

The ARMM education chief said present records showed there are 22,000 teachers in the region, 2,000 in excess of the 20,000 who were officially hired. Names of teachers who are already dead, retired, or abroad were still listed and continue drawing their salaries.

To continuously address these anomalies, Hataman created a Task Force on the Moratorium of Abolition and Creation of Schools with the primary objective of eradicating ghost schools, ghost students and ghost teachers, a scheme that have defrauded the government of billions of pesos. – with Aecaya Calero (Philippine Star trainee)


"Moral Governance"

English - "Good governance for a progressive and peaceful BARMM."

Sinama - "Hap pamarinta tudju BARMM na sambu maka salamat"

Bahasa Sug - "Dan mabuntul tudju pa BARMM masambu iban mahatul"

Meranaw - "Mathitu a kandatu sa BARMM ko katagompiya go kalilintad"

Slogan

"Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE)"