June 11, 2007 · Posted in: i Report Features
Muslim classes come alive
IT used to be that Muslim children in the Philippines had to go to madaris (traditional Islamic schools) to learn the values of their faith, as well as the Arabic language. Three years ago, however, the Department of Education (DepEd) ordered the teaching of Islamic values and Arabic language in public elementary schools with at least 30 Muslim students. It also ordered the standardization of Muslim education in public elementary schools and in private madaris.
![Muslim students attending the Arabic language and Islamic values classes. [photo by Vina D. Mukherjee]](http://www.pcij.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/muslim-students.jpg "Muslim students attending the Arabic language and Islamic values classes. [photo by Vina D. Mukherjee]")
DepEd undersecretary for Muslim Affairs Manaros Boransing says the move makes the public-school system “Islamic-friendly for all Muslims.” In turn, Boransing says, the education of Filipino Muslims in “Islamic-friendly” schools contributes to “the eradication of separatist sentiments” among them.
Our i Report story on an Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE) class in Malaybalay, Bukidnon offers a snapshot of how the initiative is doing in a place far from Manila. For a change, the news is mostly good: implemented just a year ago in Malaybalay’s biggest elementary school, the ALIVE program seems to be fostering better relations between Muslim and non-Muslim students, while more and more Muslim parents are seeing the wisdom of having their children attend such a class. And while the program still has some problems, parents and school officials alike seem determined to keep it going as long as they can.
On the eve of yet another commemoration of our Independence Day, we hope the piece, which is a supplement to our ongoing series on Literature and Literacy, would inspire readers to appreciate cultures and beliefs that may not be the same as theirs, but are nevertheless helping enrich our country.
Read on at pcij.org.
5 Responses to Muslim classes come alive
ryebosco
June 11th, 2007 at 11:00 am
I think we should prioritize teaching our children in public schools (who are already disadvantaged to begin with) the necessities to survive economically especially when they mature. Instead of teaching them Islam or whatever freaking religion, the public schools should exhaust more time teaching them English and Math in a global economy.
Teaching Islam in a public school? Who came up with this? What’s next, training little girls on how to finally capture the Miss Universe title since 1973?
I’m really shaking my head on this one. If I were the Dep Ed Secretary, I’d initiate a KUMON, not a Quran.
“Yis, ay am Abdula. I yam proud to have larnd the Holy Qur’an in my home town of Bukidnon. I yam now a college graduate but cant find a jowb and am disappointed. Thenks to my school I learned how to serve Allah and fulfill Jihad through self-detonation.”
I am really shaking my head on this one. What’s happening?
Ambuot Saimo
June 13th, 2007 at 4:57 am
Rye, I agree with you. The reason why the world is very chaotic today is because of religion and it is not news. If you look at the Old Testament, the mass killings and annihilation of entire villages/cities was because of religion. Otherwise stated, the world should have been peaceful if there is no religion at all.
As for me, I would say that I am not totally an athiest. My “religion” is the “GOLDEN RULE”. Wanna join?
Yes, teaching any kind of religion should not be allowed in public school. Dep of Ed should be reminded about the divorce of the munisipyo at kumbento ayon sa Konsti. Yes, we should focus more teaching science and math rather than “Kuwan” or “Bibilibsya”. The same is true with those boring Spanish subjects.
naykika
June 16th, 2007 at 9:15 am
There are religious schools and there are public schools. The reason why our government here fully funds the Catholic Schools so parent can have a choice to send their children to schools where their religion is included in the curriculum and give tax credits to all other mainstream religions for the same purpose, but there is no room for controversies in a Public School. Why can’t they ever get it???
Sekularista » Blog Archive » DepEd orders Islam teaching in public schools
June 18th, 2007 at 2:33 pm
[…] The Department of Education (DepEd) orders the teaching of Islamic values and Arabic language in public elementary schools with at least 30 Muslim students. The PCIJ blog posts this report: DepEd undersecretary for Muslim Affairs Manaros Boransing says the move makes the public-school system “Islamic-friendly for all Muslims.” In turn, Boransing says, the education of Filipino Muslims in “Islamic-friendly” schools contributes to “the eradication of separatist sentiments” among them. […]
crimsonkris
January 8th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
I think we should prioritize teaching our children in public schools (who are already disadvantaged to begin with) the necessities to survive economically especially when they mature. Instead of teaching them Islam or whatever freaking religion, the public schools should exhaust more time teaching them English and Math in a global economy.
Teaching Islam in a public school? Who came up with this? What’s next, training little girls on how to finally capture the Miss Universe title since 1973?
“I’m really shaking my head on this one. If I were the Dep Ed Secretary, I’d initiate a KUMON, not a Quran.
“Yis, ay am Abdula. I yam proud to have larnd the Holy Qur’an in my home town of Bukidnon. I yam now a college graduate but cant find a jowb and am disappointed. Thenks to my school I learned how to serve Allah and fulfill Jihad through self-detonation.”
I am really shaking my head on this one. What’s happening?”
And I’m shaking my head at you and your own ignorance of how the Madrasah system works. Basically, it is public school that teaches all the fundamentals of education, including Makabayan, math, science, etc. The only difference is that it has an extra Islamic values class for Muslim students so that they are steered away from radical preachers that have already penetrated the country from the Middle East and Indonesia. The Islamic curriculum is supported by only one country and that is Brunei, which is not known for extremism, but a moderate Muslim society. This is a way better alternative than allowing our muslim population to be hijacked by radical teachers from abroad.
You know what dude, you’re a bitch for mocking a muslim child studying his/her Holy Book the Quran and then becoming a suicide bomber?!? Yeah and I’m prety sure the muslim PMA students who have their own mosque now on the PMA campus in Baguio will become the same thing. You talk a great deal about eliminating corruption, but its actually people like you who corrupt our society with ignorance and bias. You are either part of the solution or part of the problem dude.