Gatchalian wants inquiry on BARMM’s state of education

By: Daniza Fernandez - 2 years ago

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Sherwin Gatchalian filed a resolution seeking an inquiry on the state of education in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Senate Resolution No. 455, lodged on January 31, instructs the Senate committee on basic education to hold an inquiry on the implementation status of the organic law for BARMM and the Bangsamoro Education Code of 2021.

“Several decades of armed conflict and civil unrest have greatly affected the quality of basic education as evident in the performance of BARMM in several education indicators,” the resolution read.

“Mahalagang masuri natin ang mga hamong kinakaharap ng ating mga kababayan sa BARMM pagdating sa edukasyon. Nais nating tiyakin na pagdating sa dekalidad na edukasyon at mga oportunidad sa magandang kinabukasan, hindi maiiwan ang ating mga kababayan sa rehiyon,” the senator said in a statement.

(It is important to look into the challenges that our fellow Filipinos in BARMM are facing when it comes to education. We want to ensure that when it comes to quality education and opportunities for a better future, our fellow Filipinos in the region will not be left behind.)

Gatchalian expressed alarm over the last seven national achievement tests conducted in the region as results showed that Grade 6 students exhibit near proficiency in English and mathematics and low proficiency in science.

He likewise said that the recent cohort survival data for BARMM presented that for every 100 children enrolled in Grade 1 for School Year 2010-2011, only 17 graduated Grade 12 in School Year 2021-2022.

BARMM’s figure is lower than the national average of 57 senior high school graduates in School Year 2021-2022 out of every 100 Grade 1 learners in School Year 2010-2011.

Gatchalian also raised the point that the historical net enrollment rate (NER) has been a constant issue in BARMM.

He noted that of the 97 percent NER, only 36 percent are 12- to 15-year-olds enrolled in junior high school and 10 percent are students aged 16 to 17 enrolled in senior high school.

Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority’s Annual Poverty Indicators Survey in 2020, the top reasons for non-attendance in learning institutions are the high education cost, accessibility of schools, and lack of personal interests, among others.

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