Orphans seek ARMM education aid

SULTAN KUDARAT, Maguindanao—Nasieh Abbas wants to be a doctor someday but laments the “limited” education he has been getting.

“Arabic, English and the Koran are good foundation,” the 14-year-old boy said. “We also need the education to become professionals.”

Abbas is among a few of the nearly 300 children in an orphanage here who wished to avail themselves of a free standard education that the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) government can offer.

The abandoned children, all males and mostly Maguindanaoan, Iranon and Maranao natives, were treated to a thanksgiving party and gift-giving on Saturday thrown at the orphanage in Barangay Gang by ARMM officials, led by Executive Secretary Laisa Masuhud-Alamia.

They want to be like other ordinary children in school, said Aladin Kamsa, 9. At the shelter, they are taught Arabic lessons daily and a weekly English course focusing on the Koran scriptures.

Another orphan, Omar Masandag, 17, said that at this stage in his life he would need employment or livelihood, but the limited education had served as a stumbling block.

Regional Education Secretary John Magno said his office would study the need to incorporate its formal curriculum in the primary and secondary educational system in orphanage centers.

Alamia said she was planning to tap the services of HELPS (Health, Education, Livelihood, Peace and Synergy), a regional emergency arm created by the Office of the Regional Governor, which tackles basic problems, such as education.

Its “close coordination” with the regional Department of Education “may hopefully resolve the problem,” she said.

Regional Interior Secretary Anwar Malang considered the educational issue confronting abandoned children vital and timely to address the problem on terrorism with the advent of the Islamic State (IS). “The young are vulnerable to indoctrination and deception by militant and radical groups,” he said.

The thanksgiving visit by ARMM officials was in time with the celebration of Shariff Kabunsuan Day. The orphanage received 30 sacks of rice and other food items, bedding, toiletries and two TV sets.

Soldiers of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division and the Humanitarian Emergency Action Response Team extended free medical and dental medicines, and other outreach services to orphans and villagers. Charlie C. Señase, Inquirer Mindanao