Education scholars of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have started receiving their scholarship benefits of PHP30,000 each to cover school expenses for the academic year 2020-2021.

Minister Mohagher Iqbal of the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE) said Friday an initial 242 scholars under the Access to Higher and Modern Education-Scholarship Program (AHME-SP) have claimed the second tranche of their benefits under the package.

The ceremonial releasing of scholarship checks was held at the BARMM government center in this city on Thursday afternoon for students from here and the Special Geographic Area or the 63 villages in North Cotabato that are now part of the BARMM.

Overall, a total of 1,298 AHME scholars in the BARMM are entitled to receive PHP60,000 annually.

Launched in 2019, the scholarship program was aimed at promoting quality education to Bangsamoro student scholars, and eradicating poverty through the rightful educational system approach.

Iqbal said higher education certainly has benefits to Bangsamoro learners and AHME-SP is a testament to the MBHTE’s commitment to making quality education accessible.

“For instance, students acquire a broad range of skills that can qualify them for a broader range of career choices in different fields and offer them more room for personal and professional advancement,” Iqbal said.

He added that the MBHTE recognizes higher education as one of the critical drivers of growth performance and competitiveness in both national and global economies.

“This is why the MBHTE is fully committed to advancing higher education due to its impact on the Bangsamoro economy and society,” he said.

He added that allowances for scholars in other parts of the region – Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi – will also be released soon.

“This is unprecedented, it never happened in the past,” said scholar Datu Aljar, who claimed to be a son of a former Moro Islamic Liberation Front combatant. (PNA)