Aligned with its vision that “no Bangsamoro child is left behind” in terms of education, the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MBHTE-BARMM) launched Monday its flagship programs for the school year 2020-2021.

BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim, together with MBHTE Minister Mohaghe Iqbal, led a ceremonial “sounding of the gong” that symbolized the official launching of the programs held at Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex here.

The programs under with MBHTE’s 12-point priority agenda are designed to enhance the BARMM educational system under basic education: Madaris education and Islamic studies; higher and technical education; and skills development.

“It is no longer acceptable to implement projects in a predictable and ‘business-as-usual’ manner”, Iqbal said, adding the ministry has to be “both unwavering and innovative to respond to the ‘new normal’ brought by the pandemic.”

The flagship programs included the Abot Kaalaman sa Pamilyang Bangsamoro (AKAP) to provide contextualized K to 3 education access to unserved barangays; the MBHTE Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) review program in partnership with the Office of the Chief Minister; and the Tahderiyyah curriculum program for Madaris education for a balanced education of BARMM children with groundings on Islamic tenets and values.

Other integrated parts the recruitment of teachers for the Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE) programs; scholarship for the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) program; a scholarship program for the entrepreneurial training, values transformation training, and national assessment, and the Access to Higher and Modern Education – Scholarship Program (AHME-SP).

“The details for the application of the programs will be posted on the official social media account of MBHTE,” Iqbal said.

Meanwhile, Ebrahim lauded the MBHTE for acknowledging the importance of implementing projects and programs relative to the so-called “new normal” set up in society.

“MBHTE is now leading a massive shift from the traditional face-to-face classes to ‘blended learning’ modes to assure that educational services are being met amid the current circumstances,” Ebrahim said in his speech.

Early on, the MBHTE has announced its Learning Continuity Plan (LCP) for the upcoming school year, which includes distance learning, home-based learning, and module learning designed for far-flung areas in BARMM. (PNA)