Islamic Relief PH gives educational aid to Marawi schools

Learners of the Ibango Central Elementary School (ICES) in Brgy. East Rorogagus in Marawi City receive educational support from the Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) - Philippines with donations from IRW-USA. (Claire R. Gigje/PIA-Lanao del Sur)

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur--With the major goal of assisting in the continuous delivery of quality education here despite the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 pandemic, the Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) - Philippines in partnership with the Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) and the Bangsamoro Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) extended educational aid to schools in the city benefitting both educators and students.

Through its Support to Education and Empowerment of Vulnerable Children affected by Conflict and COVID-19 (SEEVCAC) Project with donations from the IRW-USA, the IRW-Philippines provided kits to learners and teachers of Ibango Central Elementary School (ICES) in Brgy. East Rorogagus and City Schools Division Thursday, October 21, and of Saksi Learning School (SLS) in Brgy. Cadayonan Friday, October 22.

IRW-Philippines Area Programme Manager Sittie Jamairah Disomimba said that while they recognize the children as the most vulnerable sector today, they are directly addressing their needs and the community that surrounds them believing that if the community and their parents are well taken care of, the children in return will also be attended, and vice versa.

“This is to support them as we understand that due to the pandemic, the livelihood of the parents is affected. So, what we are doing right now is supporting the school learners so that we can also support the parents by keeping those children or learners in school,” she said.

Disomimba shared that of their three projects for the province of Lanao del Sur, this recent effort which started in November 2020 is a support for the education and empowerment of vulnerable children affected by conflict and aggravated by COVID-19.

Here, school supplies for learners in addition to their monthly stipend or allowances for the whole school year covering 320 beneficiaries were also provided while teachers were given their own kits, soft support through a series of training and other needs for the current mode of delivery in education which is modular learning.

The Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) - Philippines through donations from IRW-USA gives supplies and other necessary facilities to teachers of target schools, including Ibango Central Elementary School (ICES) and Saksi Learning School (SLS) both in Marawi City, and the Marawi City Schools Division. (Claire R. Gigje/PIA-Lanao del Sur

With the pandemic, the manager emphasized that more school support is rendered as specific and unusual needs arise.

Disomimba also said that the ICES which noted a 15% increase in its enrollees as of September this year has been provided with a water system, hand washing facility, printers, and other equipment while the Learning Resources Management and Development System (LRMDS) of the city schools division, being the research unit where modules distributed to various schools originate, was likewise supported.

The SLS, on the other hand, had a different kind of assistance as it is an Arabic boarding school and students are living inside the campus. As such, they received living-in facilities like chest freezers and beds, among others.

Disomimba said overall they have aided a total of 385 learners both from the ICES and the SLS and 35 teachers.

She emphasized that although this is a one-year project, it is not yet concluded as the nature of such is a series of assistance wherein more projects may come depending on the necessities of the community and submitted proposals.

“We are here to make an impact… We are a partner in development and we are here to serve you,” said Disomimba. (CRG/PIA-Lanao del Sur)

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Gov’t, org ink deal for livelihood context-based curriculum

From left to right, TESD) Lanao del Sur Provincial Aleida Mangata, MSU-KFCIAAS' Dr. Abdulcader Ayo, Marawi City Mayor Majul Gandamra, DHSUD Secretary and TFBM Chairperson Eduardo Del Rosario, and Save the Children's Edwin Horca sign into a Memorandum of Agreement for the development of livelihood context-based curriculum. (Claire R. Gigje/PIA-Lanao del Sur)

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur​--To respond to the preservation of the cultural identity of Maranaws while ensuring their day-to-day living, the Technical Education and Skills Development (TESD) Lanao del Sur Provincial Office under the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) entered into an agreement Friday, October 15, with the Mindanao State University (MSU) - Main Campus through its King Faisal Center for Islamic, Arabic and Asian Studies (KFCIAAS), and the Raheemah Peace Weavers for the development of contextualized area-based competencies.

“This is a MOA signing kung saan natin irerecognize ang kakayahan ng ating mga community specialist. Sila iyong sa umpisa pa lang, nagpakita kung papaano iyong kanilang craft sa ilang mga taon [wherein we are recognizing the ability of our community specialists. They are the ones who, from the start, showed how their craft is for years], that is part of their custom and tradition in their respective communities. It could be their beadwork and weaving, and all of these works actually represent the tradition and culture of the people,” said Edwin Horca of Save the Children, an international non-government organization backing the Raheemah Peace Weavers in some of its programs. 

He said that this is one of the first area-based competencies developed and recognized by the ministry of the Bangsamoro region under the Recovery and Rehabilitation to Sustain the Gains Program.

Dr. Abdulcader Ayo of KFCIAAS conveyed that the initiative signifies that everything is moving forward for more accomplishments and improvements with the continuous support of particular partners.

As they are grateful for the project, he delivered his full support on behalf of the university through rendering assistance in any means.

TESD Lanao del Sur Provincial Director Aleida Mangata also committed that as the effort is part of the healing of the city and the region as a whole, they will develop competency for the four identified beneficial skills, including the kapangantowiras (sequins and beadworks), kapangaol (weaving), and Meranaw brass and baor making.

City Mayor Majul Gandamra lauded the initiative and said that efforts done by the national government in rehabilitating the city through the Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) and other line agencies are complemented through enhancing and developing skills of the constituents. 

Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary and TFBM Chairperson Eduardo Del Rosario further stressed that for this time, the continuation and institutionalization of the cultural identity are vital while still taking into consideration the livelihood component. 

“It will go on forever and we will develop more expertise in the process. From the present skills of our community specialist, this will be further honed so that the next generation will be equal or even better from the present group of mentors that we have in the different communities of Lanao del Sur,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mahadir Natangcop Tugaya, the President of Artisans in the municipality of Tugaya in the province of Lanao del Sur, conveyed his gratitude for pushing this kind of endeavor which is seen to be an opportunity to share their knowledge, especially in baor and brass making. (CRG/PIA-Lanao del Sur)

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