ARMM vows to improve education in conflict-affected communities in Maguindanao

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(PNA), JMC/NYP/EOF

COTABATO CITY, Sept. 14 (PNA) -- The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on Wednesday reiterated its commitment to improve education in 31 conflict-affected schools in Maguindanao that has taken its toll on children's education.

Through its flagship initiative Humanitarian and Development Action Program (ARMM-HDAP), the regional government renewed is determination to fully implement the special emergency education recovery program (SEERP) in 31 conflict-affected schools in Maguindanao.

According to Hadja Bai Taya Aplal, Department of Education (DepEd-ARMM) director II and focal person of the SEERP, based on the monitoring, assessment, and validation of the regional government’s education cluster, 12,215 students were affected by the conflict brought about by the Mamasapano incident in January 2015 and other conflict in the province after that.

“There are more than 12,000 affected students after the Mamasapano incident, so with the new program of the ARMM, we conducted several activities to help and encourage students to go to school,” Aplal said.

She said a January 2016 study and assessment of more than 10,400 pupils in Maguindanao's 31 conflict-affected schools, about 5,380 children were identified as malnourished and slow learners.

The HDAP assessment in January 2016 involving 10,457 students for school year 2015-2016, a total of 5,389 were identified as malnourished and slow learners in 31 schools in Maguindanao division 1.

Following this discovery, DepEd-ARMM immediately conducted a series of training and capability building workshop for school principals, teachers, school nurses, councilors and school planning officers to equip them with the necessary capacity to help improve education in war-torn communities.

To fast track development of pupils affected by conflict due to evacuation and displacement, the ARMM through the SEERP and DepEd had conducted psychosocial support services to schools.

Recognizing the importance of education at the formative stage of Moro children, the ARMM has allocated PHP13.2 million for support services education recovery program and special education recovery program.

Since ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman assumed office, a huge part of his energy was devoted to the development of the region's education sector.

He designed "horizontal" and "vertical" approaches. Horizontal refers to projects like school buildings, houses health centers in war torn communities and vertical refers to road networks, bridges and other infrastructure that will help poor communities recover and move forward.

HDAP has two major components, lawyer Laisa Alamia, ARMM executive secretary said. These include humanitarian component and development component.

Beneficiaries of these projects are the towns of Shariff Aguak, Pagatin (Datu Saudi Ampatuan), Mamasapano, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Datu Salibo, Talitay, Talayan, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Guindulungan, Datu Piang, Rajah Buayan, Datu Unsay Ampatuan, Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, Datu Abdullah Sangki and Datu Odin Sinsuat.