Muslim students are excited about being able to study Arabic and Islam in public schools.

MANILA — After their classes in government-run schools, Muslim students would not have to attend madrasahs, private Islamic religious schools, as the education department is offering Arabic and Islamic subjects to them as part of the state's "madrasah education" project right within their schools.

"The education of our Muslim children is an important concern of our President [Gloria Arroyo]. Our government is very much committed to ensuring a bright future for our Muslim children," Department of Education in-charge Fe Hidalgo told IslamOnline.net.

"This is why we have the madrasah education project."

The project, Hidalgo explains, will afford thousands of Muslims students, particularly those outside of the southern island of Mindanao, Islam's birthplace in the Philippines and home to most of its Muslims, the privilege of learning more about Islam within their schools.

The government came up with a "roadmap to madrasah education" in 2004 and the implementation of the madrasah program began in June 2005.

The roadmap's general objectives include the development and institutionalization of madrasah education as a vital component of the national education system.

The "Standard Basic Education Curriculum for Public Schools and Madaris" also includes development of instructional materials in five learning areas, such as Arabic language and Islamic values in all elementary grade levels in public schools as well as Qur'an, `aqeedah (creed), Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), seerah (biography of the Prophet/Companions) and Hadith in private Madaris.

Transfer

Hidalgo said that the madrasah curriculum is aimed "to establish a smooth transfer of students from public to private Madrasah or vice versa."

It also seeks to "unify the long history of dichotomy among Muslims and promote the Filipino national identity."

For years, young Muslims have had to spend time after their school hours or attend the privately-administered madrasahs on weekends if they want to learn Arabic and Islamic values as these and other Islam-related subjects were not taught in public schools.

Other students sent to madrasahs by their parents instead of public schools face a hard time learning English, mathematics, science, Filipino and Philippine history when they decide to enroll.

Manaros Boransing, Department of Education Undersecretary for Muslim Affairs, explained that the "madrasah education" wants to "bridge the gap in what the government has been offering the Muslims students."

"We want to address the need of our Muslim people," he told IOL.

"And this need is quality education that not only equips them with tools they need for today's world but also that which would make them true believers of Islam."

Excited

Nur Haninah Musa is excited that starting this June, she will be able to learn Arabic.

"I am excited because I will now learn how to read the Qur'an," the fourth grader told IOL.

Mina, Musa's mother, said her daughter had wanted to read Arabic but did not find anyone to teach her.

"I' m always busy with our business and so is my husband. There's no madrasah near our place where we could send her to. This program is really a big help."

Habib Bansara also welcomes the program.

"As a mother of four and a migrate here in Manila, it is of great help to us to be able to avail of this program," she said.

"Madrasah would not be a problem if we are in our hometown in Lanao province but since we are here in Manila, this is a great help. Our children will be able to know what they should know as Muslims."

Erlinda Bas, an education supervisor, said the program would help bridge the gap between Muslims and non-Muslims as non-Muslims would be allowed to attend the madrasah classes.

"By allowing the non-Muslims to learn what Islam is and the Islamic values, we hope to address discrimination which we are sure is happening within the schools, particularly with this terrorism thing."

The program indeed aims to foster peace between Muslims and non-Muslims.

"The curriculum of the classes will be geared toward building peace and understanding among our people," said Boransing.