Ms. Mucha-Shim Quiling Arquiza - Secretary-General, Qalam, Asian Muslim
Action Muslim Network in the Philippines (AMANPHIL) – Philippines
Thank you very much Miss Chairman.
I am speaking in this Forum on behalf of the organisations Asian Muslim
Action Muslim Network in the Philippines, and Indigenous Luma and Moro
Alliance for Appropriate and Liberating Education – a civil society
organisations who have been very active in championing the works on
alternative learning systems and we can humbly claim that our initiatives
have set the frameworks and contributed significantly to the
transformation to the Philippine department of education bureau of
non-formal education to become the bureau of alternative learning
systems.
The bureau of alternative learning systems has been tasked to specially to
oversee the implementation of so-called mainstreaming or integration into
the public school system of the Madaris or Muslims schools for the
Baucama auma autonomous regions in Muslim Mindanao. First, let me give
a very brief suggestions as a Muslim on the definition of education.
Education is not only [a service] but it is a human right towards a fuller
and more inclusive definition of education, I urge this body to incorporate
faith commuinties in regards to the concept of education.
Among Muslims education is an obligation as we belive in life-long leanring
is every persons goal. Seeking knowledge from cradle to grave is Islamic
prophetic injunction. Many folk religious traditions had also seen in
education a way towards oneness without divine crator. In this sense
education is not only decided for its personal benefits fulfilling individual
potential but it is obligatory for every religious person to support
educational pursuits as a form of spiritual duty education then is not only
a human right benefocoal for this life time but is a moral and spiritual duty
that prepares us for eternal life. Hence education should not be regarded
as merely a social and economic basis for physical existence but more
importantly it should be taken in the light of being ethical and spiritual
issues defining peoples humanness and essential for the full realisation for
human dignity.
Let me go back to my observation of the core principle of education
measures benefiting indigenous peoples that stem from the right to
self-determination and link this to the current initiative with the Philippine
government to integrate minority education such as the Muslim Madaris
into the mainstream public school system. I argue that the core principle is
true and relevant only as far as it is implementation schemes are in place
and followed fitfully.
Hence, we agree that states should make conditions enabiling institutions
which are representative of minority to participate meaningfully in
development and implementation of policies and programs.
Thank you very much.