SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian asked the Department of Education to address education issues in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The senator said that the number of enrollment in BARMM continues to drop.

Based on Gatchalian’s latest information, the enrollment for School Year 2022-2023 was only at 89 percent.

“A way to achieve peace in the region is to educate our children. To make sure that they are in school, to make sure that they are given the best education possible. It is also a way for them to gain meaningful jobs,” the chairman of the Committee on Basic Education said.

Gatchalian reminded the DepEd that while the BARMM has its own Ministry of Education, it has a moral obligation to assist the region in terms of concept and best practices.

Meanwhile, DepEd Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III said that BARMM has sought help specifically for educational facilities.

“Huli po silang nabigyan ng pondo para sa school buildings ay noong 2020 at ang banggit ng Department of Budget and Management at Department of Finance dahil meron na silang one-time, big-time na pondo, doon na dapat nila kinukuha ang kanilang pondo para maitayo ang school buildings. Sa aming pananaw, ‘yung kanilang P75 billion more or less a year is not enough to be able to fund their school buildings,” Densing said.

He revealed that there is no allocation for BARMM under Government Assistance to Student and Teachers in Private Education.

“While we are fixing these issues, we would like to encourage again the Department to look at other ways to improve enrolment. It’s quite concerning that the region we are trying to deliver peace, the region we are trying to develop is the region we have the lowest enrolment,” Gatchalian said.