AROUND 1,178 teaching and non-teaching personnel from 63 villages in North Cotabato that joined the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao finally received their first salaries this week.

Minister Mohagher Iqbal of the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education himself handed the checks to teachers from BARMM’s Special Geographic Area in North Cotabato during a simple ceremony.

“The SGA teachers work at public elementary and secondary schools in the villages,” Iqbal said.

The SGA is composed of 63 barangays in North Cotabato province that opted to be included in the Bangsamoro region during the plebiscite held in February 2019.

Of the 1,178 personnel, 1,034 were elementary teachers from the Aleosan schools district, Carmen, Kabacan, Midsayap, Pigcawayan, and Pikit.

The other 144 teachers are secondary level instructors.

Iqbal said that the Education ministry will soon establish a division office. It is presently selecting personnel to oversee the schools under the SGA in North Cotabato.

“Rest assured that the plans and projects we have for other schools divisions will also be equally implemented and executed in these 63 barangays,” he said.