Islamic Education in the Philippines: Challenges and Prospects By: Prof. Dr. Asnawil G. Ronsing Dean, King Faisal Center, MSU/ IIIT Representative for Philippines

Assalamu’alaikom warakhmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Let me express my sincerest thanks and heartfelt gratitude to all the officials of the College of Islamic Studies, Prince of Songkla University, Pattani, Thailand for inviting me to present paper in this conference.

It may be related to the theme of this conference “Islamic Education as a Driving Force for Peaceful Co-existence and Development” a topic humbly prepared by this humble representation entitled “Islamic Education in the Philippines: Challenges and Prospects”. Education is the fundamental solution to all problems: ignorance, poverty, criminality, injustice, violent conflicts, extremism, terrorism and others. All these problems are existing in the Muslim communities in the Philippines due to the poor Islamic education of the Muslims in the Philippines.

Let me share with you the status of the Islamic education in the Philippines.

Islamic Education Institutions in the Philippines is hampered by the centuries old armed conflict between the Muslims and the Government. History told us that this began in 1521 when the Spaniards came, followed by the Americans, the Japanese, and then the Philippine Government when it gained independence in 1945. Then followed by a series of Muslim armed struggles against the government, among others: Camlon of Sulu, Tawantawan of Lanao; the crop-up of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) 1972, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) 1976; and the Abu Sayaf Terrorist Group and the Maute-ISIS Terrorist Group. It also slow-down by the centuries old family armed conflict between Muslims against Muslims: Maranao against Maranao, Maguindanao against Maguindanao, Tausog against Tausog, Yakan against Yakan, and others. This resulted to poverty, ignorance, and absence of the rule of law.

The Islamic Education Institutions in the Philippines are in the form of Madrasah (Arabic School), Private School, and Public School. They are also centuries old bag behind compared to the Educational Institutions in Europe, America, China, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. Majority of the Madarish Institutions offered only high school (thanawi) with the exception of the few that offered college degree (kuliyyah). Arabic language is the medium of instruction in the MAdarish. Recently, Madarish incorporates English Language, Mathematics, and Science as subjects taught in English language. Most if not all of the private schools organized and managed by the Muslims offered college degree only. It is organized and supervised in accordance with the law under the Department of Education. English language is the medium of instruction. Only elementary Arabic, and basic Islamic education are taught in the said private schools.

Sometime in 1970’s, the University of the Philippines (UP), a public school, the highest in rank among the universities in the Philippines offered a degree in Islamic studies. Recently, it also offered Master degree in Islamic Studies. Of course, English is the medium of instruction. Another public school, the Mindanao State University, established in 1962 for the educational upleftment of the Muslims in the Philippines, offered degree in Islamic Studies and later named King Faisal Center for Islamic, Arabic and Asian Studies, named after the late King of Saudi Arabia (God Bless his soul) who extended support to the institute.

The King Faisal Center for Islamic, Arabic and Asian Studies offered the following degree:

Bachelor of Arts in Islamic Studies; Bachelor of Arts in Shari’ah; Bachelor of Arts in Teaching Arabic; Bachelor of Arts in International Relations; and Master degree in Muslim Personal Laws.

In other autonomous campuses of the Mindanao State University System, viz: MSU-Maguindanao, MSU-General Santos, and MSU-Tawi-Tawi, also offered degree in Islamic Studies. In order to preserve and maintain the prestine purity of Islamic teaching based on the Holy Qur’an and Hadith, the proposed curriculum of all Islamic degree of the Mindanao State University System incorporated a subject on Islamization of Knowledge adopted from the IIIT Concept.

The King Faisal Center and the College of Law of the Mindanao State University produced more or less 60% of the Shari’ah Counselors of the Philippines. In 1995, and Integrated School, integrating the curriculum in Madrasah and the curriculum under the Department of Education, both Arabic and English languages are used as the medium of instruction was established. It is a private school that won the acceptance of the community. This is Ibn Siena Integrated School Foundation Incorporated now offered only high school education with the dream to open college degree soon.

Challenges and Prospects: With the background in view and to join with the fast developing global educational institutions, Islamic Educational Institutions in the Philippines need the following:

More funding for both Madarish and Private schools. Balance the knowledge in both English and Arabic Language. Improve the quality of Islamic Education Curriculum. Rationalize the degree offerings, and enhance Master and Ph. D. Program. Identify programs to produce competitive manpower for regional and international market. Shift resources accordingly, and Islamic Education Institutional Leadership must cooperate with one another for development to a global standard.

Thank you and wassalam.