The Bangsamoro people have been granted autonomy and funds to govern and improve their lives. Still, their students, who represent the future of the region and the nation, are not receiving sufficient support.

The report of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) on the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) opened our eyes to the “urgent systemic challenges” and the “critical bright spots” in the region’s education sector.

The report titled “Turning Point: A Decade of Necessary Reform (2026-2035)” was presented by the commission at the 4th Meeting of the Philippine Congress--Bangsamoro Parliament Forum last 24 March. It provides a candid analysis of the BARMM’s education system, pointing out the pressing challenges that must be addressed and the opportunities that must be seized.

The statistics on the BARMM learners are disheartening, if not heartbreaking: a childhood stunting rate of 34.3 percent, 16.9 percent of children suffering from anemia, and nearly half of households facing food insecurity. These numbers not only highlight a dire health crisis but set the stage for a broader educational disaster.

The 64.7-percent functional literacy rate and the large number of Key Stage 1 learners classified as “low emerging” readers highlight the need for immediate reform.

Worse, pandemic-related learning loss hit the region hard, with UNICEF data showing that fourth-grade students lag three to four years behind curriculum expectations. To reverse this trend, EDCOM 2 executive director Dr. Karol Mark Yee said expanding the First 1,000 Days program should be prioritized, and reading should be prioritized by Grade 3.

If BARMM fails to address these issues, it will risk losing an entire generation of potential.

Yet, amid these challenges, EDCOM 2’s findings also highlight the potential of BARMM students. The performance of Grade 3 learners in mathematics —surpassing the national average — shows they can excel when given the right support and resources. This realization should inspire the BARMM education ministry to provide an environment where all learners can thrive, particularly in foundational skills such as reading.

Alas, the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE), led by Minister Mohagher Iqbal, is currently embroiled in a P2.2-billion disbursement scandal involving the procurement of learning materials, which prompted the Commission on Audit chairman to dispatch a Special Audit Team (SAT) to investigate possible fraud in BARMM.

Violence nearly erupted when dozens of Marines and police officers escorted the SAT in entering the BARMM and securing the necessary documents and evidence for review.

Unless lightning strikes to change the flow and findings of the six-month audit report once the comments of those involved are in, the outcome would be very bad for the MBHTE.

As the head, Iqbal should explain rather than complain about the leaked CoA report and stop issuing statements denying the irregularities. If he is not careful, those who wish to oust him from the MBHTE may eventually succeed.

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