BEAM STUDY TOUR IN SINGAPORE

08 November 2007 – The Philippine Embassy in Singapore reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that a delegation from the Department of Education—Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao (DepEd – BEAM) project undertook an education study tour in Singapore on 01-03 November 2007.

The BEAM project is a special DepEd initiative funded jointly by the Philippine and Australian Governments. The Australian grant covers P 1.6 billion over a period of six years. BEAM aims to improve the quality of, and access to basic education in Central and Southern Mindanao. A significant focus of the project is about improving the provision of education to Muslim children by strengthening the private Madaris. The project also aims to assist DepEd in introducing two new subjects, the Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE program), into Government schools with more than 15 % Muslim children.

Financial assistance for the study tour came from the Government of Australia through AusAID and BEAM.

DepEd Undersecretary for Mindanao Manaros Boransing led the delegation composed  of 20 DepEd Regional Directors and 34 Madrasah Managers from Mindanao. BEAM Australian Director Dr. Ian D’Arcy Walsh, also joined the group.   

According to Dr. Boransing, the trip intended to provide an opportunity for the Madrasah Managers to gain insights regarding Muslim education vis-à-vis the national education curriculum, and new perspectives on management and sustainable financing of private sectarian schools, which includes the Madrasahs. It also provided an avenue for DepEd policy managers to familiarize themselves with government and non-government initiatives on education. It enhanced the group’s knowledge by comparing the Philippine educational system with other systems in the region.

For his part, Dr. Walsh stated that the study tour was about obtaining ideas and strategies on meeting the educational needs of children in Malaysia, a predominant Muslim country, and in Australia and Singapore, where Muslims are in the minority. He conveyed his appreciation  for the Philippine Embassy’s effort in facilitating the meetings with MOE officials, and the support extended  to the group during their stay in Singapore.

The highlights of the group’s visit to Singapore were a briefing on Singapore’s educational system by the offcicials of the Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE), visits to representative primary and secondary schools, briefing on Madrasah education in Singapore at the Al-Nahdhah Mosque, and visits to  Madrasah Al-juneid and Madrasah Al-Irsyad, two Islamic schools.