In between combat operations, rebel integrees go back to school
By FERNAN MARASIGAN
TODAY Reporter
CAMP ABUBAKAR, Maguindanao - In this former main stronghold of the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front, lies two classrooms that were built after it was captured by government forces some four years ago.
The students? Former fighters of the MILF’s forerunner, the Moro National Liberation Front, who failed to acquire formal education because of the separatist rebellion in Mindanao.
When they were integrated into the Armed Forces several years ago, a number of MNLF fighters were illiterates. But now, several of them are already being trained and developed to serve as “instructors” to illiterate Moros (mostly adults) in Mindanao, one of the areas with a very high illiteracy rate. In fact some of them are already teaching in the pilot area in Buldon, teaching mostly adult students.
Thanks to the Army which coordinated with several government agencies to help in the formulation to address the integrees’ educational deficiencies.
After the final peace agreement was signed by the MNLF and the government on September 2, 1996, a total strength of 4,557 former MNLF fighters were integrated to the Armed Forces. Of these, at least 1,878 were either elementary or high school graduates, a few of them could not read or write and 126 were college undergraduates.
Noting that these former rebels must enhance their professional advancement and competitiveness in the military service, the Army, in coordination with the Commission on Higher Education and the defense department’s National Peace Unity and Development, formulated a study grant for the tertiary requirements of the officer-integrees where a grantee is given seven years to finish a baccalaureate degree while the Department of Education and the defense department’s Continuing Education Program will cater to the educational deficiencies of the enlisted integrees which is implemented by the Bureau of Alternative Learning System (BALS) formerly the DepEd’s Nonformal Education (NFE).
Under the CHED-DND study grant program from year 2001 to present, a total of 87 grantees have already graduated, four are due to graduate next year and 39 in 2007. All the grantees were enrolled in different accredited state colleges and universities in Mindanao.
The 1,878 former MNLF enlisted personnel integrees who are elementary and high school undergraduates are presently undergoing the Philippine Army Assistance to Rural Advancement on Literacy or the PAARAL Program.
The soldier-students were categorized as Level 1 or equivalent to zero to grade 1; Level 2 or grade four to six; Level 3 or 1st and 2nd year high school and Level 4 or 3rd to fourth year high school.
Their instructors are also military personnel who graduated from college with education degrees or college undergraduates who were trained to teach basic literacy.
One of them is Sgt. Leo Orog, who was holding a class with the integrees when some journalists, including this reporter visited the camp recently.
Orog is teaching the basic literacy starting from the Filipino alphabet and so on.
“Mahirap talaga magturo ng ganito, minsan inaabot kami na ilang araw bago nila makuha yung alphabet, mabasa at matandaan,” Orog told DepEd officials, who visited the camp to observe and monitor the progress of the program.
Lt. Col. Renwick Rutaquio, commander of the Army’s 75th Infantry Battalion also based in Camp Abubakar, now headquarters of the Army’s 603rd Infantry Brigade, acknowledged that most of the integrees could not write and read.
“Karamihan hindi pa talaga marunong magbasa at magsulat. Kaya nga tinuturuan namin sila para maging competitive and to enhance their opportunities for professional advancement in the military service,” Rutaquio said in a separate interview.
Rutaquio also admitted that it is a long and tedious process but they can easily cope up. He cited as an example when there is combat operation and the integrees are in the middle of their classes.
“They really have to take down their notebooks and pens and get their firearms to answer to the call of duty. Kaya minsan nai-interrupt yung klase. Pero nakaka-cope up naman after the combat operations,” Rutaquio said.
Although some prefer to go on combat operations rather than attend their classes, the integrees are thankful for the program.
Pfc. Abdul Odin, 34, who was among those undergoing the basic literacy course, said he was only 12 when he joined the MNLF and took up arms. Because he was in the movement, he forgot all about studies.
“Nagpapasalamat ako sa gobyerno at sa Armed Forces at binigyan kami ng tsansa na makapagaral,” he said.
According to military officials, 75 percent of the 160 “learners” are illiterate.
But once they completed the Levels 1 to 4 and after thorough evaluation, they will be given high school diplomas and could continue their studies to college level.
But the good news on the educational program for integrees does not end in graduation to high school or college.
The program reached another milestone with the introduction of the Adopt a Soldier-Teacher where selected integrees who have graduated college or have reached at least second year in tertiary level will be tasked to augment civilian teachers to teach out of school youths and adults in areas in Mindanao where the illiteracy rate are high.
Col. Anthony Alcantara, the Army’s assistant chief of staff for Civil Military Operations (G-7) and chairman of the Army Technical Working Group, said the program is not only aimed at bringing the military closer to the people but also enable those who were not served by formal education to gain reading, writing and numeracy skills to meet their learning goals to improve their economic status more effectively in society.
Col. Edgardo Gurrea, commander of the Army’s 603rd Infantry Brigade and who was tasked to implement the program, said there were a lot of teachers who were afraid to teach because of fear of either aggression from the rebels or being caught in the crossfire.
Gurrea’s brigade is presently conducting the first batch of class in Minabay, Buldon, where 123 learners are provided education by military personnel including the integrees who act as teachers of mostly adult students.
Officials said 75 percent of the people in Minabay have not been reached by education, the reason why it was selected as the pilot area for the program.
The area, that has a population of more than 500, is the entry and exit point to Mount Cararao where some foreign operatives of the Asian terror group Jema’ah Islamiyah are reportedly hiding and conducting training. Some 500 meters away from the Minabay is a camp of the MILF.
According to Rutaquio and Mayor Abolais Manalao of Buldon, some of the learners or students are either relatives or wives of MNLF fighters.
“That is why if there are classes, although the teachers are themselves military personnel, we deploy several of our men,” Rutaquio said.
Interviewed by journalists who visited Minabay, the learners said they are happy with the development particularly because their teachers are also Muslims.
“Madali namin silang naiintindihan dahil parehong wika ang ginagamit naming,” said an elderly man, who was among the learners.
So far, 52 integrees who are graduates of baccalaureate degrees for officers or who have at least obtained two years in college education underwent Instructional Managers Trainors Training (IMTT) conducted by Alcantara in coordination with Director Carolina Guerrero, the BALS head.
Guerra said that by next year, there will be many areas in Mindanao that will be provided with educational benefits comparable with formal education.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?...ncial&OID=65227