Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO.__ 3400

Introduced by the Honorable Nur G. Jaafar

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Regional and provincial educational reforms must reflect the national
government's serious effort to address the issue of Islamization which is a serious
concern of the Muslim communities worldwide and in some, dramatized by extreme
radicalism.

The bills aims to provide government assistance to the Madrasah Education
System. There is a need to strengthen and develop the Madrasah system of
education to make it more accessible, relevant and reflective of oral traditions that
weave the Muslim's Philippine heritage.

The Constitution mandates that we must protect and promote the rights of all
citizens to quality education at all levels. Further, the Constitution is clear in its
directive that the System of Education to be established, maintained and supported
should be relevant to the needs of the people and society, hence; it has also a
responsibility to strengthen and develop our Madrasah Education System in Muslim
Mindanao and other Muslim-populated regions in the archipelago.

This bill, which will strengthen and develop the Madrasah system, is one way
of bridging the gap between Muslims and the Christian majority. The bill provides for
the following: infrastructure development, nutrition and feeding programs, classroom
facilities, textbook assistance funds, scholarship grants, education loan fund, in-
service training fund for teachers, and scholarship grants to children of teachers

Approval of the bill is earnestly urged.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 3400

Introduced by the Honorable Nur G. Jaafar

AN ACT
STRENGHTENING THE MADRASAH EDUCATION SYSTEM BY PROVIDING
GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE TO MADRASAH EDUCATION,
APPROPRIPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled.

SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the ‘Fund Assistance to Madrasah
Education’.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. It is the policy of the State to promote and
make quality education accessible to the Filipino people regardless of cultural origin,
conviction, creed or belief. The State also recognizes the complementary roles of
public and private educational institutions in the country's educational system and
the invaluable contribution of private educational institutions to educate its citizenry,
and this icludes the Madrasah Schools in Muslim Mindanao and other areas in the
country where Muslim population abounds.

The state shall also, as a matter of policy, establish a fund for Madrasah
Infrastructure Development, apart from maintaining a system of scholarship grants,
student loan programs, teacher development program, subsidies and other
incentives which shall be available to deserving students especially to the
underprivileged. Further, the State shall encourage non-formal, informal and
indigenous learning systems as well as self-learning, particularly those that respond
to community needs. The dynamics of oral literatures and traditions shall be
considered.

For this purpose, the State shall mandate the Department of Education
(DepEd), in close coordination with National Commission on Muslim Filipinos
(NCMF), and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), to provide
mechanisms that will improve the quality of Madrasah education as well as open the
opportunity of more Muslim students benefiting said educational system by
maximizing the use of existing resources of private education, recognizing in the
process the government's responsibility to provide education to its people.


SECTION 3. Madrasah Curriculum. The Madrasah curriculum shall be
enriched and harmonized to make it compatible with the curriculum of the formal
education system. Equivalency, learning accreditation, experience-based learning
and other innovative education approaches shall be utilized in order to make
possible the smooth transition of learners from the madrasah education system to
the formal education system and vice-versa.

SECTION 4. Criteria for Assistance. The programs for assistance shall be
based on a set of criteria which shall include, among others, tuition fees charged by
the schools, the socio-economic needs of the students, giving priority to those who
come from the poorest sector of society, overall performance of the schools, the
academic qualifications and the financial needs of both students and teachers.

In addition, the students who may qualify scholarship assistance in Madrasah
schools can continue to study in higher education institution. Provided that they pass
the minimum requirement of said program.

SECTION 5. Forms of Assistance. For purposes of this Act, apart from
Infrastructure Development, programs and assistance to students and teachers in
Madrasah schools shall consist of the following

1. Nutrition and Feeding Program for Young Children;

2. Classroom facilities such as desks, tables, chalkboards and other basic
classroom needs;

3. Textbook Assistance Fund;

4, Scholarship grants to deserving students;

5, Education loan fund;

6. In-service training fund for teachers; and

7. Scholarship grants for children of teachers.

SECTION 6. Funding. The funds necessary for the implementation of this Act
shall be provided in the General Appropriation Act (GAA) in the amount of five
hundred million pesos (P 500,000,000.00) and shall be charged under the current
appropriations of the Department of Education.

SECTION 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations, The Secretary of
Education (DepEd), in close coordination with the National Commission on Muslim
Filipinos (NCMF), and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), shall
issue rules and regulations necessary for the effective implementation of this Act

SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. All laws, presidential decrees, executive

orders, presidential proclamations, rules and regulations or parts thereof contrary to
or consistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.


SECTION 9 Separability Clause. If any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other
provisions hereof.

SECTION 10. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in two (2) newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,