MP Atty. Maisara Dandamun-Latiph delivered a privilege speech for Torils during the 4th Regular Session No. 105 dated June 23, 2022, Dhul-Al-Qa’dah 24, 1443.
The aim of her Privilege Speech is to ensure that the voice of the vulnerable Sectors, especially the Torils will be heard in the parliament and Humbly Recommend To The Bangsamoro Transition Authority To Strengthen And Create Policies To Institutionalized Support And Programs For Toril.
During her address, she stated the following generally identified difficulties based on the situation of Torils in Lanao, notably in the BARMM Region:
1. No Standard Curriculum for Torils in BARMM where the Modir or Ustadz can follow thereby resulting to poor quality of education;
2. The need to provide an option to learners for an Alternative Learning System (ALS) so that morits will have the option to shift to K-12 education;
3. Lack of Supervision by the government of various Torils thereby leading to cases of abuses due to harsh punishments of children inside Torils; and also
4. No government support for facilities, teachers, and administrators of Torils.
Furthermore, she also mentioned the observed shortcomings resulted in additional hurdles and issues for our Toril, such as:
1. There was no concrete data about Torils in the region; majority of the torils are not registered to SEC or not MSSD Accredited because of lack of requirements, funds and incapacitated;
2. There are also challenges with respect to the subpar standard of centers (Toril/Madrasa Institutions);
3. Limited financial support or lack of funding and assistance to the Morits (Arabic Students) and Asatidhs; Limited access to health services for the Morits (Arabic Students); limited support and supervision among the Toril Administrators/Asatidhs in the center-based institutions (Toril learning schools and Madrasah);
4. Most of our Torils in Lanao Del Sur is not financially supported from any local government units, it was managed by a Muslim scholars/Toril Administrators who also seeks help from donors and sometimes coming from foreign funds for the morits/orphans in these institutions and they only received contributions when someone is voluntarily donated;
5. The primary problem is financial support for maintenance of the orphanage/center (infrastructure and facilities), necessities of morits (food, safe drinking water, etc.), allowance for morits, and salary for administrators/teachers.
“Moreover, Torils have no regulation, and this caused a lack of funding making such institutions to fall into disrepair. Many center-based institutions (Torils) do not have working restrooms. They do not have proper beds and they would be forced to sleep on the cold floor with just a straw mat. Because of a lack of funding, although administrators of such institutions would try to feed their morits three times a day, in most cases these provisions are insufficient thereby affecting the health of morits/children. Many children suffer malnutrition and are stunted.”, said MP Atty. Maisara.
“Thus, the participants strongly recommended for regulation and institutionalized support in relation to Torils and Arabic Education.”, she recommended.
Institutionalizing and Regulation of Torils will provide Balanced and Quality Education in Every Bangsamoro Child.
