THE Department of Education has scheduled the conduct of qualifying examinations in Arabic language and Islamic Studies in the fourth quarter of this year.
In a memorandum dated October 4, the department, through Undersecretary Gina Gonong said the examinations will be held in 23 testing centers nationwide, including one in Makati City.
“The qualifying examination is an entry-level examination required for individuals applying to become asatidz, a general Arabic term for teachers historically or traditionally used in most Filipino Muslim communities. This examination intends to gauge the proficiency of the test-takers in the Arabic language and knowledge of Islamic studies,” the DepEd said.
It said that registrants must be Filipino citizens aged 18 to 64 on the examination day, and at least a high school graduate in both secular (English) and Islamic (Arabic) education.
However, the department has yet to calendar the exact date of the examination.
Last August, DepEd also boosted funding for schools offering a Madrasah education program (MEP) to provide learners with “culturally appropriate and Islamic-friendly” education through the integration of the Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE) with the K to 12 curriculum.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said then that all public elementary and secondary schools with ALIVE classes with at least 10 learners per class will receive a monthly program support fund of P12,500.
This was an increase from the previous P7,000 contained in DepEd Order No. 25 issued in 2021 that Angara’s order amended.
The majority of schools offering the MEP are located in Mindanao, particularly in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.