CALBAYOG CITY – Eight children belonging to Muslim families who eluded from the on-going armed conflict in Marawi are now enrolled in Calbayog East Central School (CECS) for school year (SY) 2017-2018, in addition to the 41 enrollees during SY 2016-2017. The children’s ages range from 5 to 12 years old.

Following the mandate of the Department of Education for government schools to accommodate children of Marawi evacuees, these children were accepted without the necessary school records from their previous school.

CECS Principal, Mr. Elbert Ongcal informed Calbayog Journal during an interview that “as of June 22, 2017 the School has already eight (8) enrollees who are identified from families who turned out to be victims of the Marawi conflict. We have one enrollee each for Grades 6, 5, 4, 2 and 1 while 3 of them are in Grade 3. We are actually expecting more enrollees from Marawi until August when we finalize enrolment roll.”

“We are mandated to accommodate these children even without presentation of report cards or any proof of previous enrollment in any of the schools for reasons that records may just have been devastated or that the families were deprived of time and opportunity to carry with them any document because they needed to hurriedly flee from the area,” Ongcal explained.

Being the only school in the city’s school division that implements Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE) Program, CECS have become a haven for learners of the Muslim Community in the City.

“ALIVE Program instills education and Islamic values at the learner’s early stage so they cannot be easily dissuaded from the Islamic doctrines so they may adhere in accordance with the belief of Allah in the Kor’an. ALIVE classes are handled by our teachers who are Muslims by faith and are conducted only during Saturdays and Sundays from 7:30AM to 4:45PM. During weekdays, the learners are on the K to 12 curriculum.” Ongcal informed.

Calbayog Journal was further told that the children belong to different families but are all relatives of a Village Councilor (Barangay Kagawad) of the city’s Barangay Payahan. The village is about 500 meters away from CECS.

In June 03, 2017 a group of Maranaos were monitored in Cebu City where one of the women in the group, Sonaya Palao, who was interviewed by a media person informed about being from Marawi and that they are evacuating to Calbayog City. The woman is the wife of Village Councilor Abdul Karim Palao. Barangay Payahan is where the biggest Muslim Community in the city is located.