ILIGAN CITY – President-elect Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III was urged to streamline the madrasah curriculum to prevent extremism from making inroads in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

This developed after Professor Ibrahim Camama, chairman of Federated Royal Sultanate League of the Philippines, said the madaris (Islamic schools) have been in the Philippines since the advent of Islam in 1380 which was organized by famous Muslim scholar Karimul Makhdum who have settled on the island province of Tawi-Tawi.

Camama emphasized that there lies the danger of extremes from sweeping into Mindanao, adding madrasah teachers and its curriculum come from abroad and the graduates are not oriented towards Filipino nationalism.

It can be recalled that the Center for Muslim Moderates (CMM) has been holding forums and interfaith dialogues to counter the spread of extremism as innovative approach against terrorism in the country, Camama pointed out.

Camama said that the late Professor Taha Basman, president of CMM, earlier said he had been advocating for a bigger participation of the national government in madaris schools and be able to monitor its curriculum.

He said that due to lack of funds, madrasah structures are dilapidated and teaching materials come from abroad, adding that madrasah education in the Philippines faces three problems – lack of systematic organization, irrelevant curriculum, and lack of financial support.