Story provided by Schools Division Office of Lanao del Sur I, Nashrema Mauyag
Under the educational sector, the province is divided into three Schools Division Offices (SDOs) to focus on the educational welfare of the Bangsamoro learners, in which the SDO Lanao del Sur I leads the campaign for the KaISA Project, also known as the Inclusive Schools Approach (ISA).
The main goal of the ISA is to reach every child by addressing their functional difficulties, documenting their lived experiences, and bridging the circumstances of the Bangsamoro learners with the current education system to make it more inclusive. The 20 Days to Reach Every Child Campaign was initiated by the Bangsamoro Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE) as part of the KaISA Project supported by the Australian Government through the implementation of Education Pathways to Peace in Mindanao with partner The Teacher’s Gallery. In line with the Learning Recovery Plan, the activity in Lanao del Sur I – led by Team Leader Nobaisah Ibrahim, JD and 10 field enumerators, with the support of the School Divisions Superintendent Shanee Macarampat-Sumagayan, Ph.D. – garnered more than 2,000 respondents1.
Education serves as a ticket to a better life for children by giving them knowledge that would allow them to navigate social, political, and economic aspects of life. However, when education infrastructure may be insufficient to meet any learners’ unique needs, this may be difficult to achieve. Rema Hayfah Agasor, a 9-year-old child with disability enrolled in Grade 3 (as of July 2022) from Barangay Radapan Poblacion of the municipality of Piagapo, is one of many children here who yearn to enjoy the education that they deserve.
Rema has an undying love and enthusiasm for learning. Nashrema Mauyag, a Field Enumerator from the Schools Division Office of Lanao del Sur II, described her as a ‘jolly’ child. Rema is a unique child who sees the value of education, eagerly seeking to learn and deeply interested in attending school. However, the physical accessibility of the nearby school (only about 500 meters from her home) makes attending school a difficult option for her as a child with mobility issues.
Rema Hayfah’s backstory
Rema’s mother conceived her through a twin pregnancy, but unfortunately she miscarried met with the miscarriage of her twin due to a rare condition identified upon consultation with medical professionals at the time. With this, Rema needed to be birthed before recovering the body of her twin who passed away. After the safe delivery of her mother, newborn screening was conducted for Rema in a local hospital and found no forms of disability.
Two months after she was born, Rema was taken care of by her grandparents as her parents went to Manila for a living. When she was just learning to walk, her legs suddenly crossed which made it difficult for her to stand on her own. Soon, this affected her ability to walk permanently. Now, she uses a locomote to move around.
While Rema’s home is in proximity with the school and the pathway is made of concrete, the state of the road is in poor condition with potholes, making it hard for Rema to physically attend school. To make matters more challenging, the family’s earnings are not enough to buy her a wheelchair. The only other option would be to physically carry her to and from school, which is impractical and not ideal for people with physical disabilities. True inclusivity that manifests in physical accessibility must result in a facility where those with mobility issues can navigate the premises independently.
Making inclusion happen regardless of all barriers
Regardless of all these barriers, Rema’s love for learning does not wane, and her eagerness to achieve academic growth and success remains. This is something her mother observed. In BARMM, it was common for parents of children with disabilities to hide them at home and not enrol them in school for fear of them experiencing social discrimination. But Rema’s mother was moved by her daughter’s longing for an education.
When the pandemic hit, her mother saw this as an opportunity to enroll her in school by taking advantage of the modular learning set up that was implemented. This kind of set up was greatly beneficial to Rema and her family, given that they did not have to exert any excessive physical effort to access education – the only thing they needed was the module from the school, and Rema was able to continue her studies.
Why inclusive education is important for children like Rema
Rema is one of many children with disabilities in BARMM who yearn for an education that takes their unique needs into account so they may equitably learn. This entails creating learning environments that are not only physically accessible, but also providing inclusive options like modular learning set ups that can help education easily reach every child.
As of writing, Rema is dedicated to pursuing educational pursuits with her dreams of becoming a professional teacher in the future. Of course, in the future, her dreams may change – but what matters is that the possibility of creating their own future is made open for every child. Her journey, along with the Bangsamoro children, deserves regard in their undertakings with continuous, inclusive, and supplemental systematic support.