Marawi City – In its continuing efforts to provide learning continuity and quality education to students despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry for Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE) organized a multi-day training for Kindergarten to Grade 3 teachers in Marawi City and Lanao del Sur 1 school divisions focusing on the Marungko Approach among others.
A total of 126 teachers were trained from June 8 to 18.
The training was conducted with assistance from the Australian government through the Education Pathways to Peace in Mindanao Program and its local partner, Save the Children Philippines. Government set protocols were followed for the duration of all training.
The Marungko Approach is designed to improve students’ reading skills through the use of the modern Filipino alphabet. Instead of introducing letters arranged traditionally, letters are arranged based on the sound of the letters. The letters are then introduced in localized and contextualized songs and poems for the students to remember and learn them better.
“We should shift our methods of teaching to fit the reality and context of our learners. Using methods that highlight things already familiar to our students will make learning easier for them, and more fun as well,” said Ms Ashania Paranaag, the instructor on the Marungko module for the Marawi City division leg of the training. “Marungko enables us to highlight the mother tongue first, before introducing borrowed letters and words,” she added.
Aside from the Marungko approach, the three-day training also included modules on Foundations of Early Language and Literacy Instruction; Grammar and Oral Language Development; Assessment of Reading Performance using Classroom-based Assessment Tools; Guiding Principles and Strategies for Teaching K-3 Math; Social and Emotional Learning Framework and its Competencies; and Inclusive Education and Perspectives on Inclusive Language and Disability. Teachers were also given training on child safeguarding, including the rights of the child.
The Marawi City division was represented by the following schools: Rorogagus Elementary School; Bangon Elementary School; Harat Medina Central Elementary School; Sultan Conding Elementary School; Sugod Central Elementary School; Matampay Elementary School; Calocan Elementary School; Marawi Central Elementary Pilot School – Temporary Learning Space – Sagonsongan; Angoyao Central Elementary School; and IBN Siena Integrated School Foundation.
The Lanao del Sur 1 division was represented by the following schools: Bocalan Elementary School; Gadongan Elementary School; Apa Mimbalay Elementary School; Madaya Elementary School; Dado Elementary School; Maitobasak Elementary School; Bubonga Madanding; Taporug 2 Learning Center; Sigayan Learning Center; and Ma’ahad Jamaiyah Zakba Ko Ranao Al Islamie Inc.
THE MBHTE, together with the Australian Government and Save the Children Philippines plan on conducting the same training for all the school divisions in the region in the coming weeks. The one for Basilan has already been scheduled for the last week of the month.