ILIGAN CITY (PIA)--The local government unit (LGU) of Piagapo has developed a standardized curriculum for Arabic schools (Madrasah) within the municipality as a move to prevent and counter violent extremism.
In an episode of Network Briefing News with Communications Sec. Martin Andanar, Piagapo vice mayor Ali Sumandar said the standardized curriculum for Madrasah schools was also crafted to counter misinformation that Madrasahs are the breeding grounds of religious extremists.
The standardized curriculum was developed by Muslim religious scholars in close coordination with the LGU through its Islamic Affairs Office.
Sumandar said the LGU specifically created an Islamic Affairs Office to study and look for measures to combat such misinformation and to campaign that Islam means peace.
Piagapo vice mayor Ali Sumandar says the local government created an Islamic Affairs Office to study and look for measures to combat misinformation on Madrasah.
The said curriculum was also subjected to a thorough review and approval by the Islamic Affairs Office of the Provincial Government of Lanao del Sur before it was circulated to the 37 Madrasahs in the municipality.
"Hanggang ngayon ginagamit pa namin ito and we are praying na kumalat ito sa buong lalawigan ng Lanao del Sur para mawala sa isipan ng lahat na ang producers ng mga ISIS ay ang mga Madrasah," he said.
[Until now we are still using it and we are praying that it spreads throughout the province of Lanao del Sur so that it would disappear from everyone's mind that the producers of ISIS are the Madrasahs]
The vice mayor further said the local government is working hand-in-hand with community members in the fight against terrorism and illegal activities in Piagapo. (APB/PIA-ICIC)
