“It has come to the Ministry’s attention that there are some groups . . . that have been collecting fees in exchange for review classes for the Licensure Examination for Madaris,” the MBHTE said in an advisory it released on Monday.

The MBHTE clarified that it “has given no authorization to any person/s or group to conduct the said review and to collect any monetary value from the LEM takers.”

An Arabic teacher who requested anonymity told Luwaran that a certain group asked him and his fellow teachers to pay P12,500 as fee for a three-month review class in preparation for taking the licensure examination for Mudarris. 

The teacher said they refused to pay the amount pending clarification from the MBHTE.

According to MBHTE, it has yet to finalize the guidelines for the qualification for the conduct of Special Eligibility for Mudarris pursuant to Section 105 of Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 18 otherwise known as the “Bangsamoro Education Code of 2021.” 

Section 105 of the Bangsamoro Education Code provides, thus:

“For the purpose of meeting the eligibility requirement for the position of Mudarris (a teacher teaching Arabic and/or Islamic values), the Ministry shall develop and administer special qualifying examinations for permanent appointment to Mudarris positions in the Ministry. In coordination with the Civil Service Commission for BARMM, the Ministry shall grant special license for Mudarris to those who passed the special qualifying examinations, Provided, That the eligibility herein granted shall only qualify the appointee to permanent appointment to Mudarris and shall not be considered as a substitute to second level eligibility unless authorized by the Civil Service Commission.”

It provides further that, “Graduates with honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude and cum laude) from a recognized university or institution of higher learning in Arabic and/or Islamic Studies whether local or international may be exempted from the special qualifying examinations and shall be deemed to have met the eligibility requirement for permanent appointment to Mudarris positions subject to applicable Civil Service rules on granting honor graduate eligibility.”