“The MBHTE has been marred by corruption issues, including allegations of selling slots to prospective teachers”
The Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is facing scrutiny over alleged anomalous transactions, including a single-day disbursement of P1.7 billion.
Insiders, whose identities were withheld for security reasons, said they are asking the Office of the President and the Commission on Audit to look into the testimonies of witnesses who had provided information regarding questionable dealings within the MBHTE.
One such transaction concerns the unusual payment of P1.7 billion made for Learner’s and Teacher’s Kits on March 7, 2025, which happened in just one day without oversight.
The transaction did not pass through the Finance Division Chief for review and signature, as required by standard procedures, to ensure completeness, legality, and compliance with government rules and policies, insiders said.
The MBHTE, led by Minister Mohagher Mohammad Iqbal, has the largest budget in BARMM, totaling P36 billion, which accounts for one-third of the region’s total budget. Despite this significant funding, education outcomes in BARMM remain poor.
The MBHTE has been marred by corruption issues, including allegations of selling slots to prospective teachers.
Another case involved the procurement of the In-Service Training for Teachers (INSET) program for August 2022, which was postponed due to conflicts related to hotel accommodations caused by the Minister’s nephew.
INSET, a program that provides training for teachers to enhance their competencies, was scheduled to take place across four locations: General Santos City, Zamboanga City, Cagayan de Oro City, and Cotabato City. It was designed to run for one week, beginning in the first week of Aug. 2022.
Insiders said that during a meeting of division chiefs, it was mentioned that the training postponement was made because “Boss A” was angry that the contract was not awarded to his preferred hotels.
It is common knowledge within MBHTE that “Boss A” referred to a relative of his. Some hotels that were awarded contracts have since demanded compensation, threatening legal action against the MBHTE.
This not the first time that the MBHTE has been involved in controversy.
In October 2023, the BARMM government started an investigation into allegations of the sale of a teacher’s plantilla item for P300,000.
Minister Iqbal created a special committee to look into the allegations and ferret out the truth. He pointed out that Islamic teachings prohibit such anomalies and vowed that any official, personnel, or school division staff found to be involved in the alleged sale of plantilla items would be dealt with by authorities. He also urged individuals with complaints to provide evidence that can be used in the investigation.
A total of 968 teaching and non-teaching personnel across Lanao del Sur (LDS) I and II, Sulu school divisions, including 16 individuals from the regional staff, were employed by the MBHTE.
The newly hired personnel took their oaths at the Cotabato State University’s gymnasium in Oct. 2023. Iqbal said they were hired without any bias and following stringent and transparent recruitment processes.
“The Bangsamoro’s education ministry is very competitive in hiring its teaching personnel. It goes through rigorous processes, including applicant’s educational background, eligibility, work experiences as well as their training,” he said.
“The MBHTE leadership will not tolerate biases and those activities prohibited in Islamic teaching. We always consider transparency with the guidance of Moral Governance,” Iqbal added.
The Education Minister should act on the latest allegations regarding anomalous transactions in his turf as this would demonstrate his commitment to transparency and accountability as hallmarks of good governance.
The BARMM as well as its predecessor, the Autonomous Region
in Muslim Mindanao , was created after years of peace negotiations between the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Republic Act 11054, also known as the Organic Law for the BARMM, was signed into law in July 2018, replacing the ARMM.
The forthcoming BARMM parliamentary elections and the results of the voting will tell us very clearly whether autonomy for Muslim Mindanao will lead to genuine change, including in the education sector.
Minister Iqbal should leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the office that he heads complies with the highest standards of transparency and accountability expected of his office now that the BARMM is slowly but surely gearing up for effective and sustained self-rule. (Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)
