Cotabato city: The Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Tuesday formalized a partnership to integrate Comprehensive Gender and Health Education for Youth (CGHEY) into the education system of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) for 2025 to 2028. Under the memorandum of understanding (MOU), CGHEY will be mainstreamed across basic education, alternative learning systems, Indigenous Peoples Education, special education, and the Madaris system.
According to Philippines News Agency, the initiative seeks to equip Bangsamoro learners with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to live healthy lives, uphold their rights, and confidently shape their futures. “On behalf of MBHTE, I affirm our full commitment to this collaboration with UNFPA. This MOU serves as a framework for our shared mission, which is guided by the wisdom of Dr. Jos© Rizal: that the youth are the hope of our nation,” MBHTE Minister Mohagher Iqbal said.
“Therefore, we pledge to invest in their holistic development, ensuring their health and well-being as we cultivate the next generation of leaders.” Meanwhile, UNFPA officials underscored that access to comprehensive gender and health education is crucial in strengthening communities and empowering young people to make informed decisions.
Through the partnership, the MBHTE and the UNFPA reaffirmed their joint commitment to ensuring that no learner in BARMM is left behind, while fostering a generation of youth ready to lead the region toward a healthier and more inclusive future. The UNFPA is the United Nations’ sexual and reproductive health agency, working to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.