From November 16 to December 2, 2004, two workshops funded by The Asia Foundation were conducted at SEAMEO INNOTECH for the Materials Development Project in Support of the Curriculum for the Private Madaris and the Enriched Curriculum for Public Schools for Muslims. The first workshop was to fine-tune and finalize descriptions of subjects, scope and sequence of topics, learning competencies and fleshing out of generic, terminal competencies into more specific learning competencies. The second was to orient textbook writers and prepare a prototype chapter of the textbook, teachers’ guides, and students’ skill books. The results of the two workshops were the refined descriptions, objectives, DACUM charts, and textbook briefs for the five learning areas, namely: Islamic Values, Seerah and Hadith, Aqeedah and Fiqh, Qur’an, and Arabic language.

The workshops were attended by those who were involved in the Cotabato City Curriculum Review and Enrichment Workshop, Islamic scholars and experts from the academe, and other Muslim groups in Mindanao. The participants were divided into five groups, namely: Islamic Values group, Seerah and Hadith group, Aqeedah and Fiqh group, Qur’an group, and Arabic language group. Writers were assigned based on their geographical location for the textbook writing. The workshops culminated with the signing of the textbook writers and the plan to conduct the first review of outputs on January 9 – 13, 2005 in Cotabato City.

The First Review Workshop on the Textbooks, Workbooks, and Teachers’ Guide for Each of the Learning Areas in Each Grade Level pushed through as planned on January 10 to 14, 2005. It was conducted at The Japan-Philippines Literacy Resource Training Center Krislamville, Santos Street, Cotabato City.

Each of the writers presented their outputs while the others gave a critique of their work. During that workshop, new writers were identified for subjects which were still unassigned, and there was a plan to conduct the second review of the textbooks, workbooks, and teachers’ guides towards the last week of February 2005.