Preparations continue for resumption of classes at MSU-Marawi

ZAMBOANGA, Philippines — The military and school officials of the Mindanao State University are preparing for the resumption of classes that were interrupted by fighting in parts of Marawi City that began in May.

 

Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., Western Mindanao Command chief, and Brig. Gen. Ramiro Rey of Joint Task Group Ranao met Monday afternoon with MSU president Habib Macaayong and other university officials.

 

Capt. Jo-Ann Petinglay, Westmincom spokesperson, said Galvez explained the need for classes to resume as well as the circumstances that could delay the resumption. 

 

“The Mindanao State University is the symbol and life of Marawi City. This is the bastion of knowledge and we will have to open classes the soonest," Petinglay quoted Galvez as saying.

 

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Assemblyman Zia Alonto Adiong, Marawi crisis committee spokesman and a member of the MSU Board of Regents, called for a holistic approach in securing the area for classes. 

 

He said there are people living in the sprawling university compound who are neither school staff nor students. The MSU compound shares boundaries with seven barangays in Marawi.

 

The university, which has students from all over the Philippines, has produced distinguished Muslim and Christian alumni in its 56 years of operation. Disruption of MSU operations because of the Marawi crisis has affected thousands of students, faculty, staff, and members of the community.

 

Galvez said Wesmincom is monitoring the security situation to determine when classes can resume.

 

"It is really a challenge in these trying times, in the thick of the battle in the eastern side of Marawi, it is a challenge to open the MSU, especially that it is one of the targets of the terrorists," he said.

 

“But we have to test the waters and come up with means to bring back the life of Marawi through the opening of this revered institution,” Galvez said.

 

Dr. Macaayong and MSU officials lauded the military’s effort to secure the area and vowed to help authorities with campus security.

 

“Education is the best antidote to terrorism. If we suspend classes and disallow children from going to school, then terrorism has already won," Galvez said.