BRIEF HISTORY
Wisdom Islamic School, Davao City Inc. (formerly known as Wisdom International School for Higher Education Studies (WISHES)) is a non-profit, non-stock private school, fully recognized by the Department of Education (DepEd) operate pre-school, elementary, Junior High School, and Senior High School education in Davao City. After two years, the School Board decided to offer high school under the name Wisdom Islamic School, Davao City, Inc. The high school department under the name “Wisdom Islamic School” started in June 2012-2013 to offer the first and second year high school, now grades 7 and 8 under the new curriculum (DepEd ORDER No. 31 s. 2012, April 1 7, 2012) with the inclusion of Arabic, Islamic Studies (Aqeedah, Fiqh, Ahadeeth, Seerah and Du’aa/Supplications); and Qur’an subjects. In the following School Year 2013-2014, DepEd granted the Wisdom Islamic School the license to operate Third Year to Fourth Year Levels under Government Permit R XI No. 12 s. 2013.
Wisdom Islamic School in Davao City was an offshoot of Wisdom International Islamic University (formerly known as Wisdom International School for Higher Education Studies (WISHES)) — the first international online educational institution authorized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Philippines.
Wisdom Islamic School was duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with Dr. Mamarinta- Omar Mababaya as President and Dr. Norlain Dindang Mababaya as Chairman of the Board of Trustees. They jointly founded WISHES and Wisdom Islamic School based on their noble goal to provide quality and relevant education to deserving Muslims for the pleasure of Allah.
Dr. Omar Mababaya obtained his PhD degree from the Westminster Business School, University of Westminster, London (UK). He also had pursued a PhD research degree in Da’wah and Islamic Management at the Faculty of Leadership and Management, Islamic Science University of Malaysia, but had not completed it due to time constraint. Dr. Mababaya was also an author of Islamic and management books and articles; as well as an international lecturer and organizer on various topics in Islam.
Dr. Norlain Dindang Mababaya obtained her Doctorate and a Master’s degree in Educational Administration at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City (1982). Her other major qualifications include Doctor of Islamic Studies with published book “Understanding Prophet Muhammad’s Life, Character and Teachings: The Key to World Peace, Prosperity and Success”, WISHES, Philippines (2009); Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Master of Arts in Teaching (General Education) graduate (1973 & 1976) at Mindanao State University (MSU), Marawi City. She was also an author of several books and articles on Islam, published in Saudi Arabia, Germany, Pakistan and the Philippines.
The first batch (school year 2010-2011) of Wisdom Islamic School teachers at its Davao City campus included Madinah-based Islamic University graduates, Hafidhul Qur’an, Magna Cum Laude Graduates in Islamic Studies, Licensed Teachers in Elementary Education (English, Science and Filipino majors) and teaching support staff with English as a first language.