SC implements regionalized Arabic language exams for 2026 Shari'ah Bar

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday said it implemented an expanded and regionalized administration of the Arabic language test for the 2026 Shari’ah Bar Examinations (SSBE).

According to the High Court, the SC employed a digitalized and localized approach, building on the success of the same system in previous years.

“This innovation reflects a deeper institutional commitment to inclusivity and accessibility,” Associate Justice and Shari’ah Bar chairperson Henri Jean Paul Inting said.

“By bringing the examinations closer to the examinees, the Court helps reduce financial burdens, travel difficulties, logistical challenges, and unnecessary stress that many applicants previously experienced,” he added.

According to the SC, a total of 800 aspirants took the exams at the New Era University, Ateneo de Davao University, Ateneo de Zamboanga University, and the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology.

Of the number, 45 took the exams in Arabic while 775 took it in English.

According to the SC, on the first day of the exams on May 24, examinees took Jurisprudence (Fiqh) and Customary Laws (Adat) in the morning, and Persons, Family Relations, and Property in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, the second day will be held on May 27. It will cover Succession, Wills/ Adjudication, and Settlement of Estates in the morning, and Procedure in the Shari’ah Courts in the afternoon. —Joahna Lei Casilao/RF, GMA News