Title: Strengthening Peace Education thru Madrasah Education Program (MEP)

and Indigenous People Education Program (IPED): A Two-fold Curriculum

Integration Approach

Proponent: Lester Name Brod C. Abelita

Introduction:
The right to Education is universal. It is needed to reach out to people from
all walks of life worldwide. Exercising such rights can open opportunities for the
well-being of the people regardless of race, culture, or ethnic group.
Malapang Elementary School is a far-flung school in the Aleosan East
District, Aleosan, Cotabato. In the school year 2021-2022, it has 190 registered
learners who come from different ethnicity, religion, and culture. Notably, almost
half of the learners are Muslims, ¼ belong to Indigenous People (IPs), and the
majority are Christians. Inclusive Education, the core principle of the K to 12 Basic
Education Program, is definitely the best way to correspond to the needs of these
learners, particularly the IPs and Muslims. This Inclusive Education promotes the
right of every Filipino to quality, equitable, culture-based, and complete primary
education. Through inclusive Education, all learners will realize their full potential
and meaningfully contribute to building the nation.
In our diverse and multicultural community, our school needs to maintain its
strength of having multicultural learners and stakeholders where unity, peace, and
love exist. During the 1st Quarter School Monitoring, Evaluation and Plan
Adjustment (SMEPA) 2022, the school’s internal and external stakeholders
agreed that there is a need for a school curriculum to enhance specifically in
responding to the diversity among the learners through Madrasah Education
Program (MEP) for Muslim learners and the Indigenous People’s Education (IPEd)
Program for IPs learners. These programs both aim to provide learners with the
appropriate and relevant educational opportunities while recognizing their cultural
context that response to their right to basic Education that is responsive to their
context, respects their identities, peace, and promotes their indigenous knowledge,
skills, and other aspects of their cultural heritage. Thus, the school has a way to
connect to this inclusivity by strengthening Peace Education thru MEP and IPEd
programs in culturally responsive instruction in the classroom.
Review of Related Literature

Peace education is believed to be an essential component of quality basic

education. This is a process of promoting the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and
values needed to bring about behaviour changes that will enable children, youth,
and adults to prevent conflict and violence, both overt and structural; to resolve
disputes peacefully; and to create the conditions conducive to peace, whether at an
intrapersonal, interpersonal, intergroup, national or international level.
Furthermore, peace education does not simply mean learning about conflicts
and how to resolve them peacefully. It should also involve the participation of
young people in expressing their ideas and cooperating to eliminate violence in our
individual lives, communities, and societies. Peace education is more effective and
meaningful when adopted according to the social and cultural context and the
country’s needs and aspirations. It should be enriched by its cultural and spiritual
values and universal human values. It should also be globally relevant. Such
learning cannot be achieved without intentional, sustained, and systematic peace
education leading to a culture of peace.
A research made by Arsad (2007) entitled, ‘A Framework for Integration of
Madrasah Into the Basic Education Curriculum’ integrates madrasah into public
education by adding Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE) to the
public school curriculum. The alternative framework is to teach Muslim learners
core Islamic education subjects within the Philippine curriculum. The curriculum
will be transformed, integrating Muslim schema, concepts, values, and experiences
into its framework. Equal Basic Islamic Education in ALIVE Program Right of every
child in education is applicable in the government educational policy of the
Philippines. All children as rights must be given quality education opportunities
irrespective of their race, color, religion, or culture (Godoy et al. 2008: 5).
For this reason, Department of Education (DepEd) implemented the ALIVE
Program to make the Muslim children knowledgeable of their religion (mainly
Islamic values) and the language of the Holy Qur’an, which is the Arabic language
(Sannad, 2015). Teaching Arabic as a second language in the Muslim areas of the
Philippines is not only impliedly recognized by the provision of the new
Constitution of the Philippines (Article 15 Sec 3), but it is also premised on the
following statement of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos, as follows
(Hassoubah 1981):
…and so long as the Filipino people have faith and trust in me, so long as I am
President of this Republic, I shall see to it that our Muslim brothers are offered all the
opportunities to serve the nation so that they truly become part of the national
community; that this government shall serve them with the same enthusiasm, vigor,
and zeal as it has in serving the rest of the Filipino Citizenry; that their culture, their
heritage and their religion which is Islam, shall forever be part of the Filipino
contribution toward culture and civilization.
Philippine Education is defined in the 1987 Constitution, the Education Act
of 1982, or Batas Pambansa Blog. 232, the Governance of Basic Education Act of
2001 and Basic Education Curriculum. The 1987 Constitution details the basic
state policies on education. Article XIV, Section 1. The State shall protect and
promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and take
appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all. However, among the
groups of people deprived of quality education are the minorities and the
indigenous peoples (IPs). Indigenous peoples need to enjoy the right to education.
They have to be given quality education the same as those experienced by the
urban children not only because they need the knowledge and traits but also
because of the cultural histories and interactions with the natural resources
embedded in their group.
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
2009 Convention emphasizes that indigenous peoples have the right to high-quality
and culturally respectful education, protected by several international human
rights. On the other hand, Constantino (2016) pointed out, “Education is a human
right that IP still does not benefit from.” Unless indigenous’ rights and identity are
respected, ASEAN’s goal of development with equity, democracy, and respect for
human rights can be achieved (AIPP, IWGIA, and FORUM-ASIA, 2010). Researchers
describe the IPs are those living in far-flung, hard-to-reach areas. They are
considered the most deprived, underprivileged people in terms of delivery of
government and non-essential government services like quality education.
According to Abejuela (n.d), the existence of the Republic Act 8371 or the
Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA) ordains the legal framework for addressing
indigenous peoples’ poverty. IPRA emphasizes the right to education among the IPs.
IPRA serves as the legal basis for the education of IPs, both formal and non-formal.
The formal sector comprises the three levels: elementary (K-Grade 6), secondary
(Grade 7-Grade 12), and tertiary. Each school works towards developing
appropriate programs and projects related to the curricula with appropriate
teaching materials and resources.
The DepEd, under Philippine Republic Act No. 10533, known as the
Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, has emphasized indigenous education.
DepEd issued Order No. 62, series 2011, which presents adopting the National
Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) Policy Framework for the regions that
implement the IPEd Program. The Program is a long-awaited dream of the IPs,
providing a culture-sensitive curriculum that responds to their well-being.
However, despite the efforts exerted to intensify the IPEd implementation in the
DepEd schools to realize IP aspirations, several problems and challenges are still
experienced by administrators, teachers, parents, and even students. While there
are laws and mandates from the DepEd in adopting IP education in the curriculum,
it is relevant to evaluate the implementation of the IPEd in the present educational
system.

The Curriculum Proposal

1. Philosophy
Existentialism may be defined in philosophical terms as the view that
truth cannot be objectified, but rather it can only be experienced. We can
apply this to an intelligent analysis of peace and suggest that, ultimately,
peace cannot be objectified but can be experienced. Peace may be
represented by illustration, which involves a set of behaviors, attitudes, and
negotiation. Hence, existentialists believe that we can only know peace
through encounters or relationships. In this manner, a proposed curriculum
enhancement, strengthening peace education, tries to give a concrete and
genuine experience to MES pupils of what peace is by teaching and
integrating this into the MEP and IPEd program for them to become peace-
oriented members of the community.

2. Students
Never has it been more critical for the younger generation to learn about
the world and understand its diversity. The task of educating children to find
non-aggressive means to relate with one another is of primary importance.
Malapang Elementary School, as an educational institution, needs to offer
opportunities that prepare MES learners, mainly Muslim and IPs learners,
 not only to live fulfilling lives but also to be responsible and productive
citizens of the society/community. Thus, a need to introduce holistic and
empowering curricula that cultivate a culture of peace in every MES leaners’
heart and mind is the school’s top priority.

3. Goals and Objectives

This proposed curriculum enhancement aims to strengthen the Peace
Education through Madrasah Education Program and Indigenous People
Education Program that able MES learners to:
 promote peace and respect for other race, ethnicity, and religion
 positively contribute to the peace process and improvement of the
quality of life of the Muslims and IPs
 create awareness that the school practices the culture of peace by
displaying peace mottos in the school peace park

4. Structure and Sequencing

Peace education introduces a holistic attitude to subject contents,
methods of teaching, and learning, including classroom management. Peace
is said to be both the end and process. Here, we present a structure and
sequencing in strengthening peace education into teaching and learning in
the ALIVE and IPEd classes.

INPUT PROCESS OUTCOME

 Development of  Peacemakers/
 Peace values,
concepts and Teaching builders
practices methods, learning  Peace
materials and Advocate
 Subject content
activities
and perspective
 Peace-building
 Dialogue and
activities
experiences

5. Instructional Strategies
Often, people wonder whether peace education should be introduced
when the child is very young. Hence, Malapang Elementary School firmly
believes that all ages are appropriate for such education — only the teaching
method has to be suited to the age. For our Grade 4 to Grade 6 learners,
 such teaching should include audio-visual materials, modules, learning
activity sheets, storytelling, and lecturing.

6. Evaluation of Learning
To evaluate the learning gained by the Grade 4, 5, and 6 learners from
strengthening the peace education thru the two-fold Curriculum Integration
Approach, the following will be observed or conducted
 Interactive exchange of ideas
 Role-playing
 Dialogue
 Situational and practical Questions

7. Evaluation of Instruction
School can directly benefit by strengthening peace education thru
MEP and IPEd. This help improves the quality of teaching and learning and
discipline and helps emotional development in MES learners, predominantly
Muslim and IPs learners.
Evaluation of instruction carried out in non-experimental contexts
such as observation, survey/interview, review of school records,
experimental procedures, peace day/week conduct, and peace-building
activity.
REFERENCES:

Abejuela, Ricarte B., III. (n.d). Indigenous Education in the Philippines: A

Case Study of the Sagu-Ilaw School of Indigenous Knowledge and Traditions.
Retrieved on March 26, 2019 from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?
doi=10.1.1.574.9215.
Arsad, Nefertari al-Raschid. 2007. A framework for integration of madrasah
into the basic education curriculum. A Masteral Thesis, College of Education,
University of the Philippines, Diliman.
Asia Indigenous Peoples’ Pact (AIPP), the International Work Group for
Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) and Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development
(FORUM-ASIA), Chiang Mai (2010).Retrieved from:
https://www.iwgia.org/images/publications//0511_ASEAN_BRIEFINGPAPER_eb.p
df
Constantino, G. (2016). Indigenous peoples have a right to quality education.
But so far, we’ve failed them. Retrieved from
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/08/indigenous-peoplehave-a-right-to
quality-education-but-so-far-we-ve-failed-them/
Hassoubah, Ahmad Mohammad 1981. Teaching Arabic as a Second
Language in the Southern Philippines: Problem and Possibilities. Marawi City:
Mindanao State University.
Juliet C. Sannad. 2015. ALIVE Program. (Interview on 9th of September in
Department of Education Cordillera Administrative Region, Benguet).
Nene Astudilla C. Godoy, et. al. 2008. Arabic Language and Islamic Values
Education (ALIVE) Program. Cordillera Administrative Region: Department of
Education.
The 1987 Philippines Constitution
UNESCO, (2009).The Philippines-UNESCO country programming document
2009– 2011.Retrieved from:
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001852/185237e
.
 Subject: Social Peace
Grade Level taught: Grade 6
Learning Goal
After this class session pupils are expected to:
 understand the meaning of a peaceful social environment
 possess a friendly attitude toward their social environment for the sake of
themselves, family, and society
 help create a harmonious social environment and maintain peace

Learning Materials/Methods
 Video Presentation
 Sharing of Experiences
 Dialogue
 Role-play

Learning Concept
As social beings, humans must live in neighborhoods and groups. They need
a harmonious social environment so they may live peacefully. However, such a
need is not easy to realize because there are people who ignore the requirements for
creating a peaceful social life. They neglect the Islamic sense of brotherhood and
community taught by the Holy Quran, which emphasizes togetherness and
harmony. Therefore, it is rather challenging to meet the ambition of creating a
peaceful social environment. To realize this goal, every member of society must
have a sense of belonging and responsibility for advancing everyday living.

Things to Remember:
Social environment- the area or surrounding resided by a group of people
who live together as neighbors. The setting involves physical, social, and cultural
factors to be guarded and honored to avoid disharmony.
Environment and peace- a social cycle in which people have significant
mutual relationships. A peaceful environment is desirable because it leads to social
tranquility while tranquility brings forth a peaceful environment.

Learning Activity
(Teacher will present a short story, Group pupils into three groups and let them
perform the story presented)
“Drunken Family”
In a Madrasah village inhabited by 50 families there is a family whose
members frequently get drunk and make trouble at night even it is against in the
teaching of Islam. It has become a daily affair that the Ama (father), Ina (mother),
and their wata (children) quarrel or even fight. Some people think that the quarrel
or fight in that family is not their business because it is the concern of the drunken
family alone. But the daily routine in this family disturbed neighbors even at night
during sleeping time. People are afraid to go out at night for fear of being robbed by
these drunkards.
Furthermore, they often fight with the neighbors’ children or break into their
houses. They continue to frighten their neighbors even though the village tuwa
(elders) have repeatedly counseled them. This family: father, mother, and children
collectively blame their neighbors.

Questions
(Teacher asks these after the role-play)
 How should you respond to this family?
 Should you treat them in their manners?
 What is the best peaceful way to advance the social environment of
Madrash Village?

Values:
Do not quarrel with neighbors, the source of help in an emergency

Quran Verse
By Allah, they have no faith! By Allah, they have no faith! By Allah, they have no
faith! … those who interrupt the tranquility of their neighbors (Hadith in Bukhari )

Evaluation
The teacher will present another set of story videos and let pupils analyze
and give their findings and solutions where social peace will be observed.

Additional Activity
 Make a slogan about social peace learned from the lesson. Pupils will write
their motto on the freedom wall in the school peace park.