In a world of disruptions, peace is one subject matter that deserves proper attention and foundation, both from the learners’ perspectives, and the facilitators’ point of view. The Philippines is composed of vibrant, colorful cultures embedded from diverse customs and traditions, spanning from religions, beliefs, and even modern practices rooted from the old norms.
The K to 12 was implemented in the Philippines more than a decade ago. There was a long debate overdue towards its implementation with the main resolve of global compliance and making Filipino learners obtain the right quality of education with the skills and knowledge essential in navigating the future of their lives. The Philippine Republic Act 10533 asserted that the K12 enhances learners’ mastery of concepts and skills as lifelong learners to employment. Filipino learners need to obtain education that will safeguard national order and peace.
In this unknown world, peace education subject shall certainly provide an empowering venue for young Filipinos to articulate their values. This includes the importance and relevance of maintaining peace instead of focusing on differences. Young Filipino learners should already understand the complexity of peace as a subject matter. Given the myriad interrelated issues embedded in peace, it is important to fully comprehend the meaning of peace education including the articulation of its facets, especially when the status quo is shifted differently.
Commitment to Peace Education
Historically, peace education has long been part of the Philippine government’s curriculum for basic education. In 2005, “peace lessons” across several learning areas such as Makabayan, Filipino and English, with modules developed in partnership with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process was a model that needs re-engineering and perhaps slight enhancement applicable in today’s Philippine situation.
Localizing United Nations’
The Republic of the Philippines, a founding member of the United Nations, has the opportunity to enhance national contribution to peace awareness and campaign through its Department of Education (Basic Education) for Filipinos. This includes the primary and secondary education systems from both the private and public schools within the Philippines in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. As a prominent policy solution to respond future concerns that maybe blossomed from the differences, the role of the state is to provide modalities in promoting active citizenry by the integration of Peace Education as a subject requirement in the basic education curriculum; and, provision of mechanisms to furtherance the consciousness of peace education including curricular involvements and educational programs and or activities.
The primary strategy strengthens education awareness and campaigns to Filipino students through basic and secondary education curriculum programs. The second measure addresses strategies that can foster peace education in promoting active citizenry through community engagements through educational programs as part of students’ formation and or training during their basic education schooling.
Imperative to the principles mentioned above, such commitment is tantamount to the Philippines’ response in localizing the United Nations 2030 Agenda or the Millennium Development Goals, in this scenario, translating its goal number 17 primarily. The Philippines need to maintain its current stability and to further the cause for peace as a country with diverse culture along with ethnic differences.
Peace and Economic Progress
The harmonization of peace education as a subject integrated in the basic education curriculum will certainly enhance promotion of peace through education awareness and campaign. Towards the implementation of enhanced curriculum in the basic education, the integration of the peace education shall translate key aspects of policy or program implementation tied to the most prominent policy tools or modalities. This means that fostering peace education as a new subject shall promote education awareness to Filipino learners by influencing their critical, rational thinking including their moral leadership to future endeavors as active Filipino citizens. Moreover, such will strengthen curricular activities and education consciousness campaigns available to educational centers under the students’ affairs office, for teachers, non-teaching personnel, and other institutional school programs.
Filipino learners will embrace the values and essence of peace education as a field relevant in contemporary affairs, including the daily activities of young children in a given community. Subsumed to this is the proper knowledge of acceptance and tolerance on the value of peace education; the decision making of respect to cultural differences; and lastly, the making of active and progressive nationals or citizens eventually. Also, educational centers shall facilitate the proliferation of peace activities imperative to the offering of peace education as a component in its curriculum. This includes the leadership training grounds in promoting inclusivity for all; and the role models inside the school’s premises who will intensify the deeper meaning and relevance of peace education; and, finally, school activities further amplify the cause of peace education for all.
Conclusion
The implementation of peace education as a subject in the basic education through the Department of Education in the Republic of the Philippines will certainly achieve economic aspirations articulated in the following items: Peace education subjects shall educate and raise awareness to Filipino students the value of peace in our community and in the larger society as young as they are so eventually, they can carry out the good aspirations of the said subject.
The subject shall be a pointer on the lessons learned from the past experiences and situations that shape the current Philippines including the knowledge based on data- management from other international scenes applicable to students’ formation development spotlighted in their respective levels of curriculum. Moreover, the subject will enhance acceptance to cultural differences which will definitely foster friendly relations among students and families from all social groups in the local and national level.
Offering peace education subject shall diminish the gaps of political differences despite political boundaries and geographic features including the maintenance of a closer to humanity where the Filipino values are exercised at all times. Therefore, if the peace education subject is implemented, economic incentives may enhance economic activities in various communities, while “bayanihan” shall cultivate the modern sense of camaraderie in aid of food security and social welfare among citizens especially in rural or underdeveloped areas.
