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COTABATO CITY — The Schools Division Office (SDO) of Cotabato City of the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) hosted the 1st Bangsamoro Peace Education Summit, which was on January 29, at Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex (SKCC) in the city’s Bangsamoro Government Complex (BGC).
In collaboration with the Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HPWL) Philippines, SDO Cotabato City has contextualized Peace Education for Mindanao where teachers developed lesson plans appropriate for each educational level, based on the guidelines set by the Department of Education (DepEd) implanting values such as diversity, harmony, coexistence, respect, and understanding.
MBHTE is one of the 15 primary ministries of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
As the pilot implementer, the SDO Cotabato City believed that by incorporating peace education into the curriculum and engaging communities, especially youth, in peacebuilding activities, it becomes possible to create a culture of peace and tolerance and counteract the root causes of violent conflict in Mindanao.
By fostering collaboration among stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society organizations (CSOs), educational institutions, and international partners, the conference aimed to contribute to sustainable peace and development in Mindanao and inspire similar initiatives globally.
In her message, Cotabato City Schools Division Superintendent (SDS) Dr. Concepcion F. Balawag underscored the commitment of the National Government through the DepEd to the call for peace education integration into the curriculum.
“With the notable instruction of the Minister, in the MBHTE and the spirit of final and lasting peace, the idea of integrating peace education into the curriculum was conceptualized and conceived,” she said.
According to SDS Balawag, the crafting of lesson exemplars and contextualizing them underwent a series of “writeshops”, quality assurance, revision, evaluation, pilot testing, proofreading, and editing.
MBHTE: “We are on the right path.”
Meanwhile, MBHTE Minister M. Mohagher Iqbal recognized the partnership of SDO Cotabato City and the HPWL saying, “The contextualization of the peace education materials is a commendable effort to ensure that these resources resonate with and are relevant to our unique cultural and societal landscape in the Bangsamoro.”
Minister Iqbal ensured that the Ministry will be conducting provincial-wide consultations to get the insights of the remaining 10 SDOs.
He further stressed that MBHTE is steadfast in pursuing peace education as this commitment is aligned with the broader mandate to ensure every learner’s right to access quality education that is relevant and responsive to their needs.
“As we reflect on the success of this summit, let us be reminded of our shared responsibility in nurturing a generation that values peace and justice above all. The journey towards a peaceful Bangsamoro is a collective endeavor that requires all commitment and participation,” Minister Iqbal reiterated.
“I am confident that with the dedication and passion exhibited by all participants and organizers of this convention, we are on the right path,” he concluded.
The Bangsamoro region, established in 2018 by the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) to implement the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), is made up of the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, the cities of Cotabato, Lamitan, and Marawi, as well as the Special Geographic Area’s (SGA) 63 barangays or villages that voted “Yes” in a plebiscite in February 2019 to be under the BARMM jurisdiction.
According to the Philippine Atlas BARMM has 4,404,288 people. It has 116 municipalities: Basilan, 11 municipalities; Lanao del Sur, 39; undivided Maguindanao, 36; Sulu, 19; and Tawi-Tawi, 11. Its component cities are Cotabato (the regional center and capital) in Maguindanao; Lamitan in Basilan; and Marawi in Lanao del Sur. (✓)