MSU Main Campus - Marawi City > 16-Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions (SDG Goals) > Seeds of Peace: Student Educators Craft Vital Peace Education Module

By Aliah P. Cali-Pascan, JD., DPA

A group of aspiring educators, Ms. Johanna Hasim Gadi and Nurjainee M. Guntio, members of Young Research Club from the College of Education recently shone a light on their innovative contribution to peacebuilding during a radio program appearance during the radio program dubbed as #ShuaraMSU in partnership with Radyo Pilipinas Marawi hosted by Dr. Aliah Pacalna Cali-Pascan. These students, members of the Young Research Club, have developed a comprehensive Instructional Module on Peace Education, a resource designed to empower pre-service teachers with the knowledge and skills necessary to cultivate peace in their future classrooms.

This student-driven initiative arrives at a pivotal moment, providing crucial training before these future educators enter their practicum. The module’s focus on peace education principles ensures that the next generation of learners will be equipped with the tools to understand, embrace, and actively contribute to a peaceful society.

The module’s strength lies in its comprehensive approach, covering a wide spectrum of essential topics:

* Peace Communication: Fostering understanding and empathy through effective and respectful communication strategies.

* Environmental Awareness: Recognizing the critical link between peace and environmental sustainability.

* Human Rights Education: Promoting the understanding and protection of fundamental human rights.

* Conflict Resolution: Equipping educators with skills in peaceful mediation and negotiation.

* Multicultural Education: Celebrating diversity and fostering inclusivity and respect for all cultures.

* Gender Fairness: Challenging stereotypes and promoting equality for all genders.

By addressing these critical areas, the module prepares pre-service teachers to create inclusive and peaceful learning environments. This initiative not only enhances the professional development of these future educators but also lays the groundwork for a more peaceful future, nurtured within the walls of each classroom.

The dedication of these student developers to fostering peace through education is truly commendable. Their work reflects a deep understanding of the transformative power of education in building a more harmonious society.

The success of this project is also due to the support of Dean Minerva Samina Mambuay Naga and Dr. Wardah Guimba, as their adviser and the IPDM MSU Marawi particularly the Executive Director Acram Latiph Ph.D and Aliah Pacalna Cali-Pascan, DPA whose opinions were asked during the drafting of the module. Their guidance and encouragement have helped these young researchers bring their vision to life. This collaborative effort highlights the importance of empowering students to become active agents of peacebuilding, ensuring that the seeds of peace are planted and nurtured for generations to come.

About the author

The institute for peace and development in Mindanao (IPDM) was created by the MSU Board of Regents during its 182nd Meeting on December 7, 2001. The institute assumed the functions of two defunct units: the Muslim Christian Center for Peace Studies and the Muslim Mindanao Development Institute. It is now the central coordinating unit for all existing peace and development programs of the campuses of the University. MSU was established on September 1, 1961 as one of the government responses to the so-called “Mindanao problem.” The problem includes a violent struggle of segments of the Filipino Muslim population to redress long-standing grievances and assert Muslim selfhood and identity in the face of real and imagined threats of cultural and spiritual assimilation by the majority Filipino Christian population. The University was mandated to accelerate the “integration” of the cultural communities in Mindanao into the mainstream body politic and to accelerate the development of its service areas through instruction, research, and extension. In the pursuit of these objectives, the University also seeks to infuse spiritual and moral values, national consciousness and solidarity, and mutual understanding among Filipinos, which are necessary for peaceful coexistence and sustainable development. IPDM was therefore, created with the expectation that it would contribute to the easing of tensions and the promotion of justice and peace between Filipino Muslims and Christian by expanding knowledge, improving understanding and heightening sensitivity in relations between the peoples of Mindanao in particular, and the Philippines in general.

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