Peace education to be integrated in Sarangani public schools

Monday 16th of July 2012

ALABEL, Sarangani, July 16 (PIA) -- Peace education would soon be incorporated in the basic curriculum in all public schools in Sarangani.

Governor Migs Dominguez said this scheme would be challenging considering that the province belongs to a multi-ethnic society.

“We are the first one to do this,” Dominguez said optimistic that it would succeed in Sarangani.

He noted that key values of excellence, respect and integrity are evident in the Department of Education Sarangani division which he cited as the values that support success in any community.

Dominguez then encouraged the teachers to try to develop how to communicate the culture of peace well.

“Because as people do not know how to respect the differences of individuals, differences in religion and differences in cultural practices. No matter how intelligent a student is in Sarangani, simple conflicts could not be avoided that may eventually become large in nature,” the governor said.

Dominguez said the challenge for the educators rests more on the manner they will teach, guide and shepherd the students, urging teachers to identify their sphere of influence and maximize it.

In line with this, principals went through an orientation, Thursday, July 12 on the topic, “Institutionalizing Peace Education in Basic Education and Teacher Education” as provided for under Executive Order No. 570 to support this mainstreaming.

Jocelyn Lambac-Kanda, Kalinaw Sarangani program manager, said that as teachers understand their role in peace building, they too will be motivated to re-examine and re-understand the principles of peace, conflict and genuine values that are applicable in schools.

Also, partnerships would be strengthened in propagating the culture of peace through formulation of common framework for school-based peace initiatives, she said.

“Students will embrace culture of peace if they will first see transformation from us. We can’t give what we do not have. We can’t be a model if nothing is on us. We want our children to understand already their role towards peace not tomorrow but today,” Kanda pointed out. (DED/Beverly C. Paoyon/PIO Sarangani/CTA-PIA12 General Santos City)