Daftarsbmptn.com – A delegation from the BARMM, led by their Ministry of Education, recently visited Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia. Their goal: to learn about peace education practices through the Leimena Institute program and the cross-cultural religious literacy system implemented there.
From November 27–30, 2025, several members of the delegation, including curriculum consultants, supervisors, and principals, participated in the Cross-Cultural Religious Literacy for Peace (LKLB) program. They hope to bring similar methods to the Bangsamoro region, thereby strengthening inclusive education and tolerance in their schools.
According to BARMM Curriculum Consultant, Meriam Macalangcom, the visit was motivated by BARMM’s commitment to developing an inclusive education curriculum that reflects the religious and cultural diversity of the region.
“We believe that inclusive education is not just about access to school, but also about understanding how to embrace diversity,” she said in Ambon.
Macalangcom explained that the social situation in Ambon, a pluralistic society comprising various religions and ethnicities, bears similarities to the context in the Bangsamoro region. Therefore, the practice of tolerance and inter-community dialogue in Ambon is considered relevant and can serve as a model for reconciliation.
Ambon LKLB Program: Foundations of Peace through Education
The LKLB for Peace program run by the Leimena Institute in Ambon is not new. Since 2024, the program has involved many teachers from various religious backgrounds and educational levels (elementary, junior high, high school, and Islamic schools).
The core of LKLB is providing cross-cultural religious literacy to teachers so they can become agents of tolerance in the school environment. During the training, teachers learn the values of mutual respect, interfaith dialogue, and strategies for building social cohesion through education.
According to the Executive Director of the Leimena Institute, Matius Ho, teachers play a strategic role in building peace in regions that have experienced social conflict, such as Maluku. Teachers not only teach academics but also instill the values of tolerance and brotherhood.
The approach taken goes beyond theory participants also visit places of worship of various religions, interact across communities, and participate in dialogues and cultural activities together. This combination is considered effective in building mutual understanding and respect for diversity.
Relevance for the Bangsamoro: From Conflict to Peace Education
The Bangsamoro region in the Philippines has experienced conflict and various social dynamics, making inclusive and peace-building education crucial for the future of the younger generation.
The BARMM delegation stated that they are in the process of developing an inclusive education curriculum that respects religious and cultural diversity. Learning from the Ambon model, they hope to implement cross-cultural religious literacy as part of reconciliation and social development efforts in the Bangsamoro.
The BARMM Education Program Specialist, Abdulbasit Lingcoan, described the experience in Ambon as eye-opening: seeing firsthand how schools, teachers, and communities can coexist, respect differences, and maintain social cohesion post-conflict.
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Given BARMM’s efforts to strengthen education, including madrasahs and public schools, through visits to Indonesia and academic collaborations, initiatives such as these offer hope that the younger generation in the Bangsamoro can be shaped into tolerant, empathetic citizens capable of living peacefully within diversity.
Potential & Challenges: Translating Peace Literacy into Local Contexts
For the Bangsamoro, adopting programs like the LKLB is not without challenges. Differences in history, social structures, and conflict settings in each region require adjustments to the curriculum and approach to ensure it is relevant and acceptable to the community.
However, the combination of formal education (e.g., schools and madrasahs), interfaith and cultural dialogue, and local community participation, as seen in Ambon, demonstrates that peace can be built through inclusive education. Teachers, religious leaders, and the community can act as bridges of understanding.
The success in Ambon demonstrates the effectiveness of this strategy: teachers become agents of peace, students learn to respect differences, and interfaith dialogue takes place in an atmosphere of respect.
If BARMM successfully transfers this model to their schools, with adaptations to local culture and context, it could lay a strong foundation for long-term stability and inclusive community development.
Conclusion: Education as a Path to Peace
The Bangsamoro delegation’s visit to Ambon is more than just a comparative study it reflects the fact that education can be more than just the transfer of knowledge. Education can be a medium for social transformation, building tolerance, respecting diversity, and strengthening brotherhood across communities.
By adopting cross-cultural religious literacy practices, interfaith dialogue, and integrating values of tolerance into the curriculum, the Bangsamoro demonstrates its commitment to leaving behind past conflicts and building a peaceful and inclusive future.
Hopefully, these efforts will not only be symbolic but also become a reality experienced by the younger generation in the Bangsamoro, and serve as an example for other regions in Southeast Asia.