Central Mindanao University

This study systematically reviews existing literature on the integration of peace education in higher education curricula, focusing on institutional policies, curricular approaches, implementation practices, and educational outcomes. Using a systematic review methodology, relevant studies published between 2020 and 2025 were identified from major academic databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, and Google Scholar. The selected studies were analyzed using thematic synthesis aligned with four key areas: policy frameworks, instructional strategies, institutional implementation, and outcomes related to inclusive and lifelong learning. Findings indicate that while strong international and national policies support the integration of peace education, implementation across higher education institutions remains uneven. Institutions employ diverse curricular approaches, including stand-alone courses and interdisciplinary integration, supported by participatory and transformative pedagogies. However, implementation is often fragmented and dependent on institutional commitment and faculty capacity. Despite these challenges, peace education demonstrates significant positive outcomes, including the development of empathy, critical thinking, intercultural understanding, and civic engagement, which contribute to inclusive and lifelong learning. The study highlights the need for stronger alignment between policy and practice, enhanced institutional support, and sustained efforts to integrate peace education systematically in higher education.

The implementation of the Strengthened Senior High School (SHS) Curriculum in the Philippines represents a major reform initiative aimed at improving inclusivity, relevance, and quality in secondary education. This systematic review examined existing literature, policy documents, and implementation reports related to the strengthened SHS curriculum to determine its potential in addressing limitations of the previous curriculum under the K to 12 program. Findings revealed that the former SHS curriculum faced challenges such as limited alignment with labor market demands, insufficient preparation for higher education, inadequate teacher training, and barriers to inclusive education for marginalized learners, indigenous communities, and students with special needs. In response, the strengthened curriculum introduces streamlined tracks, digital literacy, global competencies, life skills, flexible learning pathways, differentiated instruction, and stronger integration of technical-vocational competencies. The review was anchored on relevant Department of Education memoranda, including policies on pilot and full implementation, teacher training, and curriculum mapping. Results suggest that the strengthened curriculum has strong potential to enhance learner preparedness for employment, higher education, and lifelong learning while promoting equitable access to quality education. However, challenges remain in teacher readiness, resource allocation, technological infrastructure, and regional disparities in implementation. The review emphasizes that successful implementation requires sustained policy support, equitable distribution of resources, continuous professional development, and collaboration among DepEd, local government units, industry partners, parents, and communities. Overall, the strengthened SHS curriculum is a promising step toward a more inclusive, future-ready, and responsive Philippine education system, though its long-term effectiveness depends on consistent monitoring, evaluation, and evidence-based policy refinement.

The lived experiences of non-language teachers who served as tutors in the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program at several Philippine public secondary schools during the academic year 2025–2026 were explored in this qualitative phenomenological study. The study aimed to comprehend how these teachers embraced, contended with, and carried out their ARAL tasks, drawing on policy instructions that mobilize teachers beyond their areas of expertise to combat continuing reading gaps. In particular, it posed the following questions: (1) Why did non-language instructors agree to serve as ARAL tutors? (2) What difficulties or obstacles did they face? (3) How did they handle these difficulties? And (4) What advice and insights might they give other non-language ARAL tutors? Data were collected using concurrent written open-ended questions and a semi-structured interview guide created by the researcher. Four main themes surfaced: a transformative ethic of care and advocacy, proactive pedagogical and contextual adaptation, multidimensional strain in teaching beyond specialization, and an altruistic–compliant commitment to ARAL. Despite struggling with basic literacy skills, a heavy workload, and a lack of resources, teachers accepted ARAL because of moral obligation and professional expectations. Despite these challenges, they adapted imaginatively, worked with colleagues, and viewed their work as part of fixing a societal reading problem. These results highlight the necessity of providing non-language ARAL tutors with context-sensitive literacy instruction, protected time, suitable locations and resources, and organized teamwork. Additionally, these results offer recommendations for future qualitative research on out-of-field instruction, teacher well-being, and the long-term effects of ARAL on students' and teachers' professional identities.

Although this study had small sample size (N=15), it concludes that the ARAL Reading Program significantly enhances both numeracy and problem-solving skills. However, the unexpected negative correlation implies that improvement in numeracy does not necessarily translate to improved problem-solving skills. This suggests the need for more integrated instructional approaches that directly connect numeracy skills with problem-solving skills. It is also important to note that the outcomes may be influenced by other external or confounding variables like comprehension, thus, a call for another study.

This study examined the influence of socio-emotional competence and instructional leadership on the attrition of teachers. A quantitative research design, descriptive-correlational method was utilized to examine socio-emotional competence and instructional leadership as predictors of teacher attrition among public school teachers in Don Carlos District, Bukidnon Division, Region X for the School Year 2025-2026. Attrition has become one of the most pressing issues facing education system here in Philippines. Findings revealed moderate attrition influence across all domains, with Salary/Benefits and Assignment Factors highest. Despite pressures, teachers maintained high instructional competence. Pearson correlations showed significant negative relationships between attrition and socio-emotional competence and instructional leadership, strongest for Monitoring Instruction. Multiple regression analysis identified four significant predictors: Monitoring Instruction, Responsible Decision-Making, Supporting Teachers, and Relationship Skills, explaining 50.7% of attrition variance. Instructional leadership emerged as the dominant attrition factor. The study concludes that leadership deficiencies, particularly inadequate instructional monitoring, drive rural teacher attrition more than environmental pressures. Recommendations include mandatory principal training in monitoring protocols, socio-emotional competence workshops, structured teacher support systems, and retention-linked incentives.