More than improving our preservice teachers’ performance in the government’s Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET), the goal of integrating peace education in our teacher education curricula which began in 2012 resonates Pope Francis’ challenge to the youth, which he articulated when he spoke in Manila last 2015. He envisioned a youth that Thinks Well, Feels Well and Be Well, a mind, a heart and a hand that work harmoniously to serve others for the glory of God. In the case of Holy Angel University (HAU), we do this by transforming our young preservice teachers as agents of peace: specifically, as peace educators, as spiritual leaders in the classroom, and as advocates of nonviolent conflict peaceful resolution for young student leaders. Since then, our preservice teachers have been trained and supervised in organizing and celebrating International Day of Peace through conferences, contests and art for peace exhibits, teach catechism among grade schoolers, conduct basic conflict resolution workshops to high school leaders in public and private schools and recently, build bridges of understanding with indigenous Aeta college students through organizing youth camps and academic tutorial sessions.
 
HAU’s peace education advocacy didn’t just happen in a vacuum. Our journey all started from Miriam College. I am perpetually thankful to the passionate peace advocates of Miriam College’s Center for Peace Education (MC-CPE). Their challenge to us in Teacher Education Institutions (TE’s) in 2009 to integrate peace education in our curricula did not go in vain. HAU’s peace education integration is a labor of love with Miriam College’s CPE. There were birth pains at the start but because of MC-CPE’s continued support and encouragement, our peace education advocacy now spreads across schools hopefully not just in the province of Pampanga but across Central Luzon.
 
Thank you to MC-CPE for helping us bring out the Gandhi in each and every one of our preservice teachers here at HAU.

Arlan dela Cruz
Faculty, Holy Angel University