More than 300 educators of higher education institutions in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) convened recently in an assembly, with common resolve to push for peace agenda in the Philippines.

Norma Mangondato Sharief, Ph.D, Chairman and Managing Commissioner of CHED-ARMM, emphasized in her opening remarks that the 2011 Educators Assembly for Peace in the Philippines is geared to champion the primordial objective to support, secure and preserve the dividends of peace in the ARMM and in the entire country.

Dr. Sharief stressed that the educator's peace assembly was initiated in support of President Benigno Aquino III's call to all peace stakeholders to work for peace.

"Higher education institutions, especially in ARMM, undeniably play an important role in achieving peace in the country and in the areas of the Bangsamoro people," Dr. Sharief said.

Sharief added that having lasting and sustainable peace would significantly benefit the education sector in the region, especially in making education relevant, quality and accessible for the Bangsamoro people.

With the theme "Cultivation of peace for the present and future generations," the assembly was organized few days ago in the Islamic City of Marawi by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED)-ARMM, Philippine Muslim Teachers College (PMTC), Institute for Bangsamoro Studies (IBS), Society of Educators for Educational Development (SEED) and ARMM Regional Association for Higher Education.

Peace initiatives and concrete efforts for the resolution of the conflict in Mindanao anchored on the Bangsamoro quest for right to self-determination should be a priority program of the higher education in the ARMM, the assembly resolved.

The assembly cited the possibility of developing a course on the Bangsamoro studies as a baccalaureate degree, even as it said "education is a vehicle in molding the mind of the younger generation of the peoples of Mindanao towards total peace and harmony in Mindanao."

Participants expressed belief that military action should not be an option in resolving the conflict in the Bangsamoro homeland, adding that military confrontation will only breed culture of violence, unpeace and worsen the conflict.

Citing that the best way to resolve the conflict is through peaceful and democratic means, the assembly mad a strong appeal to the cross sectors of society to support the peace process between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

In its resolution, the assembly calls upon the President of the Republic of the Philippines to finally determine and decide to restore the peace process between the Philippine government and the MILF as announced in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered on July 26, 2010 during the joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

It appealed further for the President to recognize the active participation of the third party facilitator under the auspices of the Malaysian government in continuity and success of the peace process between the government and MILF.

The assembly also commended the peace panels of the government and the MILF in taking active role in engaging the civil society, especially the education sector, in various peace initiatives and for which it cited as "opportunity to educate the educators of the region and important engagement in firming up support program and initiatives for the peace.

The book entitled GRP-MILF Peace Process, a compilation of signed agreements and other related documents, was also launched as a reference text book for the education institutions in ARMM.

The educators congratulated CHED-ARMM for convening the assembly intended to build a support program for peace in the country and even called for a holding of similar assembly for the educators from the island province of the ARMM to be held in Zamboanga City.

Dr. Kamaruzman Askandar, a professor in University Sains Malaysia, was resource speaker on the importance of international third party facilitator in peace process and conflict resolution.