Preserving Islamic Identity in Education: An In-Depth Exploration on Teachers’ Practice Within Department of Education’s Curriculum in a Muslim Community School

Abstract

This study explored the lived experiences of teachers in integrating Islamic values within the Department of Education (DepEd) curriculum at Datu Molod Integrated School, Maasim, Sarangani Province. Employing a qualitative descriptive phenomenological design, the research sought to understand how educators navigate the challenges, adaptive practices, and professional realizations associated with integrating Islamic principles into a standardized national curriculum. Ten purposively selected teachers with at least five years of teaching experience participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method, resulting in the emergence of significant themes describing participants' shared experiences. The findings revealed four major challenges: balancing the secular curriculum with an Islamic worldview, limited curriculum flexibility, value conflicts within instructional content, and the marginalization of Islamic perspectives in learning materials. Despite these constraints, participants demonstrated adaptive strategies through indirect integration of Islamic values, pedagogical flexibility, contextualized instruction, and reflective classroom practices. Teachers modified instructional activities, utilized supplementary resources, and embedded Islamic principles into classroom discussions and daily interactions while ensuring compliance with curriculum standards. Participants likewise emphasized the importance of collaboration among teachers, parents, school administrators, and the wider Muslim community in reinforcing students' moral development and religious identity. The study further highlighted that teachers perceived their role as extending beyond academic instruction to encompass character formation, ethical guidance, and holistic learner development. The study concludes that successful integration of Islamic values depends on teachers' professional competence, adaptive pedagogy, institutional support, and culturally responsive curriculum implementation. The findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge on faith-informed education and underscore the need for curriculum policies, instructional resources, and professional development programs that support culturally inclusive and values-based educational practices within standardized learning environments.