Don't Stop Believing in Love!, An Educational Compass to Restore Humanity

Prof. Dr. Ahmad Tholabi, S.Ag., S.H., M.H., M.A.
Professor at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta

The Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs officially launched the “Love-Based Curriculum” (Kurikulum Berbasis Cinta – KBC) on July 24, 2025—a monumental breakthrough in the national education landscape.

This notion can be interpreted as a declaration of the nation’s commitment to building a future education system that is more inclusive, compassionate, humane, and rooted in love.

The KBC responds to the increasingly acute and complex crises of our era. The world today is not only haunted by technological disruption, but is also being swept away by a wave of dehumanization that erodes noble values.

Amidst the overwhelming currents of hatred, intolerance, and violence that have even infiltrated educational spaces, the KBC emerges with a civilizational message: love is the center of the cosmic.

Love-based Civilization

History has proven that every great civilization was built not only with weapons and strategies but also by the noble values alive within its people.

Education is the vessel of those values. This is where the KBC takes a strategic position: instilling love from an early age, starting from Raudhatul Athfal (Islamic kindergarten) to Madrasah Aliyah (Islamic senior high school).

KBC does not deny the importance of knowledge, technology, and logic, but rather emphasizes that all of these must be grounded in compassion, empathy, and respect for fellow humans and nature.

In several statements, the Minister of Religious Affairs asserted “humanity is only one”, making the KBC a curricular manifestation of that universal human doctrine.

Religion is no longer positioned as a tool for justifying power or dividing identities but as a spiritual energy to unite and humanize. In a burned world, KBC serves as a water, not a lighter to trigger greater conflicts.

Conversely, conventional curricula tend to be normative and legalistic. They measure student success by cognitive scores rather than the balance of mind, emotion, and soul.

Here, the KBC takes a major step by shifting the paradigm from law-oriented to character-oriented. Worship is no longer about fear of sin or the lure of reward but an expression of love for God and all of His creations.

This also reflects a theological shift from the image of a wrathful and punishing God (jalaliyah) to a compassionate and loving God (jamaliyah).

From this foundation, it emerges a humanistic educational practice. Schools become a child-friendly space, teachers become empathetic figures, and the learning process becomes a joyful experience.

KBC has a strong and operational structure. The five core themes, known as Pancacinta (Five Loves), serve as the compass of values:

1. Love for God and His Messenger

2. Love for Knowledge

3. Love for the Environment

4. Love for Oneself and Others

5. Love for the Homeland

Each value is translated into real learning experiences. For example, love for the environment is not only taught through lectures on ecology, but through real-world practices: planting trees, waste sorting, and energy conservation.

Education is no longer measured by the amount of memorization, but by how deeply these values of love are lived out in daily life.

With this transformative structure, the KBC radiates great hope. It is not merely an alternative curriculum; it becomes a new mainstream in national education.

In the long term, KBC is expected to produce a generation that is not only academically intelligent but also compassionate, resilient, and tolerant. Students will become diploma holders and spiritual practitioners who spread kindness.

Furthermore, schools will transform into educational institutions that are child-friendly, environmentally friendly, and spiritually nurturing.

In the era of Society 5.0, where digital sophistication often erodes empathy, KBC can serve as a counterbalance to preserve the quality of humanity for future generations.

Challenges Ahead

However, no major change comes without challenges. The implementation of KBC still faces several obstacles.

First, cultural resistance from some educators and bureaucrats who has already accustomed to an instructional and legalistic mindset. The paradigm of love is often considered too soft, not strict enough, or even unrealistic.

Second, the risk of reductive implementation. There is a possibility that KBC will be simplified into merely an additional program rather than becoming the soul of all learning process. If KBC is only translated into weekly agenda without influencing learning design and evaluation, it risks losing its main advantage.

Third, the challenge of human resources. Teaching with love is not a technical matter; it involves the emotional and spiritual maturity of teachers. Intensive training and mentoring programs are essential so that they can understand the substance of KBC and embody it in practice.

In a chaotic world increasingly filled with hatred and polarization, KBC is a radical step to restore humanity to its true nature as beings of love. It is not just an ordinary curriculum but a grand narrative for the future.

Now, the rest is up to us—educators and policymakers—to keep the flame of love burning in classrooms, in the hearts of students, and in the soul of this nation.

(This article was originally published on MediaIndonesia.com on Wednesday, August 6, 2025)