Love-Based Curriculum as an Innovation in Humanistic Education: An Analysis of Implementation Strategies at Lazuardi Compassion Global School Indonesia

Abstract

This article discusses strategies for implementing the Love-Based Curriculum as a breakthrough in humanistic education at Lazuardi Compassion Global School, West Java Province, Indonesia. There has been criticism that the educational paradigm in Indonesia has thus far tended to be technocratic and focused solely on cognitive achievements, without placing sufficient emphasis on the importance of students’ affective, relational, and ethical dimensions. In this context, the Love-Based Curriculum, initiated by the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, is positioned as a new pedagogical approach that integrates cognitive, affective, and ethical values through the internalization of compassion as the foundational principle of education in Indonesia. This study employs a qualitative approach with a case study design, utilizing humanistic educational theory as the primary analytical tool. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and analysis of curriculum documents and school policies involving school administrators, educators, and school staff. The research findings indicate that the implementation of the Love-Based Curriculum is carried out through three main strategies: First, the internalization of the value of love as the school’s institutional vision and culture; second, the transformation of pedagogical practices emphasizing empathy, ethical values, and reflective learning in the classroom; and third, the strengthening of the school ecosystem to support emotional safety and the development of students with strong character. Overall, this study affirms that the reactivation of the value of love in the curriculum is not a romanticization of education, but rather an innovative and relevant strategy in building a global education that is more humane, civilized, and oriented toward the sustainability of civilization.