Incorporating religious moderation values into the Islamic religious education curriculum in secondary education: a systematic review of goals, experiences, methods, and evaluation

Religious moderation, or wasatiyyah in Arabic, refers to the principle of balance in faith, practice, and social interaction within Islam. It is, therefore, an essential aspect of Islamic religious education which promotes tolerance, justice, and inclusivity. However, the systematic integration of these values into the secondary school curriculum development remains underexplored. Grounded in Tyler’s model of curriculum development (1949), this study examines how religious moderation is embedded in the curriculum through learning goals, learning experiences, teaching methods, and assessment systems. This qualitative systematic review approach employs the PRISMA method, analysing articles from Scopus and Web of Science indexed journals published between 2015 and (early March) 2025. The findings highlight the representation of moderation values in Islamic religious education enacted across secondary education institutions. Furthermore, they identify key strategies through which religious moderation can be effectively integrated into the Islamic religious education curriculum in secondary education. This study provides practical recommendations for educators and policymakers to design a more adaptive curriculum that strengthens religious moderation values in secondary schools.