Promoting Peace through Peace Education and OurSecondary School Curriculum

Muhammad Ibrahim (PhD Scholar)* Prof. Dr. Mohammad IqbalSarhad University of Science and Information Technology Peshawar (Pakistan)

Sarhad University of Science and Information Technology Peshawar (Pakistan)

* kpk300@gmail.com

AbstractThe basic aim of Peace education to teach nursery and society ofthe country the values, attitudes, information, and behavioralcompetencies required for resolving problems and conflictswithout violence and wars, to build a society that maintainbeneficial and harmonious relationships. There a number ofapproaches used for peace education, which may be based onIslamic ideology, fundamental rights of country, practicalexperiences learned, and good intentions. We are passing from atime of insurgency in the history of country, a time that callson humanity’s sincerity, inspiration and consideration to solveour conflicts and problems. Our current dilemmas are related tothe culture of violence, conflicts and war, which is becoming aglobal human phenomenon pervading all aspects of life. Modernnations in the world, who once faced these problems, used anumber of techniques and approaches to solve these conflicts andproblems. It is determined that the ultimate solutions of theseproblems are in the consciousness of citizens of the society andto convert their culture of conflicts, violence and war, topeaceful and prosperous society by solving our problems withdiscussion and negations peacefully. To solve our conflicts andproblems, we must transform the culture of violence, conflictsand war into a culture of nonviolence, peace and respect forothers which is the fundamental goal of peace education.

“To reach Peace, Teach Peace!”

Introduction

According to the Preamble of UNESCO’s Constitution “Wars begin inthe minds of men; it is in the minds of men that the defense ofpeace must be constructed.”

We are passing from a critical point in the history of ourcountry, solving the dilemmas of citizens has become a matter ofour very survival in the country. Pronouncements for thesolutions of these problems are more pressing such as conflicts,violence, not respecting the opinion of others, unaware ofconflict resolution, and destruction of society are on the rise.We are living in a unique time of country history, a time thatcalls on humanity’s sincerity, creativity, and compassion tosolve our problems. There are a number of techniques andapproaches to solve these problems, but ultimately, the roots ofthese problems are in the consciousness of citizens of thecountry and to change the culture of conflicts, violence andsolve our problems with discussion peacefully. Captivating thecountry cultural approach, our current dilemmas are related tothe culture of violence, conflicts and war, which is becoming aglobal human phenomenon pervading all aspects of life. To solveour problems, we must transform the culture of violence,conflicts and war into a culture of nonviolence, peace andrespect for others which is the goal of peace education. Changingour thinking and minds; our beliefs, perception and our point ofview, which are deep embedded in our way of life and culture;that transformation would needs to occur in order to move from alife style, thinking and culture of violence, conflicts and warto a state of civilization and peace.

As Albert Einstein documented that, “The problems we have cannotbe solved at the same level of thinking that created them.” Thepeace education would raise our life style, way and level ofthinking and we would be able to solve our conflicts, disputesand wars peacefully through negations and discussions. It is thefundamental feature of Peace education that affects the way wesee the world. Besides this other factors that affect our viewand way of thinking, such as our religion, our family life, our

society and our community, in all these factors the one that iskey to change our inner, thinking, the way we behave towardsothers is the formal schooling. Informal education through ourparents, society, communities, TV and other media, and places ofworships (Masajids), has a profound impact on our personality andour view.

School is a place where students spend most of their time, and wecould equip them with the skills, knowledge and attitudes fordeveloping a culture of peace through formal curriculum inschool. Danesh (2006) described that we could make the changethorough Peace education, because it calls for a deep-rootedshift in our philosophy of life and way of thinking. In formalschool system peace education might included as a subject, or aspart of the hidden curriculum. Transformation of educationsystem, school curriculum, or culture does not happen overnight,and may seem very disheartening. However, integrating peaceeducation into classroom practices would reflect in our dailylife immediately, and as an educator it would make an importantcontribution to promoting a culture of tolerance, respect forothers and peace in community and in the whole world.

Peace education is considered one of the fundamental componentsof quality basic education. Peace education in school curriculumare used for the process of promoting the skills, knowledge,values and attitudes required to nourish these behaviouralchanges that will make young children’s, youth and adults toavoid violence and conflict, both overt and covert; to avoidviolence and resolve conflict peacefully; and to promote thecircumstances conducive to peace, these attitudes may be atintrapersonal level, interpersonal level, within groups, atnational level or international level. Peace education coversnumerous areas, range from basic education to social justice andadvocacy to law reform. It is accepted fact that peace educationand peace building are different terminologies and referringdifferent concepts. The basic concept of Peace education is anattempt to change people’s behaviours; peace buildingincorporates social and economic justice (and legal reform wherenecessary). Both try to make a reality of human rights.

Definition of Peace EducationThe term ‘education’ in this context may be referred to anyprocess which are carried out in schools formally, or informal ornon-formal educational way, which develop children or adults,which are in broader context develop the knowledge, skills,attitudes and values leading to behavior change.

The term ‘peace’ does not simply mean the absence of explicitviolence in society (sometimes it is called ‘negative peace’).Beside this, it also consists of social, economic and politicaljustice, which is considered necessary to the concept of‘positive peace’.

Peace may be defined as the absence of war or violence in amutually beneficial, harmonious relationship among relevantparties (i.e., aspects of a person or among individuals, groups,or countries). Inherent in this definition are severalcharacteristics of peace (Johnson & Johnson, 2006). First, peaceis a relationship variable, not a trait. Peace exists amongindividuals, groups, and nations; it is not a trait or apredisposition in an individual, group, or nation. As arelationship, peace cannot be maintained by separation,isolation, or building barriers between conflicting parties, allof which may temporarily reduce violence but will not establishthe relationships required for long-term peace. Second, peace isa dynamic, not a static, process. The level of peace constantlyincreases or decreases with the actions of each relevant party.Third, peace is an active process, not a passive state. Passivecoexistence is not a viable path to peace. Building andmaintaining peace takes active involvement. Fourth, peace is hardto build and easy to destroy. It may take years to build up astable peace, then one act can destroy it. Finally, peace ischaracterized by continuous conflict (not the absence ofconflict) managed constructively (rather than destructively).Conflicts occur continually, and it is not the avoidance,suppression, or denial of conflict that maintains peace but,rather, facing conflicts as they occur and resolving themconstructively. Ways of establishing and maintaining peace may be

classified on a dimension with imposed peace at one end andconsensual peace at the other end (Clark, 2001; Johnson &Johnson, 2006).

Concepts of peaceOne of the main challenges of promoting peace education is thelack of a conceptual clarity and common understanding about whatpeace education is all about. A closer look at its specificaspects will help to understand peace education better. Peace hasbeen developed in world throughout history and has had manydiverse connotations. The word peace has its origin in Latin term‘pax’. The primordial Romans consider peace as ‘absentia belli’which describe a state of affairs in which there was no war,violence or clashes on the borders of the Roman Empire.

Figure – Peace and violence (Castro and Galace 2010: 19)The concept of peace is broadly divided into negative peace andpositive. Negative peace is a state in which there is an absenceof direct or physical violence both macro and micro. Thisdefinition of negative peace is imperfect as it disregardsindirect forms of violence such as structural violence and socio-cultural violence. This concept of negative peace was concludedby positive peace, which is illustrated by the presence ofphysical, political, economic, social, cultural and ecological

conditions that support the development of individuals andgroups. Therefore, positive peace may be defined as the absenceof any form of violence together with direct, structural andcultural types. The figure demonstrates the relationship betweenpeace and violence.

The positive peace goes beyond the observable aspect of directviolence to include the underlying structural and culturalfactors that promote direct violence. Peace education within thelimits of human rights helps to pointing the connection betweenthe peace and violence. These aspects of peace education bringtangible experience and noticeable social conditions that can beaddressed and describes that peace education requires practicalactions and no submissiveness. Peace education makes it certainthat human rights are not violated by direct, cultural orstructural violence.

Structural violence is a term that is indicating injustices suchas poverty, hunger, gender inequality, unequal access toopportunities and discrimination, which are considered as theroot cause of conflicts in society. Structural violence might bethe basic hindrance to keep peace in society, which bydescription cannot exists in society and fundamental human rightsare violated in society.

Castro and Galace (2010) described that in state of human rightsviolations individuals would select one of three alternatives:i). Do nothing about it, ii). Respond with violence or iii).Respond nonviolently. Therefore, it is noteworthy to identifypeace education not only as a minor goal, but as an activeprocess toward the goal to achieve in long run and to whole ofthe life of individual. Peace education is something that shoulduse in daily practices and may be reflected the way people liveand interact.

This concept of peace has emerged the proactive, nonviolentcharacter of peace while keeping the human rights in farsighting. Lederach (2006) stated that this concept is pointing toa new term called “just peace” approach and is based on three

pillars of human rights, nonviolence and participation. Peaceeducation is considered as a process which keeps violence out ofhuman interaction, so individuals have to comprehend theframework for peace education. These three dimensions of peaceeducation establish the social reality of each individual – theself, relation with others and relation with nature andenvironment. Besides, Violence can also be explained on the samedimensions, to himself, with others and to the nature andenvironment. So a community has to be in true state of Peace,when individuals have these features of peace education, withinthese three dimensions: 1). Inner peace within an individual, 2).Social peace within society, 3). Environmental peace within theenvironment

Figure - Three dimensions of True Peace

In this paradigm, peace education would require to adopt a formthat helps to cultivate peace in all these three dimensions.Castro and Galace (2010) documented that peace education isconsists on various disciplines, which are dealing with cross-cutting themes that consists the participation of everyone, inorder to eradicate all forms of violence from society. Therefore,peace education is holistic approaches that build a socialculture of active citizens working together for cause in order to

concentrate in society, on violations of human rights, violenceand on their exclusion.

Presently, different approaches are used in curriculumdevelopment to tackle violence, injustice and human rightsviolations in society, such as human rights education, civiceducation, gender education, intercultural and interfaitheducation. All these have a common objective such as promotingtolerance, respect of others human, diversity, promoting goodcitizenship and active participation in society to help anderadicate the violence and injustice.

However, a logical understanding of interdependence andinterconnectivity of these forms of education is missing incurricula. The curriculum developers pay low attention to theseaspects in education. So, teachers and schools working togetherfound it difficult to link their work to others and to creategood, active and effective citizens for society.

Aim of Pace EducationThe aim of Peace education to inculcate in curriculum in order toeliminate violence from society, by harmonizing different aspectsin curriculum, so as to promote a peace in society. The peace education is based on the concept of True Peace whichis nonviolent process that aims to prevent any form of conflicts,violence, disrespect for others, respect of human rights andhelps in promoting the nonviolent human interface. This conceptis based on three interconnected elements: 1). Inner peace withinan individual, 2). Social peace within society, 3). Environmentalpeace within the environment

Peace education as an education tool, which does not justunderstand how to resolve conflicts in society nonviolently, but

its basic aim is the elimination of all forms of conflicts,violence, direct or indirect, social and structural. Peaceeducation aims to develop competences in a complex andinterconnected area of learning – the learning for peace. Thisapproach of peace education is based on two characteristics ofpeace education.

First, peace education is based on the development of mind, hear,soul and body. It is a type of education that stresses learningin all three aspects of education by promoting cognitivelearning, emotional learning as well as tactile learning. Throughthis approach the focus on competence development is mirrored.Second, peace education is based on multidisciplinary character.Peace education consists of a wide range of interconnected formsof education that aims competence development, in order toachieve, knowledge, attitudes and skills.

Peace education is the process of teaching people about thethreats of conflicts, violence and developing strategies forpeace, so in order to secure prosperity, harmony and integrationin the society. Peace education activities in curriculum attemptsto end conflicts, violence and hostilities, which are carried outformally or informally within communities or within institutionsor places of learning, like schools, colleges and universities.In past, Peace education has been practiced informally bygenerations of humans who want to resolve conflicts, in such away that do not use forcibly.

Beside this, in society indigenous peoples also try for conflictresolution that has been passed down through years that helppromote peace within their communities. Although there are nowritten records, human beings throughout history have employedcommunity-based peace education strategies to preserve theirknowledge of conflict resolution tactics that promote theirsecurity. More formal peace education relies upon the writtenword or instruction through schooling institutions.

Peace Education: Component of Quality Basic Education

Peace education is an essential component of the UNICEF vision ofquality basic education. The World Declaration on Education forAll (the Jomtien Declaration) (1990) documented that basiceducation of students will comprise not only on integral toolssuch as literacy and numeracy, but will also include the skills,knowledge, attitudes and values required to live and work indignity and to participate in development of humanity, societyand country . It further describes that the contentment of thoserequirements implies a responsibility to develop social justice,acceptance of differences, and peace in society (Inter-AgencyCommission, WCEFA, 1990). UNICEF reports and documents haveconfirmed this vision of quality basic education as a processthat encompasses the knowledge, skills, attitudes and valuesneeded to live peacefully in an interdependent world.

Peace education addressing to prevent and reduce all forms ofviolence and conflicts in society, whether overt or covert orstructural, ranging from the interpersonal level to societallevel and from societal level to global level. It is significantthat the promotion and understanding of peace and tolerancethrough peace education as a basic component of quality basiceducation. Peace education is not only fundamental but should beconsidered as basic right of all children, and should not beconsidered as an optional or extra-curricular activity in school.

The process of changing behaviour through peace education passthrough a series of phases in which a young individual may:

1. becomes aware of conflicts between people of his age aredealt with the issue (peace, violence and conflict);

2. becomes concerned about the damages and issues that is beingcaused by physical and emotional problems;

3. acquires attitudes, knowledge and skills, to learnalternative ways of handling violence, conflict and realizethat there are non-violent alternatives ways and means toadopt during conflict situations;

4. becomes motivated to practice these skills, which is basedon new values and attitudes;

5. make a decision in such a way in order to try those skillsof non-violence when he would be involved conflict nexttime;

6. performing in a new way of behaviour such as negotiating ina well mannered and acting cooperatively in a conflict;

7. appraises the assessment of society, demonstrate theexperience and comprehend that the outcome was lessemotionally or physically harmful to society than theattitudes and behaviours used in previous violence or inconflict situations; and

8. perform those practices, skills, attitudes, that areconsidered necessary for behaviours and make an obligationfor continuing to use in practice and learn about non-violent methods of handling conflicts, quarrels andfighting’s locally in society and internally.

Initiatives Related to Peace Education Various educational initiatives related to peace education aretaken in order to develop the concept and understanding of peaceeducation. The areas of peace education are interconnected andoverlapped with each other. These areas of peace educationinclude human rights/ children’s rights education, gendertraining, leadership education, global education, interfaitheducation, civic education, creative education, interculturaleducation, and sustainability education. Each type of educationcan be thought in such a manner, that it may provide anotheroutlet or perception through which leaner may examine and developa thought that a how peace can be mainstreamed and sustained inbasic education.

Human rights education/ Children’s rights and peace educationHuman rights education/ Children’s rights and peace education areinterconnected and their activities support and complement eachother. Peace in society is an elementary pre-condition withoutwhich respect for humanity and rights cannot be realized, whilein the mean time, the ensuring of fundamental rights isindispensable to bringing peace in society. Rights educationusually consist the components necessary for understanding the

feelings and rights of other persons in society. Learners areencouraged to comprehend the impact of rights violations, both athome and outside the home such as in village or town or broadlyin global prospective, and to build up compassion and solidaritywith those persons of society whose rights have been deprived andneglected. Rights education promotes the development of knowledgeand skills that will facilitate learners to proceed in ways thatencourage and promote rights, both their own and others’ membersin the society. It also directs the learners to concentrates onthe basic responsibilities that come with rights.

Education for DevelopmentEducation for Development approach is used to teaching andlearning which promotes a commitment to global peace, solidarity,unity, social justice, acceptance of differences andenvironmental awareness in young generation and society. Itsbasic aim to educate the young children and society bringconstructive change, locally and globally. The basic aims ofEducation for Development are social justice, interdependence,perceptions and views, conflict and conflict resolution, andbringing change and the future. These notions may be approachedas interdisciplinary perspectives that can be integrated into theteaching by using a number of subjects, instead of teaching aspecific subject. Participating, interactive, cooperative basedteaching methods are considered important for the teaching ofEducation for Development. These methods have been employed bothformal and non-formal educational activities, and provide a humandevelopment-oriented based framework for educating young childrenand society about peace and social justice problems and issues.

Gender EducationGender conflicts are found in societies throughout the world, andgender discrimination societies create conflicts, which is aleading cause of violence in these societies. Contents may beincluded in the curriculum in order to address the violenceagainst women, and alternative ways may be suggested in whichgender based conflicts may be handled. These initiatives willpromote attitudes and values that would emphasize the rights of

girls and women to non-discrimination, safety, respect, andempowerment in these societies.

Global educationThe term of Global education is not too old and the UNICEFstresses on their importance. The main objective of the globaleducation is the education of environment and ecology, peace inworld, conflict avoidance, tolerance, personal health and ofothers, cooperative skills, comparative views on human values,multiculturalism, and human and child rights. Global education isbased on a four-dimensional conceptual model. This model isconsists of the spatial dimension (creating awareness of theinterdependent nature of the world), the issues dimension(demonstrating how contemporary issues are interlocking), thetemporal dimension (linking the past, present and future), andthe inner dimension (enhancing understanding that resolving worldissues is inseparable from developing self awareness andspiritual awareness).

Global education is learner-based teaching methods, givespriority to active learners, community participation, and problemsolving and educating about conflict resolution skills. Salomonand Cairns (2010) is based on those values which are future-oriented. Global education assists curricula for peace educationactivities.

Life Skills EducationLife Skills Education facilitates young children and people ofsociety to obtain knowledge, values and attitudes intoaccomplishment. It develops a wide range of proficiency thatfacilitates young children and people to handle the challenges ofeveryday life effectively, and make them socially andpsychologically competent for society.

Life skills consists of negotiation, cooperation, communication,making decision, problem solving, coping with emotions, self-awareness, critical and creative thinking, empathy, dealing withpressure groups, assertiveness, awareness of risk, andpreparation for the world of work (Baldo and Furniss, 1998). Life

skills education emphasis on developing values and attitudes, andtransforming those changes into observable behaviours andattitudes, is an important perception to incorporate into peaceeducation.

Curriculum Based on 2006 PolicyThe curriculums within the formal school programme focusingschooling and designed to fulfill the needs of students andsociety. These needs are generally knowledge, skills, attitudes,psychological and ethical development of the child. For thedevelopment of young children’s it should be based ofparticipatory and activity-centered, comprising in-door and out-door games and activities and the promoting these attitudes.

The province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has recently developedcurriculum based on education policy 2006. The objective of thisnew curriculum to achieve Universal Primary Education, ensuringthat all boys and girls should go to school and complete theirprimary education, trying to achieve improvement in girl’seducation. But there is no such importance have been given topeace education, in order to make the society free from violence,conflicts and try to resolve their conflicts though peace fullnegations.

It is interesting to note that the word conflict was used only inthe general knowledge curriculum of grade I-III, where it wasincluded under the heading of i). Common conflicts, ii). Causesof conflicts, iii). Impact of conflicts, iv). Resolvingconflicts, and preventing conflicts (national curriculum forgeneral knowledge grades I – III 2007. But afterwards noimportance has been given to it.

CONCLUSIONIn the twentieth century across the world there is awareness ofpeace education, but unfortunately in our country has not reallytaken hold in school curriculum. The United Nations stresses tostrengthen curriculum with peace education and make them

effective school-based activities. As there are a number ofrefocuses are used as curriculum for students in privateinstitutions, so they have totally ignored them.

Beside this a number of countries in the world, peace educationactivities are carried out informally in community settings andthrough national peace organizations. Local organizationsthroughout the world appalled their communities against the useof violence and attempt to convince their citizens to oppose theviolent policies of militants of their countries. This is by farthe most widespread use of peace education at the beginning ofthis new era.

Formal school curriculum have largely ignored the peace educationinsights as directed by the United Nations and provided by peaceactivist educators around the world, mostly because of social,cultural, socio-economic and stake holders pressures to ramp uptheir curricula to include other topics so that school studentsmight able to compete with modern world. Peace education isconsidered as unwanted and soft stuff and not cuddled byfrightened citizens who are fear of imaginary or real enemies inthe country.

The threats of terrorism acts that grew up in our country hasmade it hard for peace educators to convince specifically privateschool authorities to support efforts that contradict terrorismand support government peace policies promoted to providesecurity for the citizens of this country. Beside this, peaceeducators around the world are trying to develop a uniformcurriculum for peace education that would be embedded it roots ininternational education, modern conventions for human rightsaround the world, the feminist violence, promoting a culture ofpeace, and stress on environmental issues (Harris and Morrison,2003).

Peace educators have added to their list of importance asforgiveness, conflict resolution, and skills of violenceprevention, negations, convincing power skills and leadershipskills - practical teachings that counterbalance the geopolitical

approaches taken by politician concerned with conflicts and warsbetween nations.

In order to change our thinking and minds; our perception,beliefs, thinking and point of view, which are deep rooted in ourculture and life style; that transformation would occur when wemove from a culture, thinking and life style of violence,conflicts and war to a state of civilization and peace. This canbe achieved only by educating our nursery and society of peaceand peaceful.

RecommendationsFor better understanding and effective results of peaceeducation, the peace education must be addressed on the followingbasis. First, compulsory peace education must be introduced inthe curriculum from the previous conflicts groups interact andhow they build positive relationships with each other and thesociety came out of these conflicts and problems. Second,cooperative experiences are required to occur that wouldhighlight reciprocated goals and objectives, the distribution ofsociety, social benefits by achieving the goals, and gainingidentity as a result of it. Third, students must be taught theconcept of constructive controversy procedure in order tofamiliarize them that how to face difficult time and makedifficult decisions, when involved in dialogue and resolvingconflicts. Fourth, students must be taught how to involve inintegrative negotiations and mediation to resolve problems andconflicts of interests usefully. Finally, civic attitudes andvalues must be inculcated in students that focus on good societyin long run and produce a good nation as an output. “To reachPeace, Teach Peace!”

References

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