My infant understanding on education for peace

Education for Peace: My infant understanding on education for peace

Scope

“Peace education” is not a new domain “in a way” in education system as education since century is directed towards producing more responsible individuals. Using the term “peace education” as a specific domain means trying to strengthen the existing effort of creating more responsible individual, sustainable practices, peaceful co-existence, appreciate values of diversity and equitable society. The    “absence of overt violence (sometimes referred to as ‘negative peace’) or conflict is not peace”. The mutual co-existence cannot be defined by just mere absence of visible conflicting action. Social justices, Freedom of thought and peaceful existences need a core respect and regard for one another. Introducing the concept of peace education among the shining stars of tomorrow will help them to prepare for the worst scenario of life. Reacting and responding like the “way a responsible citizen” to the norms, regulations and beliefs of the society can be contributed through peace education. It would help to inculcate new perspective of understanding problems in lives. Tagore said “The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence”.  

Adolescent stress related disease, teenager suicide cases; children immoral behavior is not new in our society. Building trusting relationship between teacher and student can be open up through peace education.  Through the domain of peace education children can cultivate peaceful behaviors and inculcate non-violent attitude. Capacity building for nonviolent conflict resolution among students, teachers and others are viable through the principles of peace education. Through the perspective of peace education we can introduce the fact “that we belong to each other”. Constructive critical thinking can be made possible. It covers the area of advocacy to law reform and social justice. Peace education questions if our human activities are in peace with the ecosystem around us. It reminds someone to look at others through the eyes of another. Empowerment of the weaker section with common consensus building can be maximized through the concept of peace. Tolerance to the multi culture, languages, practices, religion, gender, caste, race and regards for all this differences can be achieved with peace education concept in-depth in the heart of every child. Peace education can create quality education, quality transformation and accepting challenges and cautiously reacting to it. The issue which peace education covers is immense and has huge potential in bringing the foundation goal of Just, Equitable, Humane, and Sustainable Society.

As Gandhji said:

"Your beliefs become your thoughts
Your thoughts become your words
Your words become your actions
Your actions become your habits
Your habits become your values
Your values become your destiny”

So we should designed our destiny by creating a favorable beliefs system, words, action, habits not just let the untamed nature of human flow in free will.

Justification

I would like to justify why I like to work on “Peace Education” but this expression will be limited and very vague. The term used may not necessarily be the appropriate one. The issue of “peace” is personally related to the principles of my lives. Every child in India is a victim of abuse in one way or the other. So, one day or the other they will react accordingly to the way they are treated consciously or unconsciously. I want to give a professional touch to the passion I have. I consider myself at the right place to start this venture as the foundation has all the required resources and potential people to guide me. After clear understanding of the issue I will like to make contribution in making the teachers approaches more humane, text book less gender biased and contribute in building responsible citizens through research, dialogue, building consensus, convincing and strategic action. At global level peace education has created its place and in India it’s an emerging domain in education. Gandhi’s value of satyagraha and ahimsa is the need of the hour to heal our society today. In trying to inculcate the value of equality the high rate drop out of girl’s student, SC/STs student and low retention of student in Sirohi district can be addressed. Make school more children friendly and place of harmony and peace.

There is a long way ahead to convert my passion in to authentic application in primary education. Conceptualization of Peace education w.r.t primary education (theoretical) and Contextualization of peace education w.r.t the cultural aspect of the location (practical) will be the immediate moved that can be made through various ways.