A review of peace education and conflict transformation: greater East African region

Abstract

This study seeks to review the role of peace education in conflict transformation among states in the Greater East African Region. Peace education and conflict transformation are long term endeavors for conflict resolution. Conflict transformation is a process by which conflicts, such as ethnic conflicts, are transformed into peaceful outcomes. Conflict transformation differs from conflict resolution and conflict management approaches in the sense that it recognizes that contemporary conflicts require more than the reframing of positions and the identification of win-win outcomes. Peace education is described as the process of acquiring values, knowledge and developing attitudes, skills, and behaviors to live in harmony with oneself, with others, and with the natural environment. Although peace education is a move in the right direction for conflict transformation, it emerged in this study that, states have not embraced it as an approach of conflict management. Peace education is regarded and perceived as an approach that should be pursued by non-state actors. As such the prerogative of implementing peace education is solely left unto international organizations and other non-state actors. In this research study it emerged that, peace education is not well developed across all states. Only Uganda and Kenya have programs on peace education at university level. Rwanda and Sudan offer peace education programs, but at the primary school level. In Somalia and Eritrea, peace education is solely a prerogative of non-state actors like UNESCO. From this research study, it emerged that, the main challenge facing peace education in the Greater East African Region is inadequate training for human resource and lack of training facilities like institutions. Considering that conflicts evolve through phases, implies that, peace education can be effective at a particular phase of conflict, in this research it emerged that states have not embraced this suggestion. As a result peace education is not applied at the time and place where it should be applied. There is need that, since non state actors are the ones who are often involved in execution of peace education, that they should be involved in all phases of conflict. Therefore, its efficacy in conflict transformation is still lagging behind and often not effective. Considering that peace education is a long term strategy for conflict resolution, requires that, states accord it the same right and treat it with the seriousness that it deserves. Peace education should be promoted by the central government and the agencies of governments.