EDU 06 UNIT 1V: CHALLENGES AND TRENDS IN EDUCATION (25 hrs)

UNIT 1V: CHALLENGES AND TRENDS IN EDUCATION (25 hrs)

      Current Problems of Indian education –  Primary- secondary- higher education

       Population Education – Need, Trends in Demography, Population explosion and adverse effects

       Human Rights education- Meaning and significance

      Peaceful coexistence and need for peace education

 

 

PROBLEMS FACED BY PRIMARY EDUCATION IN INDIA

 

1. Neglect of Education by the Foreign Rule:

The British Government needed only clerks in India for their commercial establishments and Government offices. So they always neglected compulsory education.

2. Political Problems

Britishers through their policy of divide and rule inflamed communal passions in this sub-continent and the Indian leaders. Besides, the national leaders had to make all out efforts for solving the problems of Indian Princely States, abolition of ‘Zamindars’ (feudalism), the problem of linguistic states. Also, there were problems relating to Kashmir and China. Consequently, proper attention could not be given to compulsory primary education, its development and expansion.

3. Lack of Practical Knowledge in Administrative Policies:

Two main problems related to education such the introduction of compulsory education for the children of 6 to 14 years age group and transformation of traditional primary schools into basic ones were failed due to financial stringency and lack of practical knowledge. Even to-day the pace of their implementation is not totally satisfactory.

4. Lack of Teachers:

Shortage of teachers especially lady teachers, rural areas etc were due to poor salaries also resulted in failure of primary education. The dearth of training schools for teachers is also responsible for non-development of compulsory education to some extent.

5. Shortage of Funds:

The burden of primary education is being shouldered mostly by local bodies since the British rule. The local bodies with their poor financial resources cannot successfully implement the compulsory primary education scheme.

6. Defective Educational Administration:

The burden of primary education in almost every State rests on local bodies, that is, on municipal and district boards. Although the numbers of schools have increased, there is a shortage of good administrators and shortage of reading materials and necessary school equipments. Also Departmental checks and red-tapism are the order of the day. Inspection is far from satisfactory. Number of inspectors is inadequate and they are more engaged in official work than visiting schools. Consequently, compulsory primary education has not made the desired progress.

7. Unsatisfactory Teaching Standard:

The inadequacy of training schools and poor pay scale has been responsible for not attracting efficient teachers to take up jobs as primary school teachers. In most cases teachers in primary schools have studied only upto the higher secondary school level. Moreover, equipments and reading materials, too, are insufficient in primary schools due to shortage of funds. Consequently the standard of primary education is very low.

8. Defective Curriculum:

The old curriculum of primary schools was defective and has no practical knowledge. It had no scope for the development of the student’s creative and constructive faculties. The implementation of basic education has not been satisfactory as it involves huge expenditure. Consequently, the desired success in this sphere has not so far been achieved.

9. Difficulties in Constructing School Buildings:

In the financial stringency, the problem of constructing school buildings is a difficult one. Moreover, the population in villages being small, it is more difficult to select a village for the construction of the school building for enabling sufficient number of students to be benefited.

10. Stagnation and Wastage:

Inadequacy and Unsuitability of reading materials, unattractive school buildings difficult curriculum and poor economic conditions of parents are some of the reasons for wastage and stagnation.

11. Shortage of School Buildings and Their Unsuitability:

Due to shortage of funds, the construction of school buildings could not keep pace with the expansion of primary education. Such school has neither played ground nor is their environment healthy. Unsuitable buildings and crowded and noisy atmosphere have severely impeded the growth of primary education.

12. The Problem of Language:

The medium of instruction is also a major problem for compulsory primary education since there are so many languages in India.

13. The Problem of Social Values:

In India due to deep ignorance, the traditions and practices such as child-marriage, religious fanaticism and caste- discrimination rule the lives of our people which are obstructive in the expansion and development of primary education. Although there are laws to eradicate these evil practices, social practices proved more forceful those laws. Even to-day efforts are made in some schools to avoid admission of Schedule caste and Tribal students on some pretext or the other. Many people frown upon co-education even in primary classes. Under such adverse conditions adequate expansion of compulsory education is not possible.

14. Geographical Conditions:

India is a country which abounds in rivers, mountains and forests. Due to shortage of funds it is not possible to open schools in every village. Parents do not like their children to send their wards from hilly terrains, by crossing rivers and forests which are really a very great hardship for children of tender age. Under such circumstances, compulsory education will simply be an act of over expectation.

15. Poverty and Ignorance:

In many homes it is unable to get two meals a day. Besides, the majority of the people, being ignorant, do not realise the importance of education. Therefore, many parents, try to introduce children to some trade at a tender age in order to supplement their income.

16) Equipment’s and Ancillary Services:

Most of the primary schools are ill-equipped. Text books and other educational equipment’s should be supplied free of cost. It is lack of basic facilities like drinking water, urinals and electricity, furniture and study materials etc.

To conclude

Our primary education is ridden with too many problems. Even now large number of primary schools has no buildings and only with single teacher. So the drop rate is very high and a cause of concern. Concluding, we can say that there is quantitative expansion of education but in qualitative development we are still lagging behind.

PROBLEMS FACED BY SECONDARY EDUCATION

Secondary education is the second level of schooling that falls between the primary and higher education. It covers children aged 12 to 18.  Since the secondary stage of education coincides with the adolescence period, it becomes the most crucial period which assists them to become useful members of a complex modern society.

1.      Expensive scheme

2.      Rigid timetable: There is no scope for experimentation and research in the classroom situation on the part of the teacher.

3.      Heavy curriculum

Secondary education is predominantly academic in nature and bookish.

4.      Highly exam oriented

Children learn to pass the exams and not for realizing the developmental goals.

5.      Wastage and stagnation

6.      Not child centered

7.       It ignores individual difference in intelligence, aptitude and interests of children.

8.      Lowering of standard in certain subjects

9.      Syllabus is not updated.

PROBLEMS OF HIGHER EDUCATION

1.      Expensive

University, professional and technical education has become costly in India for technical and professional institutes. It is beyond the reach of common man. Privatization of higher education has led to the growth of profit hungry entrepreneurs. Now a day’s higher education is much costly affair.

2.      Neglect of Indian languages:

The medium of instruction particularly in Indian languages are still under developed. Standard publications are not available in Indian language.

3.      Problem of Brain drain:

When intelligent, talented and deserving candidates do not get suitable jobs in the country, they prefer to go abroad for seeking jobs. So our country is deprived of good talent. This phenomenon is called ‘Brain drain’.

4.      Mass illiteracy

Despite constitutional directives and economic planning, we are not able to achieve cent percent literacy. Even now 35 percent people remain illiterate. In India, the number of illiterates is almost one-third of the total illiterates in the world. It is also a problem

5.      Wastage of resources:

Our education system is based on General Education. The dropout rate is very high in primary and secondary level. Most of the students in 6-14 age groups leave the school before completing their education. It leads to wastage of financial and human resources.

6.      General education oriented:

Our educational system is of General Education in nature and development of technical and vocational education is quite unsatisfactory and unproductive. Hence number of educated unemployed persons is increasing day by day. This has become a great concern for Govt.

REMEDIES OF EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS

·         Teachers have to be trained.

·         Teacher educators must have a minimum qualification of PG degree (M.Ed).

·         Salary and service condition should be improved.

·         Curriculum should be flexible and child centered.

·         Examination system should be improved.

·         Attempts should be made to change the attitude of parents and society.

·         Preferential treatment to the poor and unprivileged.

·         Value education.

·         Introduction of vocational courses.

·         All round extracurricular activities.

·         Remedial or tutorial classes for weaker students.

      Population Education – Need, Trends in Demography, Population explosion and adverse effects

 

Population Education in India: Meaning, Objectives, Problems

Our population is increasing annually at a rapid rate of 2.5 percent. With the present growth rate the country’s population may reach the incredible figure of one-billion.

Meaning

 “Population Education is an educational programme which provides for a study of population situation of the family, the community, nation and world, with the purpose of developing in the students rational and responsible attitudes and behaviour towards that situation.”

-UNESCO

“It is essentially related to human resource development. It is not only concerned with population awareness but also with the developing values and attitudes which take care of the quality and quantity of population. It must explain to the students cause and effect relationship, so as to enable them to make rational decision on their own behaviour on population matters.”

-The National Seminar on Population Education held in Bombay gives a comprehensive definition of population education.

So population education is an exploration of knowledge and attitudes about population, family living, reproduction education and basic values. It means educating the students about large population or ever-increasing population.

OBJECTIVES OF POPULATION EDUCATION

General Objectives

·         Knowledge and Understanding

·         Evaluation and judgement

·         Decision making

·         Response making to the programmes

Specific Objectives

·         To explain the learner the reasons for the government’s efforts to manage population growth rates.

·         To provide the students with necessary skills to evaluate the impact of population change on the society

·         To teach the students the importance of a small family.

·         To provide information about the measures to be taken to control the growth of population.

NEED OF POPULATION EDUCATION

·         Ensuring quality of life

·         Optimum use of natural resources

·         Maintaining and improving health

·         Controlling population Explosion

·         Checking under nourishment

·         Giving impetus family planning

·         Establishing equality of sexes

·         Preparing young people for better family life

·         Developing appropriate reproductive behavior

·         Proper utilization of national wealth Controlling environmental degradation

A. Problems

1.      Food Problem:

Due to tremendous increase in population, the food problem continues and the quality of food consumed is also below nutritional level. The scientific and technological advancements are being neutralized by the increase in numbers.

2.      Economical Problem:

There is no increase in their per-capita consumptions. The increased facilities in various sectors of life do not keep pace with the needs of the growing population.

3.      Younger Generation Problem:

The young population requires a proportionately larger outlay for supporting the social services needed for it, like education, health, transport housing and other facilities. It is impossible for a developing country for providing all these amenities in requisite adequacy.

4.      Environmental Problem:

Increasing number cannot subsist only on agriculture. They migrate to urban areas, big cities and industrial centres. Such a situation is creating problems like water and air pollution, transportation, shortage of housing, over-crowding schools, growth of slums. Growing population defies all efforts in planning for development and the country remains as backward as ever.

5.      Educational Problem:

There are also some educational problems and difficulties due to over population.

These are:

(a)    Too many pupils at all levels.

(b)   Poor building, furniture and equipment’s.

(c)    Wastage and stagnation.

(d)   Poor-staff.

(e)    Unemployment

(f)    Poor quality of education.

(g)    Student indiscipline and other allied problems at various stages of education.

Hence, Population Education needs to be given top priority. The younger generation needs to be informed and need to be properly educated for leading a planned adult life. A country, where 50% of the population is below 18 years, marriage is almost universal, where literacy rate is just 30%, where the standard of living is low and unemployment has taken on dangerous proportions. Population Education seems to be most relevant.

B. Role of Education:

Suitable educational measures need to adopted to promote population education

1.      Community forums and voluntary organisations should discuss the drawbacks of large families and the merits of small families.

2.      Children in the elementary stage should also be taught the merits of small family and demerits of large family and should develop favourable attitude and appreciation for having a small family when they become adults.

3.      Boys and girls at the secondary stage should be given the knowledge in a scientific way about the reproductive biology system and the sex-hygiene.

4.      Parent-teacher associations can also take the responsibility of educating the families.

5.      Schools should assume the responsibility of educating the community and the families and should collaborate with other agencies for the education of the masses for having small families.

C. Programmes:

The Ministry launched a Population Education Programme with effect from 1980 to include in the formal education system. It is to create in the younger generation, an adequate awareness of the population problems and realization in this regard of its responsibilities towards the nation. The programme has been sponsored by the Govt. of India, NCERT with UNESCO support to 143 million school children in primary, secondary and higher secondary schools in the country.

The activities of the programme may be divided in the following heads.

1.      Curriculum and instructional development.

2.      Training programmes.

3.      Evaluation and research.

By this each student can be made familiar with programme in family planning. Hence, the population control programmes must be universally accepted in the interest of the family and the nation.

POPULATION EDUCATION

It is a scheme in the central sector of Ministry of Education and played an important role. It has been developed in collaboration with the United Nations Funds for Population Activities (UNFPA) and with the active involvement of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The Govt, of India appointed an expert group on National Population Policy under the chairmanship of Dr. M.S Swaminathan which submitted its report on 22nd may 1994. The report recommended for complete elimination of marriage of girls below the age of 18, universal immunisation of children etc.

MAJOR AREAS OF POPULATION EDUCATION

There are six major areas of population education:

·         The population growth

·         Economic development and population growth

·         Social development and population growth

·         Health ,nutrition and population

·         Biological factor-family life and population

·         Population programmes

HOW POPULATION EDUCATION BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS

Higher Secondary Stage

 Inter disciplinary or integrated or infused approach

·         A distinctive population education unit ,course or module is created by selecting ,presenting and dwelling upon the relevant components of various disciplines.

·         A series of related topics of population education are interwoven into an instructional scheme .

·         The approach is likely to provide a comprehensive view of various dimensions of population education and hence would be more effective.

Population education should be treated as a integrated subject with other subjects.

How Population education is integrated with other subjects

·         Languages

 In the form of stories ,essays and poems in the mother tongue, regional and national language.

·         Social Studies

Statistics on Population and impact of population on socio-economic development can be discussed.

·         Science and health education

Problems of fertility, reproduction, family planning and hygienic problems due to over population can be taught.

·         Mathematics

With help of percentage and graphical representations students can be made aware of population growth.

·         Arts

 Cartoons, pictures etc can be used for teaching population education.

2. Correlational method

3. Direct and indirect method of teaching

4. Co-curricular activities

5. Extra-curricular activities .

6. Discussions

7.  Debates and Seminars

8. Audio –visual aids, teaching materials ,text books, literatures for mass media like radio, television etc should be prepared.

9. Educational institutions should meet the need with enough literature materials for population education.

10.NCERT and Higher education institutes should produce suitable literatures for teachers.

11. Lack of trained teachers and resource persons

POPULATION EXPLOSION

Demography

       Demography is the statistical study of populations, especially human beings.

Census

       A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses include agriculture, business, and traffic censuses.

Demographic Indicators

The most important indicators of population growth are fertility, mortality and migration trends or the movement of people from one location to another.

1.      Natality: Births as a component of population change.

2.      Fertility: The actual reproductive performance of an individual, a couple, a group, or a population.

3.      Birth Rate (or crude birth rate) The number of live births per 1,000 population in a given year.

4.      Mortality rate, or death rate,

is a measure of the number of deaths (in general, or due to a specific cause) in a particular population, scaled to the size of that population, per unit of time.

5.      Migration

Immigration Rate: The number of immigrants arriving at a destination per 1000 population at that destination in a given year.

Emigration Rate: The number of emigrants/citizens departing from a country at a destination per 1000 population at that destination in a given year.

Net Migration Rate: The net effect of immigration and emigration on an area's population, expressed as an increase or decrease per 1000 population of the area in a given year.

Population Growth Rate

·         The number of persons added to (or subtracted from) a population in a year due to natural increase and net migration expressed as a percentage of the population at the beginning of the time period.

Indian Population Details

·         The current population of India is 1,335,959,069 as of Tuesday, January 31, 2017, based on the latest United Nations estimates.

·         India population is equivalent to 17.86% of the total world population.

·         India ranks number 2 next to china ,in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.

·         The population density in India is 452 per Km2 (1,169 people per mi2).

·         The total land area is 2,972,892 Km2 (1,147,839 sq. miles)

·         32.8 % of the population is urban (439,801,466 people in 2017)

·         The median age in India is 26.9 years.

Causes of Population Explosion in India

·         Gap between birth rate and death rate.

·         Early marriage.

·         High fertility rates.

·         High reproductive age group.

·         Unmet demand for contraceptives.

·         Lack of adequate knowledge of family planning methods.

·         Sexual activity and behaviour.

·         Less abortion rate.

·         Large family concept.

·         General illiteracy.

·         Satisfaction through sharing a joint family.

ADVERSE EFFECTS OF OVERPOPULATION

·         Child poverty

·         High birth rates

·         Lower life expectancies

·         Lower levels of literacy

·         Higher rates of unemployment, especially in urban

·         Insufficient arable land

·         Little surplus food

·         Poor diet with ill health and diet-deficiency diseases.

·         Low per capita GDP(Gross Domestic Productivity)

·         Increasingly unhygienic conditions

·         Government is stretched economically

Impact of Population Explosion on Education

·         Abnormal rush of admission at all levels

·         Insufficient infrastructure

·         Insufficient accommodation

·         Overcrowded classes

·         Recruitment of untrained teachers in certain schools

·         Inadequate staff in schools

·         Deterioration in standards of education.

Even with the best intensions and planning it may not be possible to solve the problems of expansions of education ,unemployment ,poverty shortage and inadequacy of civic amenities etc unless these problems are tackled in the context of total population problems of the country

      Human Rights education- Meaning and significance

Human Rights Education

Human rights are those rights which are necessary for the human beings to live like humans and to lead a dignified and sublime life. A good nation provides its citizens a bunch of rights for realization of potentialities and exaltation of personality. The individuals who enjoy and exercise the rights in full measure must contribute to the development of nation. There is a mutual relationship between the enjoyment of human rights and national development. Hence, it is recognized that a civilized society cannot be conceived of without ensuring human rights to all. These are fundamental and integral part of their life. Denial of these rights is a tragedy for the entire human race and results in socio-political havoc sowing seeds of violence and conflict within and between societies and nations.

It implies right of life, liberty, equality and dignity of an individual irrespective of caste, class, creed, colour, sex, religion, language, and place of birth.

These rights are broadly classified as

1.      civil and political rights

The civil and political rights are Rights pertaining to life, integrity, Liberty and security; Rights with respect to administration of justice; Right to privacy; Right of justice; Right to freedom of religion, opinion, expression and movement; Right to assembly and association; and Right to political participation

2.      economic, social and cultural rights

The economic, social and cultural rights are: Right to work; Right to health care; Right to education; Right to adequate standard of living including food, clothing and housing; Right to take part in cultural life; and Right to Trade Union freedoms.

3.      group rights

Groups rights include right of children, women, juveniles, workers and minorities.

In world

Establishment of United Nations Organisation on October 24, 1945 was motioned for protection and promotion of human rights world community.

The United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10th December, 1948 which contains 30 Articles and Preamble which is considered as the “International Mangna Carta” of mankind. The other important documents were adopted by UN General Assembly are: The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966), The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966) and the Optional Protocol (1966). The International Congress on Human Rights at Tehran in 1968, International Congress in Vienna in 1978, International Seminar on the Teachings of Human Rights at Geneva in 1988 and the UN world Conference on Human Rights are other initiatives for the promotion of human rights in the world.

The UN declared the decade from 1995 to 2004 as UN Decade for Human Rights Education which shall be observed by the member States of it without any delay.

In India

In India, The Constitution of free India has incorporated a number of human rights in its preamble. While Fundamental Rights stress on the existing rights, directive Principles provide the dynamic momentum towards the goal of ensuring human rights for all.

The Government of India has also set up the

1.      National Commission for SCs and STs,

2.      National Commission for Women and the Minorities Commissions and the

3.      National Human Rights Commission in 1993.

 Human rights have been considered as the goal of every society. Protection of these inalienable and fundamental rights has been the topmost tasks of the government.

Terrorism in myriad forms, fatalism, communalism, regionalism, linguism, casteism, religious conflict, racial discrimination, religious fundamentalism, ethnic conflicts, violence, repression on weaker sections, discrimination against women and girl child, conservative outlook, unhealthy social practices like child marriage, sati system, dowry etc., glaring disparities among people, illiteracy, ignorance, poverty, unemployment, atrocities against women and dalits, neo-colonialism, globalisation, lack of value based education and moral education, lack of spiritualism, corruption in every walks of life, demoniacal qualities prevalent among people like malice, anger, greediness, hypocrisy, arrogance, unbridled passion, conceit etc., lack of fellow feeling and brotherhood, moral lapse owing to fall of divine qualities, lack of good governance sans responsibility, transparency and accountability, nasty politics, lack of humanity, adoption of false doctrines due to delusion, and immature thoughts, and prevalence of cognitive dissonance and above all presence of authoritarian regimes and military dictatorship in Third World states and repressive legislation such as in India MISA, POTO, TADA, POTA, suppression of trade Union activity by factory legislation etc. are some of the bases for violation of human rights.

Need of Human Rights Education in India

Education should be treated as the strongest weapon which could bring peace and prosperity in the world by ensuring and protecting human rights. It is a potent medium through which one can be awakened to a set of rights – essential for one’s survival and prosperity. Awareness of human rights is equally important in times of normalcy and emergency as well. Human rights education is essential for the formation of public opinion and the generation of public pressure for compliance with human rights.

Needs of Human rights education

·   To understand human dignity, its rec­ognition, fulfillment, and universalization.

·   a lasting peace in the society can be established where conflicts on any pretexts can be shunned.

·   protection and promotion of human rights can be made possible.

·   providing people and students with the abilities to accomplish and produce societal changes and respond social reality for realization of a sense of social justice for poor, marginalized and weaker section of society

·   people can decipher what is good for them and the nation and know how to govern themselves.

·   is to transfigure the human personality into a pattern of perfect harmony through a systematic process of the development of the body, the enrichment of the mind, the sublimation of the emotions and the illuminations of the spirit.

·   Strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms

·   Full development of human personality and the sense of its dignity;

·   Promotion of understanding, tolerance, gender equality and friendship among all nations, indigenous peoples marginal groups and racial, national, ethnic, religious, and linguistic communities;

·   Enabling all persons to participate effectively in a free society

Development of Human Rights Education : Legal Framework
The foundation of human rights education is our Constitution of India.

·         The preamble of the Constitution visioned freedom and rights to achieve social, economic and political justice.

·         Further, the part third of the Constitution guarantees fundamental rights( Articles 14 to 32)

·         part fourth assigned some duties( Articles -51A) to the citizens. This way both parts are interrelated, interlinked and Interdependent.

University Grants Commission (UGC) had appointed a committee on Human Rights Education under the Chairmanship of Mr. Justice S.M. Sikri, the then judge of Supreme Court of India in 1980. The Sikri Committee came up with a comprehensive report titled 'Blueprint for Promotion of Human Rights in India at All Levels' in 1985.

The Report suggested a blueprint for teaching human rights in schools, colleges, and universities and in adult and continuing educational centres. The Sikri Committee Report was sent to NCERT and to various universities to initiate follow-up action in the matter. It persuaded the University Grants Commission to introduce human rights education at the university level. As a result, human rights education is now being imparted in over 35 Universities /Colleges across the country and also in the National Law Schools. The National Human Rights Commission in collaboration with the NCERT had brought out a Source Book on Human Rights in 1996. The source book is prepared for the promotion of Human Rights Education in the country at School level and Dossiers on Human Rights Education for Beginners (2005) for college and University level. Further, NHRC Recommended Module on Human Rights Education for Teaching Professionals for Primary, Secondary and Higher Secondary levels (2007) and National Curriculum Framework for University Students on Human Rights Education(NHRC 2007).

The Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993: A Turning Point

The Parliament of India has passed the protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 and through the provisions of the Act, new Institutions were set up as National human Rights Commission (NHRC), State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) and Human Rights Court. Under Section 12(g) of the Act, the Statute of the Commission requires to undertake and promote research and to create awareness and literacy in the field of human rights in collaboration with universities, institutions and non-governmental organizations and media.

      Peaceful coexistence and need for peace education

Peace education

Peace education could be defined as an interdisciplinary area of education whose goal is institutionalized and non institutionalized teaching about peace and for peace. It is a diverse field that includes the theoretical, research, and practical activities of experts from many disciplines assembled in a number of professional and research associations.

Aims

·         to help students acquire skills for nonviolent conflict resolution

·         to reinforce these skills for active and responsible action in the society for the promotion of the values of peace.

·         It can be considered to be retroactive approach by trying to solve a conflict after it has already occurred

·         peace education has a more proactive approach as  it try to prevent a conflict in advance or rather to educate individuals and a society for a peaceful existence on the basis of nonviolence, tolerance, equality, respect for differences, and social justice.

The Development of Peace Education and Its Basic Principles

By the end of World War I (1914–1918) brought powerful support for the need for international cooperation and understanding and helped instill a desire to include these ideas in educational systems. The League of Nations and a number of nongovernmental organizations worked together on these ideas, especially through the International Institute of Intellectual Cooperation, an organization that was the predecessor of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World War II (1939–1945) ended with millions of victims and the frightening use of atomic weapons against Japan, at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In 1946 UNESCO was founded as an umbrella institution of the United Nations, and it was charged with planning, developing, and implementing general changes in education according to the international politics of peace and security.

The peace movement began concentrating on

·         stopping the threat of nuclear war,

·         halting the arms race,

·         encouraging disarmament.

·         the issues of environmental protection and development found their place in peace education programs.

·         the fear of terrorism,

·         increasing gap between developed and undeveloped countries) has created new challenges for the understanding of peace and for the development of the underlying principles of responsibility and security.

·         a variety of issues, ranging from violence in schools to international security and cooperation,

Peace Education Discrepancies: Individual, Group Conflict

In the active process of achieving positive peace, peace education is facing discrepancy between the individual and the group, discrepancy between groups within one society or from different societies, and the discrepancy of conflict as an imbalance of different interests that need to be resolved without violence.

Discrepancies between individual and group. 

It includes the complete social, emotional, and moral development of an individual; the development of a positive self-concept and positive self-esteem; and the acquisition of knowledge and skills to accept responsibility for one's own benefit as well as for the benefit of society. The development of a positive self-concept is the foundation for the development of sympathy for others and building trust, as well as the foundation for developing awareness of interconnectedness with others. In that sense a social individual is a starting point and a final target of peace education efforts.

Discrepancies between groups. 

Social psychologists believe that people evaluate, groups they belong to, as more valuable than groups they do not belong to. This ingroup bias is the foundation of stereotypes, negative feelings toward outgroups, prejudices, and, finally discrimination.

In the psychological sense, the feeling of an individual that his or her group is discriminated against, or that he or she as an individual is discriminated against  just for belonging to a particular group, leads to a sense of deep injustice and a desire to rectify the situation.

 Injustice and discrimination shape negative consequences in the collective world of the group is transmitted from generation to generation and that greatly influences the collective identity.

It leads to lower academic achievement or negatively influencing the self-concept and self-esteem. Therefore, peace education is dealing with key elements of individual and group identity formed by historical and cultural heritage, balancing the values of both of these, and trying to teach people how to enjoy their own rights without endangering the rights of others, and especially how to advocate for the rights of others when such rights are threatened.

Conflict and its role in peace education. 

Conflict is a part of life, and its nature is neither good nor bad. On the interpersonal and intergroup level, conflict describes an imbalance or an existence of difference between the needs and interests of two sides.

It becomes negative only when the answer to a conflict is aggression. It is possible to resolve the difference positively, by recognizing the problem and recognizing one's own needs and interests and also acknowledging the needs of the opposing sides. In this way, constructive nonviolent conflict resolutions are possible.

Peace Education in Schools

Peace education has various titles, such as multicultural training, education for democracy and human rights, and education for development. The implementation of principles of peace education is a better approach, especially within the subjects encompassing the cultural heritage of the dominant society and the ethnic groups belonging to it.

Peace education addresses

·         the issues of conflict and conflict resolution by teaching students how to take creative approaches to the conflict and how to find different possibilities for the conflict resolution.

·         students gain knowledge and skills that encourage personal growth and development, contribute to self-esteem and respect of others, and develop competence for a nonviolent approach to future conflict situations.

·         learn about peace and the need for peace in safe protected environments and then return to a wider society where there is still injustice, asymmetry of power, a hierarchical structure, discrimination, and xenophobia.

·         strengthen the capacity of an individual for critical thinking but also strengthen the individual's ability to resist the majority, if the majority is one that discriminates.

·         It is the cooperative learning technique in which a smaller group of students study in face-to-face interaction, cooperating to complete a common task. This technique was very successful both in lower and higher grades of elementary school, not only as a teaching method but also for creating a positive atmosphere in the classroom, reinforcing students relationships, and creating intergroup friendships.

·         It is the basis for gaining positive attitudes and behavior, intercultural training programs were also developed.

·         information about the values, customs, and practices of the members of a different culture contributes to better understanding of others, thereby reducing prejudices, negative stereotypes, and tensions between people who belong to different cultures.

·         Educating students about both cultural similarities and differences is a significant factor in reducing prejudice.

·         To conduct community and social development projects in any part of the world with a focus on creating a more peaceful and violence-free world;

·         Train educators for Peace specialists who would, in turn, use their knowledge and expertise in pursuit of peace through peace education;