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C.N. Chibo: The Role of Education in Building a Culture of Peace
Written by Chief C.N. Chibo
Saturday, September 21, 2013
THE ROLE OF EDUCATION IN BUILDING A CULTURE OF PEACE AND FOSTERING GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP
BY CHIEF C.N. CHIBO
AT THE COMMEMORATION OF THE 2013 UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE SEPTEMBER 21, 2013
I consider it a great honor and privilege to be asked to speak on a topic that is not just very appropriate and relevant to our contemporary world but even more importantly to our nation especially in the face of the current security and social challenges confronting every aspect of our lives. Our individual and collective efforts to make our societies a better place for all will no doubt change the face of our planet and guarantee hopes for the future.
The Meaning and Purpose of Education
The Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary of current English, 7th edition, has defined education as “A process of teaching, training and learning in schools and colleges to improve knowledge and develop skills.”
That having been said, it follows therefore that education can and should act as a vehicle for the impartation of knowledge and skills from individual or group of persons to others. This brings one to the question as to who needs education and why do we need it? Essentially, I would submit that every human being needs education irrespective of age, gender, race or color. But for the purpose of this presentation, I would like to restrict my approach critically to the children and youth in our societies, who no doubt we can consider and regard as our very future. Ordinarily, education can mean an end in itself rather than a means to an end when it fails to achieve those desired aims and objectives for which it has been set to achieve.
Since education as we have been told involves the act of teaching, training and learning with a view to improving knowledge and developing skills, it becomes imperative that such education must be right, qualitative and geared towards the improvement of the society and the well-being of the citizenry at large. It must be a training that respects the life and dignity of each human being without discrimination and prejudice. Therefore, the right education must defend freedom of expression and cultural diversity. It should always give preference to dialogue without engaging in fanaticism, defamation or the rejection of others. Furthermore, positive and constructive teaching and learning illuminates the mind and liberates the individual from the bondage of ignorance, fear and superstition. On the contrary, negative education poses a threat not just to the individual or his immediate environment, but even more seriously to our collective interests as a people with common values and destiny. On the basis of this, the education of our children can no longer be overlooked.
Nevertheless, education is the key to uniting nations. It brings human beings close together. In many parts of the world, civil society suffers because of situations of violent conflicts and war. Consequently, it is important to recognize the crucial roles of education in contributing to building a culture of peace. Thus, instances in which education is undermined in order to destroy democracy and tolerance must be condemned. It is equally true that education has remained a key tool in combating poverty as well as promoting peace and social justice, human rights and democracy, cultural diversity and environmental awareness.
To this end, education for peace implies an active concept of peace through a system of values, skills and knowledge in a spirit of equality, respect, empathy, understanding and mutual appreciation among individuals, groups and nations. In other words, the world has become a global village, driven by cutting-edge science and technology with information and social media at the front burner. Therefore, one cannot pretend to be ignorant of the events taking place around him. While education has taken firm root in the developed economies of the world, it is sad to note that millions of children especially in the developing regions of the world are yet to have access to basic formal education.
Let me at this point reiterate the fact that by education, I do not by any means connote or imply the western form of education as the basic or the only acceptable form of learning; rather, it is any form of teaching and learning that seeks to promote universally acceptable values and norms. Above all, it is a process of learning that includes non-violence in approach to issues. Practically, it rejects violence in all its forms, whether it is physical, sexual, psychological, economical or social. This is more serious where it concerns the most deprived and vulnerable ones such as children and adolescents.
The Plight of Educationally Disadvantaged Children
Recently, former British Prime Minister Mr. Gordon Brown in his address to the United Nations during the celebration of the 16th birthday of the Pakistani-born teenage girl activist (Malala) on May 16, 2013 revealed that about 55 million children worldwide do not have access to education. Yet some of them have most times been exposed to critical conditions of wars and even at times been made to become child soldiers. They are usually exposed to extraneous social vices, such as child abuse, child trafficking, forced labor and other forms of slavery.
Statistical Analysis of Educationally Disadvantaged Children in Nigeria
- 40% of Nigerian children ages 6 – 11 years old do not attend primary school. The Northern region records the lowest school attendance rate in the country, particularly for girls.
- About 4.7 million children of primary school age are still not in school.
- Even when enrolled, many do not complete the primary cycle. According to current data, 30% of pupils drop out of primary school and only 54% transit to JSS. This is attributed to the problem of child labor, economic hardships and early marriage for girls.
- According to the EFA (Education For All) monitoring team report, an estimated 61 million children of primary school age do not have access to education globally. Nigeria is home to an estimated 10.5 million of them.
- This is 17.2% of the estimated 61 million school children worldwide.
- The International Labor Congress in 2006 stated that Nigeria sits at the summit in Child Labor in Africa. The organization estimated that there were over 12 million children between the ages of 10 and 14 who were forced into domestic servitude or prostitution in the country.
- Today the Almajiris* are left at the mercy of their teachers or instructors who convert them into street beggars. Mahmood Yakibu, the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TET Fund), disclosed in April 2012 that there were over 9.5 million Almajiri children who are denied the right to basic primary education in the country.
- The issue of poor funding has continued to affect the education sector. In the 2012 fiscal year for education, 8.53% was allocated – a far cry from the UNESCO recommended 26%.
Challenges to the Nation
In spite of the fact that many nations are signatories to the United Nations Charter on the Rights of the Child, not much has been done in concrete terms to actualize those goals especially as they relate to the education of the child. Children all over the world, especially in conflict zones, remain most vulnerable to the ills of the society. As a consequence, if the children and youths of today who are supposedly the leaders of tomorrow are not properly educated and prepared for the challenges such as social, economic, political and cultural/ethnic diversities, then our world would be doomed to a catastrophic future. Uneducated minds remain an easy prey and handy instrument in the hands of the misguided.
In this regard, promoting the concept of peace has to do with education and training. It also relates to the educational resources and materials as well as school and university life. It entails the initial and on-going training for teachers, research and training and retraining for young people and adults. As a matter of fact, a culture of peace must take root in the classroom from an early age. It must continue to be reflected in the curricula at secondary and tertiary levels. However, the skills for peace and no-violence can only be learned and perfected through practice. Active listening, dialogue, mediation and cooperative learning are delicate skills to develop.
Incidentally, the seeming consequences of lack of education can best be explained by the magnitude of the imbalance in the distribution of resources particularly in the underdeveloped as well as developing countries. These inequalities have led to the minority but privileged educated few taking advantage and becoming richer, while the majority but illiterate ones are becoming poorer. Besides, it leads to frustration and anger on their part and ultimate conflict in the society. It is among this class of people that the aforementioned vices are commonly prevalent namely – high infant mortality rate, communicable diseases, malnutrition, child labor, etc.
Similarly, the lack of education and poverty readily expose them to human trafficking and other sex-related offenses. Apparently, the acknowledgment of the fact that building a culture of peace and fostering global citizenship can only be achieved through education cannot be over emphasized.
Education and Cooperation as Bases for Peace and Understanding
The concluding years of the second millennium witnessed an outpouring of hope for a future characterized by cooperation rather than confrontation – thanks to the demise of the cold war. The present generation and indeed the future must be given an education that seeks to promote peace and understanding among nations. A culture of peace differs from the politics of peace. The term culture of peace focuses on the internal factors that contribute to the way of peace. Culture, on the other hand, suggests people’s mindset, identity and a way of life. It is a shared set of values and benefits of a group of people by which they organize their common life. Culture is linked in profound ways to ethnicity, religion, the arts and traditions.
Youth Empowerment as Basis for Peace and Security
Focusing on a culture of peace challenges us to look more deeply at our human condition. Ironically, education without corresponding empowerment breeds and leads to discontentment, frustration and chaos. Many countries in the recent past and even today are witnessing various forms of protests ranging from peaceful demonstrations to violent confrontations, all in a bid to express their feelings and frustration. Governments can no longer gloss over the unemployment challenges nor regard the welfare of the teeming numbers of uneducated youths as common issues. They are indeed a threat to global peace and security.
The so-called Arab spring has symbolized a wake-up call to governments all over the world that the time has come when the education and welfare of the youth must be recognized and placed on the front burner of government policies. We must begin to use education to liberate the minds of the new generation from prejudice and lingering vestiges of racism that tends to create mistrust, suspicions and intolerance.
The energies of the children and youth can be channeled to gainful and positive purposes through the utilization of the knowledge, skills and competencies acquired in the development of the society. For this to be achieved, government must begin to lay strong foundations and commitments to the education of the child. If our youth are to fit into the global citizenship framework, then our government must pursue with vigor the actualization of the United Nations mandate on the revitalization of the education sector from its present, not too good state. This includes the provision of necessary and vital infrastructure, conducive learning environment and appropriate motivation for the teaching staff at all levels.
The Significance of Funding Education
Since education remains the bedrock of any meaningful development, it goes without saying that its funding must be accorded meaningful recognition and hence should not be compromised whatsoever. In a competitive world where only the best can survive; our form of education must be ready and prepared to challenge those of other nations. It must be an education with a focus to creating wealth and transforming lives of the people. It must not only add value to the quality of life and well-being of the people, but pursue the ultimate goal of favorably competing with and blending into the global economy.
We are very much aware of what ignorance due to lack of education did in our past histories. It is even more worrisome to note that such ignorance and superstitions are still active in our present-day societies. Africa as a continent must wake up to her responsibilities. She must not continue to blame her woes on the past colonial masters. The destiny of Africa and her people lies in the hands of her leaders. Conflict and wars cannot provide the children and youth the conducive environment for learning. The time has come when meaningful and purposeful leadership must fulfill the yearnings and aspirations of the people.
Good governance, transparency and accountability which place education and the welfare of the people at the apex of governance will no doubt enjoy the confidence and support of the people. Nevertheless, let me sound a note of warning by saying that education in itself cannot provide answers to all the challenges confronting the children and youth of today. Therefore, the education that can be meaningful must be one that is supported by well-articulated job creating programs. To this end, the knowledge, skills and competencies acquired must be directed to meaningful use in such a manner that it will be relevant to the developmental needs of our nation.
We must not allow the knowledge and skills so gained to boomerang and become counterproductive, hence the saying that “An idle hand is the devil’s workshop.” We must strive to build an education that bridges the gap between the rich and the poor, an education that does not create inequalities, nor provide grounds for conflicts and anarchy, but rather encourages peaceful co-existence and sustainability.
Conclusion
I will at this point, like to salute the singular courage of the young Pakistani activist – Malala, whose quest and desire for education has become a beacon of hope for children all over the world especially the girl-child. From the statistical data presented at the earlier part of this presentation, it is obvious that sub-Saharan Africa and indeed Nigeria needs to brace up to the need of closing the gap in education as compared with the developed economies.
For now, the world is moving, and the time is not on our side. All the same, I am very confident that we have the resources, the will and the ability to give our children the quantitative education that can enable them to build a culture of peace that will, in turn, foster global citizenship.
Migration is a phenomenon that has existed and will continue to exist. The development in technology has brought nations and peoples closer than ever before. Invariably, nations and people will continue to interact with one another, through trade, commerce and industry, while cultural affiliations and exchange will find new horizons. Our destinies are becoming interwoven with one another. Today, each and every one of us can rightly describe himself or herself as a citizen of the world, not just by geographical definition but by virtue of the fact that we share similar values, goals and aspirations. On this note, let us through education build a culture of peace that will foster global citizenship.
At the Education International (EI) world congress in 1998, EI and its affiliates placed on record their intention to take every opportunity to promote justice, world peace and education, in the interests of children of all countries. As a token of EI’s commitment to a culture of peace, the General Secretary, Fred Van Leeuwen, was one of the first to sign the manifesto 2000 appeal and to support the International Year for the Culture of Peace. Today, I stand here to urge and appeal to all men and women of good will to do the same.
I will like to end with a statement from the UNESCO Constitution: “Since wars begin in the minds of man, it is in the minds of men that the defense of peace must be constructed.”
Let us use education to build a culture of peace that can foster global citizenship.
REFERENCES
Education - The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 7th Edition, P. 467.
Children - EFA Education For All.
Frank Onuoha - Declining Enrollment in Primary Education in Nigeria – Who Bears the Responsibility?
Gordon Brown, Address to the United Nations “Malala Day.”
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Out of School Children.
* Almajiris are described variously as street children or children whose education consists of learning the Qur’an.