World peace can be promoted through education. Peace education therefore is an important aspect to deal with this situation. Any attempt to define education in strict terms, would prove futile, as the most important features that characterize the notion of peace education are many and varied. Important works for peace education has been done in the past including works done by United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This includes the recommendation of 1994, on education for international understanding, peace, human rights and fundamental freedom. But in the present World of COVID 19 Pandemic, the challenge for educators in respect to Peace Education all over the globe is to choose between going ahead with the present educational system, or preparing our younger generation for the kind of life each and every one of us aspires. In the contemporary situation, a culture of peace will be achieved only when the citizens of the world understand this global problem of COVID 19 Pandemic and empathetically participate to resolve conflicts and struggle for justice non-violently. They must live by the international standard of human rights and equality, and appreciate cultural diversity.
In the present World of COVID 19 Pandemic, Peace Education should be made an integral part of the curriculum. Parents, teachers, educators and peer-groups should be involved in the process of educating and upbringing of the children/learners. The educational institution is an extended family with the teacher acting as a role model or an example to be demonstrated to the students. In the present situation, the themes of justice, tolerance and peace have to be interwoven into the integral part of the curriculum at all the levels of education. The educational institutes thereby should focus on emotional well-being, focus on defining values and learning about peace, world citizenship, social responsibility, peace issues and religious values.
Promotion of World Peace:-
Promotion of World Peace through education can be created in the following ways:
Teachers should discuss issues on peace, world citizenship and social responsibility to promote peace culture amongst students.
- When discussing several issues related to Peace Education, emphasis needs to be given on the diversity of traditions and customs found around the world.
- Teachers should be armed with skills to promote a sense of harmony with oneself and social environment when present world is suffering from COVID 19 Pandemic.
- Train teachers by using conflict resolution techniques.
- Ways need to be given importance to undermine negativity and aggression and negative emotions in the minds of the students. Students also suffer from fear and anxiety for the unknown mode of upcoming life due to COVID 19 Pandemic, these also should be kept in mind
- Teachers should be role models for students and hence they can help their pupils, handle the day-to-day situations in a non- violent way keeping in view the emotional well- being of the students.
Role of Educational Institutions:-
The conventional courses which are being adopted by universities, colleges and institutes should be reformed and upgraded according to the present needs of COVID 19 pandemic. There should also be emphasis on practical knowledge along with theoretical knowledge of the present world. New and innovative courses should be launched and the curriculum needs to be developed in collaboration with different higher educational institutions and research centres with respect to issues of peace, world citizenship, social responsibility to promote peace and culture among the students. These are going to produce emotional well being and holistic development among students. In this respect, Governance of higher education may play significant role in regulating the perspective of education in the country in two major aspects-
(i) Determination of strategic framework, plans, programmes, purposes and policies of higher education in the country.
(ii) Execution of strategies, plans, programmes, purposes and policies of higher education at institutional level for improving quality in higher education, specifically, with respect to peace education, world citizenship, social responsibility when the world is suffering from COVID 19 pandemic.
Conclusion:-
Peace education gives knowledge which helps every individual to make his life better and purposeful. Hence, World peace can be promoted through education and particularly through Peace Education which is the need of the hour. This should be made an integral part of the curriculum in the present contextual situation of COVID 19 pandemic.
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