The role of basic education in post-conflict recovery

Abstract

The last decade has seen a growing recognition amongst international donors, development agencies, non-government organisations and academics of the vital role education can play in bringing about recovery following violent conflict, natural disaster and other crises. This has led to the development of increasingly targeted and sophisticated programme planning and management tools, for use by government ministries, UN agencies and non-governmental organisations in fragile contexts. Drawing on the 2010 independent study of UNICEF's Education in Emergencies and Post-Conflict Transition Programme, this paper explores the transformative role education can play in post-conflict recovery. It argues that while basic education assistance can have a catalytic role in helping states during the early stages of a transition out of violent conflict, there is the need for a better understanding of its role in building peace at the national, sub-national and community levels. The paper also argues for the development of a solid evidence base to inform policy and practice at all national, regional and community levels so as to demonstrate conclusively the important role played by education during and in the aftermath of conflict

Working through difficult pasts: toward thick democracy and transitional justice in education

“…Scholars and practitioners have worked to design conflict-sensitive approaches to educational reform and policy implementation (e.g. Barakat et al 2013;Sigsgaard 2012). Robust fields of conflict resolution, human rights education, and critical peace education praxis have developed in an effort to better understand the ways that school-based interactions mediate opportunities, attitudes, and actions towards peace and conflict (Bajaj and Hantzopoulos 2016;Bickmore 2004;Tibbitts 2017;Zembylas & Bekerman 2008).…”

Living in protracted communal conflict: Socioeconomic trends and household poverty in Ghana's Yendi area

“…The relevance of the Yendi conflict is that there is an increasing interest in this evolving area of research with researchers following multiple paths of inquiry into post‐conflict transition since it is crucial to the process of reconstruction, peace and consolidation of stability (Paulson, 2011). Specifically, household poverty and economic empowerment of the poor to achieve decent standards of living in communities affected by conflict has experienced substantial shifts in policy and practice, and the mode of conceptualisation over the last 10 years (Barakat, Connolly, Hardman, & Sundaram, ). This conflict was recurrent and drenched in centuries of historically evolving relationships, thus made it difficult to determine rightful claimants (Kidido, Ayitey, Kuusaana, & Gavu, ).…”

Análisis del Papel del Educador en el Postconflicto. Un Acercamiento desde la Percepción de la Ciudad de Barranquilla, en Colombia

“…La educación en zonas rurales guarda diferencias importantes con la educación impartida en ciudades, siendo la primera dirigida potencializar las labores desarrolladas en el sector agrario y golpeada directamente por las situaciones generadas en el conflicto y la segunda aquella que se enfoca más en los aspectos industriales; ejemplo de otros conflictos analizados en países con conflictos similares dan cuenta de ello (Shah y Cardozo, 2014). Es importante que tanto educación como educador sean actores de calidad en la etapa del postconflicto (Barakat et al, 2013), puesto que, en gran parte de ello depende el tipo de individuos que en el futuro próximo y lejano dirija o haga parte de los diferentes estamentos sociales, y prepararlos de manera adecuada es un papel relevante que ubica al educador en un pilar base para el desarrollo de esta labor (Quaynor, 2016). Es entonces necesario que el educador cuente con las herramientas disponibles para su desarrollo también integral, y sean lo suficientemente aptos para echar sobre sus hombros tal responsabilidad (Van et al, 2014).…”