The Role of Education in Peacebuilding: Integrating Peace Education into Secondary School Social Studies Curriculum in the Solomon Islands

Abstract

This thesis presents an in-depth qualitative case study of the efforts of six classrooms in three Solomon Islands' secondary schools to integrate peace education into their teaching of the social studies curriculum at junior secondary level. It has been claimed that teaching peace has the potential to create a culture of peace and healing in conflict and post-conflict societies and thus in turn to advance a civilisation of peace that extends beyond the post-conflict era. In order to address such claims, classroom observation was conducted in three community high schools, simultaneously over a period of four months. Using the critical features of peace education and curriculum policy, the integration of peace into classroom practice is described. Distinctions between these features in relation to theory and policy are examined as they emerged 'in practice,' allowing indigenous peace practices to inform the classroom curriculum. Building on these empirically grounded findings, this thesis strongly supports the integration of indigenous-based peace practices and perspectives into the curriculum. The diversity within cultures affords an opportunity to understand school curricula as culturally situated. Through the analysis, the concept of peace is understood as the basis upon which a curriculum is constructed. Through the analysis, the concept of peace is understood as the basis upon which a curriculum is constructed. The study demonstrates that a classroom peace curriculum can be culturally relevant if it is guided by a clear concept of peace. In Temotu Nendo, the conceptualisation of peace as nowe is the foundation of the culture's peacebuilding practices. In practice, nowe easily lends itself as a framework upon which the development and teaching of peace can be developed. As a case study, this research was not intended to represent the teaching of peace in all Solomon Islands' schools. However, it concludes that the case study has provided a credible and culture-specific approach to teaching peace in schools, providing insights for other cultures in the country and/or other parts of the world. The integration of peace into the school curriculum from a cultural perspective forms an important contribution to education and peacebuilding and can be extended to other areas of social practice. Finally, the thesis suggests areas for further research and discusses implications and contributions relating to theory, methodology and practice.