An Assessment of Primary School Instructional Processes in Promoting Peace, Harmony, and Conflict Management in Government Primary Schools of the City of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Implications for Teacher Education

International Journal of Humanities and Social Science

© 2019 by SSRG - IJHSS Journal

Volume 6 Issue 1

Year of Publication : 2019

Authors : Demis Zergaw

10.14445/23942703/IJHSS-V6I1P102

How to Cite?

Demis Zergaw, "An Assessment of Primary School Instructional Processes in Promoting Peace, Harmony, and Conflict Management in Government Primary Schools of the City of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Implications for Teacher Education," SSRG International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, vol. 6,  no. 1, pp. 4-11, 2019. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23942703/IJHSS-V6I1P102

Abstract:

Ethiopia has been suffering from absence of peace and recurrent conflicts emanating mainly from lack of tolerance of ethnic and religious differences. The purpose of the current study, therefore, is examining the contribution of primary school instructional processes to the prevalence of peace and harmony and reduction of conflicts and the implication it has for teacher education. A descriptive study design using quantitative method was used in view of its being concerned with the situation prevailing in schools. Questionnaire was used as a tool for collecting data. 50 per cent of the population of teachers undergoing in-service education in the Addis Ababa University in the 2016-17 Academic Year was taken as the sample of the study using subject taught as a basis of stratification. The validity of the instrument was determined using expert opinions and reliability was established by administering the questionnaire to 10 non-participating teachers. Data were collected by the researcher and an assistant and analyzed using statistics. Outcomes suggested that the contents of harmony and conflict, although asserted by teachers as having been somewhat sufficiently taught in schools, the persistence of conflicts and relative lack of harmony among students in universities and ethnic conflicts observed here and there suggest that the contents were not adequately taught and, consequently, lacked sufficient internalization by students. As a result, in part, of this, the absence of tolerance of differences, feeling of bitterness, perpetuation of age old animosities is observed particularly in higher education institutions. It is, therefore, suggested that topics related to harmony and conflict should be more extensively taught in the various subjects of the curriculum and teachers should be encouraged to pay more emphasis to the teaching of the concepts of harmony and conflict. At last, the implication of all these is that since teaching about harmony and conflict are essential, the teacher education curriculum should include these same contents and teachers need to be trained in the ways they could better teach the concepts and promote cooperation and collaboration among students.

Keywords:

Peace, harmony, conflict, education

References:

[1] Mohamedbhai, Goolam (2003). The Role of Higher Education in developing a culture of peace in Africa, UNESCO, Publication.
[2] Hamburg, A. David. & Hamburg, A. Beatrix (2004) Learning to Live together: Preventing Hatred and Violence in Child and Adolescent Development, New York: Oxford University Press. [3] Coleman, Peter, Deutsch, Morton &Eric C. Marcus. (2014). The Handbook of Conflict resolution: Theory and Practice, 3rd Edition. Jossey-Bass.
[4] Reardon, Betty A. (1988). Comprehensive Peace Education: Educating for Global Responsibility. Teachers College Press. New York.
[5] Deutsch, M. (1993). Educating for a peaceful world. American Psychologist.vol. 48 no. 5.
[6] Kriesberg, L. (1982). Social conflict theories and conflict resolution. Peace and Change vol. 8 no. l.
[7] Merelman, R.(1990). The Role of conflict in children's political learning. In O. Ichilov (Ed), Political Socialization, Citizenship Education, and Democracy. New York: Teachers College Press, pp. 47-65.
[8] Kathy Bickmore (2004). Discipline for Democracy? School Districts’ Management of Conflicts and Social Exclusion. Theory and Research in Social Education. vol. 32.no.1.
[9] Dietz, M. (1989). Context is all: feminism and theories of citizenship. In J. Conway, S. Bourque, & J. Scott (Eds.) Learning About Women: Gender, Politics and Power. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.
[10] Schimmel, D. (1997). Traditional rule-making and the subversion of citizenship education. Social Education vol. 61 no. 2.
[11] Morton, T. (1986). Decision on Dieppe: a cooperative lesson on conflict resolution. History and Social Science Teacher. vol. 21 no. 4.
[12] Borad, B. & Fagerstrom, R. (1985). Environmental decision. Intercom. no. 107.
[13] Hepburn, M. (1983). Can schools, teachers, and administrators make a difference? In M. Hepburn (Ed.), Democratic education in schools and classrooms. Washington, DC: National Council for the Social Studies (Bulletin #70).
[14] Leatt, D. (1987). Developing student leaders: exemplary school activity programs. Oregon School Study Council Bulletin vol. 31 no. 4