Tracing the Standards of Peace Education: Reflections from English language Curriculum

Abstract

Contemporary world, is facing serious issues of peace e.g. social injustice, gender discrimination and violation of human rights, narrow-mindedness towards other’s cultures, religious conflicts, suppressing the women, inhumane handling of minorities and lake of interest in environmental sustainability. Consistency in this situation arises the need to address these issues through education to move forward towards peace and stability. This research analyzed the curriculum and textbooks of English of Punjab Textbook Board to determine whether this curriculum impending the standards of peace education or not. This qualitative study followed the curriculum analysis framework suggested by Levander & Mikkola, in 2009. The analysis of English language curriculum was conducted in two stages. First stage that is called Concept Map Framework (CFM) was performed to enlist features of peace education found in the objectives and textbooks of English curriculum. The second stage of analysis; Dimensional Description Framework (DDF) was conducted to determine the depth or quality of description that was enlisted at first stage. The findings of the study highlights that the objectives of curriculum of English give sufficient coverage to the features of peace. Text books of English for elementary grades elaborates some features of peace education i.e. “love for humanity, tolerance, brotherhood, human values, justice, gender equality”. The depth or quality of description remained brief for most of features of peace education. This situation is not presenting a satisfactory picture of existence of features of peace education in the textbooks of English language. Curriculum of English language needs to incorporate all features of peace education in balance form at all grades of elementary.