Let's begin with the children

Introduction After the war Schools as peace-building communities Taking the learning into the community Taking peace home Maintaining and growing peace – a ripple effect   Introduction Sierra Leone is situated in Western Africa and is one of the poorest countries in the world, despite the fact that it has some of the richest diamond mines. Independent since 1961, its people suffered a decade of brutal civil war from 1991 when the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) began attacks against the Sierra Leonean government. The causes of the war were complex, although control of the diamond riches was a major factor. Many young boys were ‘stolen’ by the rebels and forced to participate in the violence which often included amputations. During the war many of Sierra Leone’s public services such as schools and hospitals and other vital infrastructure were destroyed. Many people fled their homes to escape the violence, and thousands of people died as a result of both the fighting and lack of medicines and food. After the war The war finally ended in 2000, thanks to United Nations intervention, after the deaths of more than 20,000 people and the displacement of as many as 2 million or one third of the entire population at times. Since the signing of the peace agreement, the people of Sierra Leone have worked hard, with the help of the international community, to rebuild their country. The United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) assisted the Government of Sierra Leone to stabilise the country, dispose of arms collected from ex-combatants and oversee an election process, which saw President Kabbah take office in 2004. As in many post-conflict scenarios, a major task now is to rebuild trust between people. This requires developing the understandings and skills of community leaders and those appointed as change agents (people who try to promote positive ways of moving forward) and then supporting them as they undertake their important work. Schools as peace-building communities A Peace Education Kit was developed for use in Sierra Leonean schools to promote teachers and students as peace builders. The kit was sponsored by the World Bank on behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone and consists of units of work written by a coalition of international experts, Sierra Leone education department personnel and non-government organisations engaged in helping communities recover from the ravages of war. The contents are closely related to the need to recover from the trauma of the war, learn new and better communication skills and understand how to negotiate non-violent solutions to problems. Teachers at Makeni Primary School, Moyamba District, were trained in how to use the integrated peace curriculum activities. Source: Jane Weston Rather than employing a special peace education teacher to teach the new curriculum as a separate subject, the approach involved training English, social studies, art and physical and health education teachers in how to use their section of the kit materials. In this way, there were at least ten teachers in every project school using the new materials and related teaching methods. Importantly, this training took place in the schools themselves, encouraging the teachers to share what they had learned with other teachers in their school. Often, teachers themselves learned new ways of dealing with conflict in their own lives. Taking the learning into the community Happily, after two years of using the materials in schools, the approach has delivered some very positive results in the three districts where it has been implemented: Bombali, Kailahuan and Moyamba. In a visit to Sierra Leone in 2005 project staff visited project schools to ask students, teachers and community members about the new peace curriculum and its impact on the local community. According to one teacher, classrooms are ‘more child-centred. Teachers have stopped doing all of the talking because of the activities in the kit and they are seeking to involve the children more. They also are trying to integrate the concept of peace into other subjects they teach’. Grade 1 students singing a song from the Peace Education Kit, ‘This is the way we reconcile’. Source: Jane Weston These comments demonstrate the understanding that peace education is about a set of attitudes and values that focus on clear communication, understanding the rights of others, negotiation skills and forgiveness and compassion after a period of extended conflict. It is all about breaking the cycle of violence and replacing it with new ways of dealing with conflict. A village chief commented: ‘Seeing peace education being brought here in such a worked-out way is very important, and giving people the tools to work with is already having a positive effect.’ Year 8 and 9 students performing a play they wrote about conflict resolution, Makeni secondary school, Moyamba district. Source: Jane Weston Another school has started a drama club, which has had a number of broader community outcomes. The plays are written by students, drawing on their experiences of conflict and demonstrating peaceful methods of settling disputes. As students have gained in confidence, teachers in the school have arranged performances for the local community as a community-building activity. School staff have also gained from the increased contact with the community and the recognition that important issues are being addressed in schools. One teacher explained that the kit has been helpful in addressing problems of bullying and violence in schools. ‘I have focused on children’s fundamental rights and responsibilities so they now know the rights they are entitled to. This has raised the issue of corporal punishment which still sometimes happens in our schools and at home, but is no good for the child. This is a case where we do have to involve parents more so it goes into the community.’ Taking peace home Students have also reported taking their learning home and applying it actively in their family lives. Children in Bombali described instances of fighting at home, and how doing peace education empowered them to intervene in positive ways. As one put it, ‘My mother and father were always fighting. I took the time to talk to my mother about fighting not being good, as I have been taught. I instead advised my mother to seek the help of an elder to avoid the fighting. She welcomed my idea and now, when she expects something bad is going to happen, she finds a neighbour who is respected in our community to intervene. Their fighting has now stopped, which not only solves the problem, but also means I don’t feel so embarrassed anymore. Students are happier at school and at home as they learn peaceful strategies of dealing with conflict. Source: Jane Weston According to another, ‘I came home from school one day and my two younger brothers were fighting. My mother let them fight and said they should keep fighting until they are exhausted and will want to fight no more. I told her this was very wrong because you can’t know what will happen and one of them could have an accident and be seriously hurt or maybe even die. At first my mother was very angry at my talking in this way, but after a while she realised I was right and she appreciated what I had done’. Maintaining and growing peace – a ripple effect This set of community perceptions suggests that the Peace Education Kit has been useful not only at a classroom level, but has had an impact across schools and the wider community. When an approach works well there can be a ripple effect, like a stone thrown into a pool creating more and more rings in the water. So it would seem that more and more communities in Sierra Leone are hearing about the school-based peace strategies and seeking to be involved in this work. This type of response represents a key aspect of sustainability: If teachers and communities see the value of an approach, have ready access to materials and are able to learn from one another, then the learning will become a part of the way local people communicate and interact, without the support of visiting experts or special funding and effort. Discussing the meaning of words such as ‘rights’ and ‘privileges’ and putting them into action is a key component of building a culture of peace. Source: Jane Weston It is a good basis on which to grow the peace building process in Sierra Leone, and is a practical example of what its citizens hope for their future when they read their national pledge: ‘I pledge my love and loyalty to my country Sierra Leone I vow to serve her faithfully at all times I promise to defend her honour and good name Always work for her unity, peace, freedom and prosperity And put her interest above all else So help me God’

‘If we are to reach real peace in the world, we shall have to begin with the children.’ Mohandas K Gandhi