Preparing Citizens for Peaceful Living: An Evaluation of Obafemi Awolowo University Curriculum for Peace Education

Abstract

This article evaluated Obafemi Awolowo University’s special electives and faculty general courses to determine their peace education contents and their potentials to build the capacity of undergraduates for peace living in the society. Using a peace education evaluative framework specifically designed for the study, 60 courses were evaluated for their peace contents. Results were qualitatively described in words and with the use of simple frequency tables and graphs.Findings showed that Obafemi Awolowo University offers 24 special electives consisting of 201 topics with 20.3% of peace education diet while 15 courses have peace education diet, 9 courses have none.1.4% of the contents of the special elective curriculum reflect elements of education for peace. Human right education 1.4%, Gender education 0.4%, Environmental education 2.9%, Futures education 7.4%,Global citizenship education 0.4% and multi-cultural education 6.4%. Of the general courses of the 13 faculties in the university, only 5 faculties have peace education contents. Faculty of Administration 7.1%, Faculty of Agriculture 21.7%,Faculty of Education 12.5%,Faculty of Law 5%, and Faculty of Social Sciences 57.1%. The two most frequent peace education elements in Obafemi Awolowo University curriculum are Futures Education and Environmental Education.There are therefore convincing empirical evidence suggesting that Obafemi Awolowo University curriculum has low peace content.The term peace is frequently and liberally used in the media the public and the private sector as well as in the International arena. Peace is a key term for education because it pertains to the basic condition of human existence and societal as well as political embedding. Defining peace is a difficult task as it encompasses not only a concept but also a plethora of behaviours and conditions that could be necessary to obtain peace. The most common definition of peace states that peace is the absence of war or protracted conflict. Peace can also be seen as an attitude, behaviour, specific relation among people or quality of relations (Waterkamp 2006).  The concept of peace has evolved throughout history as a result of changes in the world order and modifications in a state of existence. Moreover, in the modern world, understanding of peace varies significantly within cultural and geographical contexts.Galtung (1969), one of the best known theorists of modern peace research, defines peace through social goals as a major part of a scientific strategy. The terms peace and violence are closely linked to each other. Harris and Morrison (2003) elaborate that peace is concerned with different forms of violence and it functions at multiple levels of human existence. Traditionally, peace is associated to nations and their ability to settle disagreements. Peace is a concept that motivates and inspires imagination indicating more than the absence of violence. It implies co-operation, respect for life and human rights and the dignity of each human being without discrimination or prejudice (Burns and Aspeslagh 1983, Bajaj 2008).Since independence, Nigeria has not escaped a season that was free of crises both at community level and within ethnic groups in the country.  There were political crises as well 1.0can count up to fifty or more religious crises from 1977 till 2000 (Alabi 2010). In spite of the conflict prone situation in Nigeria, her desire for peace is evident in her national anthem and the pledge.

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-25-04

Publication date:September 30^th 2021