The Journey Starts Now: Infusing Peace Education into LO Teaching in South African Secondary Schools

Abstract

Peace education as part of the school curriculum can transform school functioning by equipping learners with conflict resolution skills. Currently peace education is not part of the existing curriculum in South Africa. Literature indicates that peace education can be appropriately integrated into the compulsory subject, Life Orientation (LO), in South African secondary schools. Informed by Danesh’s integrative peace theory and the extant literature on peace education, a qualitative study explored the possible integration of peace education into LO to assist learners develop conflict resolution skills. Six teachers who teach LO in two secondary schools in the Western Cape, South Africa, which have implemented an extramural peace education programme through the agency of a non-governmental organisation, were purposefully selected. Data were gathered in focus group interviews with the teachers and thematic analysis carried out. Findings of the study highlight the significance of integrating peace education in LO in order to foster a more peaceful schooling environment. Furthermore, aspects of peace education already overlap or complement topics taught in LO, such as respect and tolerance for diversity. Barriers to effective integration of peace education in the LO curriculum are lack of targeted teacher training, rigid curriculum design, teachers’ workload and poor resource allocation. It was recommended that the integration of peace education in LO be prioritised and that the LO curriculum should be expanded to accommodate more explicit themes of peace education. Implementation should be supported through targeted teacher training, attention to teachers’ work schedules, additional teaching time and allocation of appropriate resources.