Original Source- http://www.claws.in/administrator/uploaded_files/1370851731Issue_Brief.pdf
Since War begins in the minds of men, it is
in the minds of men that the defence of peace must be constructed (UNESCO
Constitution, 1945)
The
World Bank Development Report in 2011 declared education as the most crucial
aspect in peace building. In conflict situations, security and political issues
gain dominance in the development agenda and education acquires a back seat.
While the above-mentioned aspects are important, education could play a vital
role in fostering peace in the conflict-ridden regions. Maria Montessori, a
famed educator had very rightly said in one of her public talks:
“Those
who want war prepare young people for war; but those, who want peace, have
neglected young children and adolescents so that they are unable to organise
them for peace.
Education
is vital for transforming the current, dominant culture of violence. These
efforts should be directed towards children and youth to give them an
alternative picture to war and violence that in turn would avoid relapsing into
conflict. It will equip them with the skills, which would inculcate human
values, respect and tolerance towards the other sex, religion and culture. The
value system in education was recognised at the World Declaration on “education
for all”, which also identified the need to promote liberal approach towards
life.
Kashmir’s
Story
Kashmir
has been scarred by nearly two decades of conflict; almost an entire generation
has grown amidst violence punctuated by guns, armed men, regular frisking and
curfew. Violence can have a detrimental impact on the child psychology.
“Inshallah Kashmir” a documentary by Ashwin Kumar, which has been widely
acclaimed for presenting various facets of insurgency in Kashmir describes this
particular instance where few children from a village were replicating a
curfew, the like they often witness in their environment. When probed, they had no idea why this curfew
was being executed.
The stone
pelting incident of 2010 signalled the brimming frustration amongst the
disillusioned and restive youth who have never seen a peaceful valley before.
Lack of employment opportunities, prospects of a bleak future as well as a
sense of lost roots and cultural values has bred anger amongst them. A
contributory factor is the flawed education system, which does not stress on
children’s “social, moral and humanistic” aspects.
Neerja Mattoo, a renowned academician and journalist in
Jammu and Kashmir, has expressed grief over the devastated state of education
in the state while citing its egalitarian and secular features in the past.
Today, children have no recollection of a shared history and harmony which
prevailed amongst diverse communities of Kashmir in the past. She said, “If the
children do not find it in their textbooks, neither in their associations, it’s
naturally going to be an insular experience of education”.
In absence of ethics and values based education in “normal
schools”, teachers and trainers resort to Quranic teachings as a resource for
moral values to students. In fact, the Ministry of Human Resource Development
had released funds under the scheme to promote quality education for modernising
362 Madrasas in three districts of Jammu and Kashmir namely Kulgam, Pulwama and
Sri Nagar. Though there have been allegations that the state government has
embezzled funds, there are hardliners who have refused the funding altogether
under this scheme citing it as an attack on the religious institutions and an
attempt to malign the separatist movement.
This shows how the educational institutions are susceptible
to the political contours of J&K. Various political groups have vested
interests in disrupting the peaceful environment in Kashmir, thereby causing
delay in state board examinations or suspending classes held in schools which
inadvertently stifles the confidence amongst students. Later, they find
themselves incapable of matching the standards for career and higher education
opportunities that exist in the world outside Kashmir.
Education can also exacerbate conflict. Often the State and
its ideology seep into the education curriculum. In Pakistan, the State
controlled education system offers no room for critical questioning and
analysis. The teachers too have no choice but to follow the curriculum to the
letter. The syllabus presents history in a selective manner where India is
clearly represented as the “other”, albeit different from the victim, more
righteous Pakistan. A quote from the Class XI textbook in Pakistan reads, “Social
equality means that there should be no discrimination and difference in society
based on race, colour or region, which reduces people to second class
citizenship, for example, the kind of discrimination against Muslims in India
and Blacks in Europe”. This kind of a statement completely fails to acknowledge
the kind of atrocities and racial profiling carried out against religious
minorities in Pakistan. According to US diplomatic cables leaked by wiki leaks,
British Muslims are sending their “problem child” to madrasas and schools in
POK. These children are at the risk of being recruited by various terrorist
groups. Most of the suicide bombers in Afghanistan are products of highly
radicalised madrasas being run in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region of Pakistan. If
this religious extremism seeps into the educational infrastructure of J&K,
it would prove to be a serious menace.
Saudi Arabia is already pumping money in Kashmir to promote
the Wahabi ideology through university, madrasas and schools. The intelligence
bureau has confirmed that money is being pumped through illegal hawala channels
in the name of charity (zakat). These
institutions, while offering no room for gender equality or critical
questioning, tend to promote fundamentalist attitudes. Many people in the
region study at these institutions due to absence of alternatives. Uneven
distribution of education is also known to enhance conflict. Ladakhi, Gujjar, Bakerwal
and other tribes have expressed grievances over the growing illiteracy rate amongst
their communities, thus rendering the state government approach as non
inclusive.
Schools as Safe Haven
As Brock Utne points out “It
is of no help if the subject matter taught is of critical nature selected to
further democratic values and the character formation of individuals if
the methods used to convey the subject
matter are authoritarian, do not engage students, and do not appeal to their
emotions”. Several schools have been destroyed, mostly by militants, in the
23-year long insurgency. Security Forces too had occupied a few schools when
deployed to fight militants in the rural areas. This led to schools being run
in camps and tents. Militarising schools has a negative psychological impact on
children and is not conducive to their functioning. The dropout rates are
highest amongst girls due to actual or perceived violence. Lack of higher
education institutions also leads to frustration. Those who cannot afford to
continue their education outside Kashmir are sucked into militancy more easily.
Farooq, a local schoolteacher, had this to say: “Here in Kashmir, it is different because the parents
cannot reprimand or guide their children. We are scared they might just run off
and join some terrorist groups or commit suicide.” This is indicative of a very serious ground reality.
Kashmir is home to several tribes, each having its own set of
values, culture and language. Gujjar and Bakerwal community have already
expressed anguish over the state government’s negligence to provide basic
education. Similarly, several poor groups in Ladakh, who can only speak in
Ladakhi find the language barrier very challenging since most of the classes in
schools are held in Urdu or Hindi. To counter this, a model being run in
schools of Assam can be replicated in Kashmir. In several backward areas of
Assam, the classroom language is Bodo, at least till the primary level. This can boost the confidence amongst children.
A Way Forward
Various
civil society groups and NGOs are already involved in imparting value and
ethics based education in the classrooms. Separate training modules have been
designed for teachers to equip them to engage with students through dialogues
and role plays. Sports can be used as an intervention to impart life skills to
students in Kashmir. This model has already been tried and tested in the naxal
districts by UNICEF and has proved to be quite successful in integrating
vulnerable students into the mainstream society. Yoga and meditation could
indeed prove very helpful in reducing the stress levels amongst students. Local
media is very important in shaping perceptions in this region; therefore
flagging the issue of peace education will bring this agenda back on the mind
map of the communities as well as the state government.
One of
the beneficiaries of the training program for peace education run by The Global
Education and Leadership Foundation says,
“The situation in Kashmir is such that it has completely closed our minds to
new thoughts and solutions. This initiative has opened a new window for us and
given us a space to discuss ideas, expressing our honest opinion, learning to
solve problems and staying positive”. The religious texts and their
original meaning could specifically be highlighted in the curriculum. Similarly,
instances of resorting to settling disputes through peaceful means in the local
culture can be incorporated in the curriculum.
Role of Women in Peace Education
The UN Resolution 1325 has recognised the importance of
gender in peace and security concerns. Often textbooks tend to perpetuate
gender biased stereotypes which leads to gender inequality. It consists of male
perspectives and male achievements which promote the idea of female
subordination while also qualifying it as unquestionable and unchangeable. The
portrayal of women as passive recipients of the welfare schemes and the
developmental initiatives and not active contributors in peace building leads
to their lack of political participation.
More so the access to education for girls and women in
Kashmir is determined by the political situation and the right to education and
their bodies is determined by external forces. Various terrorist factions
including Dukhtaran-e-Millat (a pro separatist women’s group in Kashmir) have
coerced women to stick to the dress codes as prescribed by them. In a
particular instance from “A story of women’s college in Kashmir” by Neerja Mattoo
underlines the horror that awaited the deviants-
“A man with a
stick was lying in wait outside college waiting to hit any girl whose head is
not covered”
Women, especially in conflict situations, display high
dropout roots due to sexual harassment in public spaces as well as within the
school compounds, the situation being worse in rural areas. Therefore, only
numerical growth of female teachers is not the solution, they need to be
trained to be able to reflect on “concepts of freedom, responsibility,
diversity, democratic participation, tolerance and respect.” Rokeya Sakhawat
Hussain, a renowned feminist and educator had suggested that “the ultimate
purpose of education is not to find a job but realisation of the fullest
developmental potential as human being, which is why women have as much right
to education as men”.
Dr. Susheela Bhan, a Kashmiri Pandit, runs ethics and values
based education in 200 government schools in the backward areas. On my personal
interaction with her, she suggested that it is the students from the rural
areas who are most prone to militancy. Therefore engaging with these strata of
the Kashmiri society is the need of the hour. Literacy for women is an important
key to improve health, nutrition, education in the family. Once emancipated
through education, they can be active contributors in peace
How can Army act as a facilitator?
As mentioned above, several schools have been destroyed in
the conflict, especially in the rural areas. The Indian army is already
involved in re-establishing schools in such areas under Operation Sadbhavana.
To propagate the idea of ethics and values, such schools can follow the revised
curriculum and teacher training methods based on peace education. These schools
can liaise with various civil society groups and NGOs already working on value
based education in the region to establish a sustainable model. A commanding
officer in the region can hold career counselling sessions for locals in the
area to inform them of the opportunities that exist for them outside Kashmir
with respect to their qualifications. Since Army is not a permanent
constitution in Kashmir, the onus of education and development must however
rest with the state government.
Peace
building is a more transformational agenda than just short term measures in the
aftermath of conflict; the latter can only exacerbate conflict and add to the
already restive nature of the State. Therefore reconstructing the education
system in Kashmir should be given the highest priority. In the areas where it is deployed, the Army could facilitate the above
process.
References
-Kirk Jackie(2007), “Education for Peace Building”, Women
Building Peace between India and Pakistan, Anthem Critical Studies
-Barua Kalita Neera(2012), “Education for Peace”, Gender,
Peace and Development in North East India, DVS Publishers
-Mattoo Neerja(2002), “The Story of a Women’s College in
Kashmir”, Speaking Peace, Kali For Women
-Arshad Hiba(2008), “Education in Kashmir:Historical
Overview and Current Analysis”, Kashmir Corps
-Bashir Abid(October 5, 2012) “Govt admits Madrassa
funding”, Greater Kashmir
-Bhat Saima(March 14, 2013) , “683 Madrassa and Muktabs
functional in J&K Government”, Kashmir Life
-Dupuy Kendra( Report No. ISBN 82-7481-165-8), “ Education
for Peace: Building Peace and Transforming Conflict through Education
Systems” International Peace Research Institute, Oslo for Save the
Children, Norway
-India Defence Forum(February 6, 2011) “ UK Muslim
problem kids sent to schools in PoK:Wikileaks”
-Jolly Asit( December 23, 2011), “The
Wahhabi Invasion”, India Today
-Journal of Peace Education, Vol 6, Issue 2,
2009 “ Schooling for Violence and Peace: How does Peace Education differ
from ‘normal’ schooling”
-Kaul Ashima(January 17 ,2013), “Education:
The instrument of Peace in Kashmir” , Insight on Conflict, Published by Peace Direct
-Observer Bureau( January 17, 2013) ,” Madrassas in
Kashmir utilised Rs 47 Lakhs in one Year”, Daily State Observer
-Tundum Chosdan( December 1 , 2011) , “ Is Education
System of Ladakh Relevant” ,Epilogue Vol 5, Issue 2
-Dorjay Thinlas(May 1, 2010) , “Ladakh’s Tryst with
Education Reform”, Epilogue, Vol 4, Issue 5
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