Peacebuilding

Why We Engage Primary School Teachers In Peacebuilding Work

Re-Imagining New Communities is founded on the idea of bringing together different communities, enabling connections and sustainable collaborations through peacebuilding, cultural exchange and conversations.

The organization collaborates with a number of stakeholders in the education, religion and creative sectors to support peacebuilding efforts in rural and urban settlements of Kenya.

Particularly, Re-Imagining New Communities works with primary school teachers and learners; church pastors and leaders; teenage footballers, creative artists.

In this article we would like to about the critical role of primary school teachers plays in peacebuilding in their schools and communities.

  • Teachers have direct contact with children where they are responsible of educating and shaping their minds. Through this, teachers have a rare opportunity to instill values of peace, tolerance, and respect for diversity in children at a young age. Thus, by teaching children about the importance of peace, primary teachers can help build a future generation that is committed to creating a peaceful and harmonious society.
  • Teacher can identify and address conflicts: Among other groups, primary teachers are often the first to notice when conflicts arise among their students or in the community. They can use their knowledge and skills to identify the root causes of these conflicts and work with their students and community members to address them in a peaceful and constructive manner.
  • They have an opportunity to promote dialogue and understanding. Primary school teachers can facilitate open and honest discussions about sensitive issues that may contribute to conflicts. By creating a safe and supportive learning environment, they can encourage learners to share their thoughts and perspectives, which can lead to greater understanding and empathy, and
  • Most of the time, primary school teachers serve as role models to their learners and community members. So, by modeling peaceful behaviors and demonstrating respect for diversity, they have the advantage of inspiring others to follow their lead and work towards creating a more peaceful community.

Therefore, teachers have a critical and important role in promoting peacebuilding in their communities. By fostering a culture of peace and understanding among their learners and community members, they can help create a more peaceful and harmonious society for future generations.