| dc.description.abstract | The relationship between education systems and conflict presents policy makers
with a conundrum. Schools are almost always complicit in conflict. They
reproduce skills, values, attitudes and .social relations of dominant groups in society;
accordingly, they are usually a contributory factor in conflict. Simultaneously,
reconstructing and reforming education is increasingly viewed as a critical element
in the strategy to reduce the risk of conflict or relapse into conflict. The central
message in this paper therefore is that conflict presents not only challenges for
reconstruction, but also significant opportunities for reform of education systems.
The challenge of simultaneous reform and reconstruction at a time of constrained
human, financial, and institutional resources and considerable urgency calls for
particular attention priorities and sequencing of inter-ventions. Short-term immediate
responses need to be conceptualized within a framework that provides for more
substantial systematic reform as the new political vision emerges and system
capacity is built.
Conceptualizing conflict as 'development in reverse' should be analyzed in the
context of its impact on development. Reducing poverty and decreasing reliance on
primary commodity exports, both of which require a functioning and effective
education system have been shown to be critical strategies for reducing the risk
of conflict. Ethnic and religious dominance rather than diversity is also a powerful
contributory factor in civil conflict; education has a key role in mediating or
deepening ethnic, religious, socio-economic differences or other identity-based
conflicts. Education that helps build stronger resilience to conflict is therefore a
critical strategy for postconflict reconstruction.
It goes without say, that conflict has a devastating impact on education, both
directly in terms of suffering and psychological impact on pupils, teachers and
communities, and in the degradation of the education system and its infrastructure.
Yet these same educational systems are expected to make a significant
contribution to rebuilding a shattered society at a time when they themselves are
debilitated by the effects of conflict. Fortunately, as I will be showing in this study,
schools and education systems are surprisingly resilient. And that the disruption
caused by conflict offers opportunities and challenges for social reconstruction.This paper is to offered as a contribution to the ,-owing attention about the effect
of violence on education. Included are findings of a study of education and
postconflict reconstruction, drawing from literature reviews, a database of key
indicators for 12 conflict affected countries in Africa, and a review of 5 country
studies. The countries studied vary in terms of their present conflict status and the
length, intensity and extent of conflict. Key issues in the country's study include
ethnic and religious identity, politicization of education, competition for scarce
natural resources especially land, minerals, water, and probable continuity of civil
authority and civil administration. | en |
