Evaluating the Integration of Peace Education in Primary School Curricula: An Analysis of Social Studies Content for Grades 4 and 5 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

The study outlines the international attention given to primary education and the need for increasing the scope of ‘Peace Education’ within the core curriculum, at the very least for the lower primary grades, to help nurture social tolerance, conflict resolution, and peaceful coexistence from a young age. Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, it investigates peace education components in the Single National Curriculum (SNC) and how effective they are in fostering peace among the youth in a traditionally disturbed area. For grades 4 and 5, it uses content and thematic analysis to examine the social studies curricula employing Castro and Galace’s Peace Education model and Makkola and Lavendra’s framework. The study found that peace education that fostered democracy and tolerance was achieved, but an increased focus on gender and environmental studies is needed to foster students' understanding of social sustainability and responsibility. The study suggests the need for an evidence-based framework for future curriculum development in peace education.