By Rose Achiego
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| Jean Marvel |
Speaking during the one week training at Donum Dei Spiritual Centre, The President of the Peace Education Foundation Jean Marvel said there is need to change the culture and the climate of the schools by teaching children how to resolve conflict, embrace diversity by understanding that it is a positive thing to belong to different communities, respect one another and coexist to prevent negative behaviors amongst them that might lead to violence in schools that include bullying and burning of school property.
“Children need to learn to work cooperatively now in order to work cooperatively later as adults. When you build community in classroom and teach children how to care and use self-control, you minimize the possibilities for violence and maximize the potential for learning.” He said
The programme has worked well in over 20,000 schools in the US, Canada and Latin America
where it has been implemented revealing that, the programme defined conflict resolution in six components including community building, understanding conflict, understanding the role of perception in conflict, the role of feelings in conflict, rules for making peace and effective communication skills and teaches about 30 life skills that help people live better lives.
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| Participants |
More than 50 pioneer participants from Malindi, Mombasa and Isiolo dioceses received capacity building on conflict resolution and mediation in classroom, school, district, family, parish and community. The training is geared towards participants who desire to acquire practical peacemaking conflict resolution and mediation skills that align with Gospel values. By using the “Train the Trainer” method all participants will be equipped to return to the local communities and train educators and pastoral agents.
The KCCB – Commission for Education and Religious Education has reiterated its commitment to ensure peaceful co-existence among Kenyans especially the waring communities.
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