Teaching Children Peace (II) – Our Security, Our Peace by Prof. O.E Bassey 

The saturation of peace pioneers not from the top but from the roots. This is more reason I’m always a bit uncomfortable whenever a campaign of peace is launched and children are expunged from the conversation. It has always proven to be a counterproductive approach, particularly for a society invested in peace that is endurable.

We often make the mistake of thinking that the concept of peace is beyond the understanding of children whereas the art of peace itself is best taught for effective and sustainable practice at that formative stage. Adults, like the first part of this series expounded, are the colossal reflection of the failures of skilling children in the art of peace living. As such, if continually left unattended to, the chain we continue, and the pains will grow sharper.

It’s high time we conscientized ourselves with the overwhelming relevance of narrowing down the concept of peace to children. Interestingly, the structure of the society makes it seamless to effectively bake in the culture of peace into the values of children.

To start with, ‘the school’ where most children spend the chunk of their day time in. This institution already reflects how inconsequential we take the concept of peace towards children. In ten schools, you will barely count two who have a subject devoted to peace or even an extra-curricular club or activity that takes it as a responsibility to drill children in peace living.

You will be tempted to cut these schools some slacks when you consider that from the top itself, the concept towards children is still very outlandish, as such, the speed and coverage it gets at the bottom are stifled or better, non-existent.

However, while bureaucratic steps can be taken to affect some grains of changes that will trickle down the rungs, some independent yet insightful moves can be made to cater to children, their future and that of the society.

Staff should be exemplars of Peace

Children often pick up habits that are actioned compared to habits that are theorized. Staff in schools must take it up as a duty and more importantly, as a lifestyle to exhibit the peace culture while around pupils and students both in and outside the school environment.

Assembly Ground Pep Talk on Peace

A day on the assembly ground can be deliberately earmarked for a pep talk on peace living. This, consistently done, in awareness of the sacredness of the assembly ground will impress upon kids endurably and effectively more than any gathering the lessons of peace living.

Peace Day

Just like there is traditionally a day set aside for culture, career and the popular Open Days, we can also have a day reserved for Peace Lecture. A day for such saddle can encompass even the parents and guardians of these students to come into the school, alongside their children and learn substantially about peace living so the equation of the peace lifestyle can be complete with all individuals equipped for a robust peace system in and out of school. The day could also see some movie shows and book readings that espouse the idea of peace.

Set up a Peace Club

In addition to the popular extra-curricular clubs like Press Club, Jet Club, Drama Club, Red Cross, there could also be a Peace Club set up for the inculcation and promotion of peace in the personal lives of the students and by extension, the school environment. A club of such nature, combined with the aforementioned steps above, go a long way to consolidate on the school’s culture of peace.

A reward system for peace conducts

Significantly, a system that monitors and rewards behaviours that are given to peace should be created in an attempt to spur the will of students towards a peace lifestyle. This will go a long way to establishing the impression that peace living is rewarding both materially and otherwise, as such, with time, it gets to be an intrinsic part of the children so that they go on to exude the lifestyle anywhere they are effortlessly.

Proverbs 22:6 : Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Sequel to the creation of a Peace Club mentioned above, NISSI Institute can be contacted on how to set up Peace Leaders club in worship centers, primary, secondary schools, polytechnics and universities.

You can reach us on: 07065828892

For parents, you can learn more about promoting peace and looking out for the best interest of your child from my book, The Child’s Best Interest co-authored with my wife, Dr. C.V Bassey, an certified educationist.

There is also a training course to this end, PEACE LITERACY AND CHILD’S PROTECTION COURSE which you could enroll for as a parent to see to the protection and promotion of your child(ren)/wards.

The course is flexible, mobile; and can be adapted to fit into your schedule.

Professor Ofonime Emmanuel Bassey is a Security, Peace and Conflict Resolution coach with decades of experience in the practice and promotion of Law Enforcement, Peace and Security through the Nigeria Police and the United Nations.

He is a professor in Leadership, Peace and Conflict Resolution, a certified United Nation’s Trainer, and currently the Director of ICOF Institute of Leadership, Peace and Conflict Resolution in Africa.

Prof. Bassey has served and interacted at the top-level management of the Nigeria Police as well as internationally as a United Nation’s Monitor/Mentor in Kosovo, Europe.

With his marks well-established in Peace Leadership both in Nigeria and Africa, he is currently the President, NISSI Safety Management Institute: An Institute of Peace Leadership.

To his many humanitarian acts, he currently spearheads a campaign tagged “The Next Peace Leaders” billed to run from 2022-2023 with a target of training 37,000 young peace leaders.

For peace and security tips, consultations and trainings, reach him via:

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