The Role of Peace Education on Reconciliation in Zimbabwe

Abstract

This study focuses on the role of peace education in the reconciliation of divided societies and seeks to establish the influence of reconciliation education on the attainment of the coexistence of divided societies due to politically motivated violence. The study seeks to unearth the role of peace education in a divided society; the extent to which peace education has contributed to the reconciliation of polarised societies in the country; and the best approach to bring closure to societies that have experienced politically motivated violence in Zimbabwe. The inductive research approach, qualitative paradigm and case study design were used in this study. In-depth interviews were conducted with participants drawn from the Harare Urban District. The study established that peace education, theoretically, has a constructive role in the reconciliation of divided societies; However, because of partisan dissemination, it has, inadvertently, assumed a divisive role. The study further established that not much has been done through peace education to promote reconciliation owing to the lack of a universal curriculum and the failure to implement peace education from primary to university level education. In addition, the study notes that non-formal peace education was not being monitored, thus political parties, civil society organisations (CSOs) and faith-based organisations (FBOs) were abusing it for different agendas.