Cultivating Peace Values Among School Students

Abstract

Peace has always been among humanity's highest values--for some, supreme. In today’s world, with growing levels of problems, challenges, conflicts, violence-there is an increasing sense of peacelessness among students. Today’s school students are experiencing the peace-crisis. Everyone will agree that the need for generating peace consciousness among the growing generation is vital. This is especially so in the contemporary world where violence is increasing vertically and horizontally. Mahatma Gandhi once stated, “If we are to reach real peace in this world then we shall have to begin with the children”. If we want our young people to be successful in the world they will inhibit, they will need more than the knowledge we can measure on traditional tests. They will need to be equipped with skills, attitudes and habits required for solving problems unimaginable today. Such individuals will have self- awareness, values of tolerance, compassion and competence to deal with crisis in a creative manner. In order to develop these attitudes, skills and competencies among students, the institutions of family and school have to make conscious efforts to promote peace related skills. This paper aims at an understanding of ways and means to incorporate peace feeling at all levels of schooling. It is also indicated that how peace can be implanted in the mind of sensitive child of twenty first century at the school. It has suggested few strategies for inculcating values of peace as a way of life in the classroom and in various extra-curricular activities of the school. Through the participatory activities they will be able to embody the basic concepts of peace with its values and skills. They can effectively implement these in their daily life situations. They would become the peace-builders of the nation and would help to create the more peaceful and beautiful world.