Peace studies and social cohesion questions in Advanced Level GK paper
The Pe a c e Education and Reconciliation Unit of the Education Ministry hopes to discuss with the Examinations Department, the possibility of including questions related to peace studies and social cohesion to the Advanced Level General Knowledge question paper.
The unit's director, S. Muralitharan said though aspects of peace education is included in history and civic education syllabuses for secondary level students, no such education is added to Ordinary Level or Advanced Level syllabuses.
He said the move follows after education authorities expressed concern over the involvement of senior school students in creating communal disharmony through social media during the recent disturbances in Kandy district.
He said currently some aspects of peace education are added to basket subjects, which gives the students the option of chosing to do the subject or not. "It is not made compulsory and the Education Minister has asked the National Institute of Education ( NIE) to include components of social cohesion to core subjects,” he said.
He said as part of this initiative around 200 students representing all ethnicities from Kandy and surrounding areas will be selected to participate in the ‘sahodara paasel’ ( brotherhood schools) in a six day camping programme, aimed at promoting social cohesion.
The plan is to hold about 6- 7 camps annually with students from all parts of the island. This social cohesion programme is supported by ONUR (Office for National Unity and Reconciliation). According to Mr. Muralitharan, about 600 prospective teachers from 20 national colleges of education will go through similar training camps.
In order to expose students to cultural events each education zone will be given Rs.75,000 for each event, he said.
“This year schools from the South were seen celebrating the Hinud festival Thai Pongal. Similarly schools have been requested to hold Sinhala and Tamil New Year events. Ramazan and Christmas will also celebrated," he added. (NF)