Peace Education Concepts and Content in Secondary School Curricula of English and Urdu: A Qualitative Case Study of Government Secondary Schools in Peshawar, Pakistan

Abstract

The primary objective of this research was to examine and explore the foundational concepts and principles of peace embedded within the secondary school curricula of Urdu and English in Peshawar, Pakistan. To achieve this, the study employed thematic analysis, aiming to answer the central question: What peace education concepts and content are integrated into the secondary school curricula of English and Urdu in Peshawar, Pakistan? The research involved a detailed thematic analysis of the content in both Urdu and English subjects. This process included identifying initial codes, organizing these codes into categories, and developing overarching themes. The key findings from this analysis revealed a significant need for substantial improvement and revitalization of the content in both subjects. Although some elements of peace education were present, they were insufficiently developed and inadequately integrated. This gap highlights the necessity for a comprehensive overhaul of the curricula to better incorporate peace education concepts, content and principles. By doing so, the educational framework could be strengthened to more effectively foster peace among students.