VALUE EDUCATION

MA (Education)
Third Semester
EDCN 901C

[ENGLISH EDITION]

Directorate of Distance Education

TRIPURA UNIVERSITY
 Reviewer
Dr Shruti Kant Pandey
Assistant Professor, Amity Institute of Education, Noida

Authors
Dr Amita Gupta, Units: (1.2, 1.6, 3.3.1) © Reserved, 2017
Neeru Sood, Units: (1.3-1.5, 2.2.3, 2.3, 3.0, 3.2, 5.3.1-5.3.2) © Reserved, 2017
Dr Gyanendra Nath Tiwari, Units: (3.3, 4.4) © Dr Gyanendra Nath Tiwari, 2017
Dr Kaushikee, Unit: (5.2) © Dr Kaushikee, 2017
Paulomi M Jindal, Unit: (5.3) © Reserved, 2017
Vikas Publishing House, Units: (1.0-1.1, 1.7-1.11, 2.0-2.1, 2.2-2.2.2, 2.4-2.8, 3.1, 3.4-3.8, 4.0-4.2, 4.2.1-4.3, 4.5-4.11, 5.0-5.1,
5.4-5.8) © Reserved, 2017

Books are developed, printed and published on behalf of Directorate of Distance Education,
Tripura University by Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication which is material, protected by this copyright notice
may not be reproduced or transmitted or utilized or stored in any form of by any means now known
or hereinafter invented, electronic, digital or mechanical, including photocopying, scanning, recording
or by any information storage or retrieval system, without prior written permission from the DDE,
Tripura University & Publisher.

Information contained in this book has been published by VIKAS® Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. and has
been obtained by its Authors from sources believed to be reliable and are correct to the best of their
knowledge. However, the Publisher and its Authors shall in no event be liable for any errors, omissions
or damages arising out of use of this information and specifically disclaim any implied warranties or
merchantability or fitness for any particular use.

Vikas® is the registered trademark of Vikas® Publishing House Pvt. Ltd.

VIKAS® PUBLISHING HOUSE PVT. LTD.
E-28, Sector-8, Noida - 201301 (UP)
Phone: 0120-4078900 • Fax: 0120-4078999
Regd. Office: 7361, Ravindra Mansion, Ram Nagar, New Delhi 110 055
• Website: www.vikaspublishing.com • Email: helpline@vikaspublishing.com
 SYLLABI-BOOK MAPPING TABLE
Value Education
Syllabi Mapping in Book

UNIT I
Concept of Values Unit 1: Value Education: An Overview
Inherent Difficulties in Acquiring Values (Pages 3-33)
Concept and Needs of Morality
Educating Parents as Natural Moral Educators
Value Education: Meaning, Significance and Global Trends

UNIT II
Moral Development Concept, Significance Unit 2: Moral Development
Piaget’s Theory of Moral Development (Pages 35-53)
Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development
Carol Gilligan’s Feminist Theory of Moral Development
Role of Parents to Facilitate Children’s Moral Development

UNIT III
Fostering Values: Meaning and Significance Unit 3: Fostering Value Education
Values in the Classroom (Pages 55-76)
Value from the Pupil’s Perspective
Approaches to Values Education
Role of Teacher in Fostering Value among Students

UNIT IV
Meaning of Human Rights Education Unit 4: Human Rights Education
UN Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004) (Pages 77-110)
The Indian Constitution and Human Rights
Development of Curriculum of Human Right Education
Human Rights Education through Co-Scholastic Activities

UNIT V
Understanding Peace by Understanding Conflict Unit 5: Peace Education
Aims of Peace Education (Pages 111-154)
Basic of Peace Education
Peace Education and Teacher
Power of Silence
Yogic Meditation
 CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 1-2

UNIT 1 VALUE EDUCATION: AN OVERVIEW 3-33

1.0 Introduction
1.1 Unit Objectives
1.2 Concept of Value
1.2.1 Meaning and Definitions
1.2.2 Classification and Hierarchy of Value
1.2.3 Sources of Value
1.2.4 Types of Value
1.3 Inherent Difficulties in Acquiring Values
1.4 Concept and Needs of Morality
1.5 Educating Parents as Natural Moral Education
1.6 Value Education: Meaning, Significance and Global Trends
1.7 Summary
1.8 Key Terms
1.9 Answers to ‘Check Your Progress’
1.10 Questions and Exercises
1.11 Further Reading

UNIT 2 MORAL DEVELOPMENT 35-53

2.0 Introduction
2.1 Unit Objectives
2.2 Moral Development: Concept and Significance
2.2.1 Piaget’s Theory of Moral Development
2.2.2 Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development
2.2.3 Carol Gilligan’s Feminist Theory of Moral Development
2.3 Role of Parents to Facilitate Children’s Moral Development
2.4 Summary
2.5 Key Terms
2.6 Answers to ‘Check Your Progress’
2.7 Questions and Exercises
2.8 Further Reading

UNIT 3 FOSTERING VALUE EDUCATION 55-76

3.0 Introduction
3.1 Unit Objectives
3.2 Fostering Values: Meaning and Significance
3.2.1 Values in the Classroom
3.2.2 Values from the Pupil’s Perspective
3.3 Approaches to Value Education
3.3.1 Role of Teacher in Fostering Values among Students
3.4 Summary
3.5 Key Terms
3.6 Answers to ‘Check Your Progress’
3.7 Questions and Exercises
3.8 Further Reading
UNIT 4 HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION 77-110
4.0 Introduction
4.1 Unit Objectives
4.2 Meaning of Human Rights Education
4.2.1 Human Rights and Education
4.3 United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004)
4.3.1 Plan of Action for the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education, 1995-2004
4.4 The Indian Constitution and Human Rights
4.5 Development of Curriculum of Human Right Education
4.5.1 Need for Human Rights Education in the School Curriculum
4.5.2 Curriculum Development
4.5.3 Context and Approaches to Curriculum Organization
4.5.4 Human Rights Education and Curriculum
4.6 Human Rights Education through Co-Scholastic Activities
4.7 Summary
4.8 Key Terms
4.9 Answers to ‘Check Your Progress’
4.10 Questions and Exercises
4.11 Further Reading

UNIT 5 PEACE EDUCATION 111-154

5.0 Introduction
5.1 Unit Objectives
5.2 Understanding Peace by Understanding Conflict
5.2.1 Aims of Peace Education
5.2.2 Basics of Peace Education
5.3 Peace Education and Teacher
5.3.1 Power of Silence
5.3.2 Yogic Meditation
5.4 Summary
5.5 Key Terms
5.6 Answers to ‘Check Your Progress’
5.7 Questions and Exercises
5.8 Further Reading
 Introduction

INTRODUCTION
Education is necessarily a process of inculcating values to equip the learner lead a
NOTES
life—a kind of life that is satisfying to the individual in accordance with the cherished
values and ideals of the society. Philosophers, spiritual leaders and educationists
of our country, all in various ways, have emphasized the role of education for
‘character development’, ‘bringing out the latent potentialities and inherent qualities’
and developing an ‘integrated personality’ for the well-being of the individual and
the society at large. Whatever term me may use, the importance of developing
values has long been embedded in the age old traditions of India’s civilizational
and cultural heritage, spanning over the centuries. The diverse and rich cultural
heritage that we are so fortunate to inherit in our country is in many ways symbolic
of the foundation and wellspring of values from which we draw our values
nourishment. Life of individuals and communities and that of our saints, sages and
philosophers are examples of values like self-discipline, survival in the absence of
material resources, simplicity, handling conflicts without violence, exploring simple
but revolutionary ideas as a mark of superior conduct and living.
The concern for value education are reflected in our key policy documents
from time to time. After independence the National Commission of Secondary
Education (1952-53) was a significant landmark in emphasizing character building
as the defining goal of education. ‘The supreme end of the educative process
should be the training of the character and personality of students in such a way
that they will be able to realize their full potentialities and contribute to the well-
being of the community.’
Children and youth need to be educated to practice the commonly held
values of harmony and peace with self and others. Children are envoys of the
future. As per the population projection, India will have one of the youngest
populations in the world by 2020. This vast human resource will shape the nation
and the world. From ecological perspective, child is educated by the entire
environment in which it grows and that environment is determined equally by the
parents, teachers and society around. The kind of individual we produce in turn
determines the kind of society we live in. If we produce individuals who are self-
centred, aggressive, competitive and greedy, we cannot have a society that is non-
violent, peaceful, cooperative and harmonious. Education is the main agency for
individual transformation and social change. It is not possible to bring fundamental
transformation in society unless the individual is transformed. The kind of education
we provide to them will have bearing on the values foundation of the society. This
book discusses the need and importance of value education.
This book, Value Education, is written in a self-instructional format and is
divided into five units. Each unit begins with an ‘Introduction’ to the topic followed
by an outline of the ‘Unit Objectives’. The content is then presented in a simple

Self-Instructional Material 1
Introduction and easy-to-understand manner, and is interspersed with ‘Check Your Progress’
questions to test the reader’s understanding of the topic. A list of ‘Questions and
Exercises’ is also provided at the end of each unit, and includes short-answer as
well as long-answer questions. The ‘Summary’ and ‘Key Terms’ section are useful
NOTES tools for students and are meant for effective recapitulation of the text.

2 Self-Instructional Material
 Value Education:

UNIT 1 VALUE EDUCATION: AN An Overview

OVERVIEW
NOTES
Structure
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Unit Objectives
1.2 Concept of Value
1.2.1 Meaning and Definitions
1.2.2 Classification and Hierarchy of Value
1.2.3 Sources of Value
1.2.4 Types of Value
1.3 Inherent Difficulties in Acquiring Values
1.4 Concept and Needs of Morality
1.5 Educating Parents as Natural Moral Education
1.6 Value Education: Meaning, Significance and Global Trends
1.7 Summary
1.8 Key Terms
1.9 Answers to ‘Check Your Progress’
1.10 Questions and Exercises
1.11 Further Reading

1.0 INTRODUCTION

This unit provides an overview of value education. Values are regarded as abstract
beliefs that transcend specific situation, object and issue and they function as standards
of behaviour. For value-oriented education, the first requirement would be that values,
which are to be developed, should be defined. Values are principles, fundamental
convictions, ideals, standards, or life stages that act as general guides to behaviour
or as reference points in decision-making. Values are beliefs about what is correct
or incorrect and what is important in reference to the ideal situation in life.
Values are neither skills nor piece of knowledge; they are basically faith and
conviction, like one who has faith in honesty will always be honest. It is something
related to the making of the mind and not acquiring it; it is the psychological built-up
of an individual. It pertains to the formation of attitudes and habits. Neglect of
education in general and inculcation of values through education in particular has
been accepted in the ‘Challenge of Education-A Policy Perspective’, a paper published
and circulated in August 1986 by the Government of India. It stated, ‘Education is a
national responsibility, which is to transform a state society into one vibrant with a
commitment to development and change’. The development of human resources is
said to be the main function of education. The education system of a country plays
an important role in the preservation, transmission and inculcation of values.
Values are determinants of educational aims and in turn religion and culture
are the determinants of values. Thus, the values have wide coverage of the social
Self-Instructional Material 3
Value Education: structure in terms of religion and culture. It is, thus clearly evident that values are
An Overview
the basic elements of the educational aims. The values involve three basic aspect,
i.e. emotions, activities and cognition which are directly related to the three domains
cognitive, psychomotor (activities) and affective (emotions) of the educational aspects
NOTES as achieved through teaching.
In the National Curriculum Framework (2005), NCERT echoes the vision of
integrating values in every aspect of schooling, seeking guidance from the
constitutional vision of India as secular, egalitarian and pluralistic society, founded on
the values of social justice and equality.
The values enshrined in the Constitution assume paramount significance (NCF,
2005) from ancient days. Education has given much importance to inculcation of
values like love, self-realization, brotherhood, tolerance freedom, courage, self-
reliance, dignity of labour, honesty, and truth and fearlessness.

1.1 UNIT OBJECTIVES

After going through this unit, you will be able to:

• List the various sources of value
• Discuss the need and importance of value education
• Examine some of the inherent difficulties in acquiring value
• Explain the meaning of the term morality

1.2 CONCEPT OF VALUE

A value is what an individual desires, likes or prefers. Value comes from the Latin
word ‘valere’, which means ‘to be of worth or to be strong.’ The dictionary gives
the meaning of the word ‘value’ as relative worth, utility or importance, degree of
excellence and something (as a principle or a quality) intrinsically valuable.
1.2.1 Meaning and Definitions
According to Milton Rokeach, ‘A value is an enduring belief, a specific mode of
conduct or end state of existence that is personally or socially preferable. Values
have both content and intensity attributes. The content attribute says that a mode of
conduct or end state of existence is important. The intensity attribute specifies how
we rank an individual’s value in terms of their intensity which helps to obtain that
person’s value system. A value system is an enduring organization of beliefs
concerning preferable modes of conduct along with the continuum of relative
importance. All of us have a hierarchy of values that forms our value system; this
system is identified by the relative importance we assign to such values as freedom,
pleasure self-respect, honesty, obedience and equality. Further, values are important
to the study of organizational behaviour because they lay the foundation for the
understanding of attitudes and motivation and because they influence our perceptions.
An individual enters an organization with preconceived notions about what “ought”
4 Self-Instructional Material
and what “ought not” to be, of course, these notions are not value free. On the Value Education:
An Overview
contrary, they contain interpretations of right and wrong. Furthermore, they imply
that certain behaviours or outcomes are preferred over others. As a result values
cloud objectivity and rationality. Values generally influence attitudes and behaviour’.
‘Values may be defined socially approved desires and goals that are internalized NOTES
through the process of conditioning, learning or socialization that become subjective
preferences, standards and aspirations’. —Radhakamal Mukherji
‘Values may be connected inherently with liking, yet not with everyone but
with those which judgment has approved, after examining the relation upon which
the object liked depends’. —John Dewey
‘Value is precisely the term applied…. To objects which stand at the outer
end of the relation called liking, the inner end of which is a human mind that likes’.
—Prall
‘Life has a value only when it has something valuable as its object
………Nothing in the world has been accomplished without passion and without
value’. —Hegel
‘Value is that what satisfies human desires’. —Urban
In its philosophical or educational interpretation, values signify neither a thing
nor an individual but a reflection or a point of view. As such, anything which is useful
to an individual becomes valuable to him. The very same thing may be quite useless
to another individual and as such it is of no value to that individual. Thus, from the
philosophical standpoint, a value is directly related to a view point or thought which
may find fruition in favourable environment and conditions.
According to its verbal meaning, values signify that eminence of an individual
or things which makes that individual or thing important, respectable and useful.
This quality or eminence can be internal or external or both.
Etymologically, values signify quality, and makes a thing, concept or individual
important, useful and worth going in for. Anything that satisfies human wants is a
value at the empirical level.
Axiologists believe that values are judgment, but according to them these
judgments are emotional and not intellectual judgments. They should not therefore
be dealt with as contemporary psychology tends to do, as if they were a phenomena
meant only for intellectual consideration. A student of philosophy and education
must judge what to value and what to disvalue. It is the task of education to teach a
child what to do and what not do.
Values are evolved in social structures gradually through an interface among
the members of the society. The person has to adjust in his ecological environment
as it is the essential requirement for its survival. He has to face the problems for
earning of his living and has to collaborate with the other members of the society
and share his responsibility faithfully. He has to interrelate with his culture. In the
absence of social value, it would be difficult to maintain peace in the social system.
To avoid these types of situations society has to establish certain norms and goals of
life. These norms are used in the socialization of children. The values are obtained
Self-Instructional Material 5
Value Education: from human experiences and human existence, from his own ecology, own society
An Overview
and own culture.
Educational values are related to those activities which are good, useful and
valuable from the point of view of education. Earlier also it has been pointed by
NOTES Adams that education is a bipolar process which has two parts: the teacher and the
child. The teacher employs various strategies and diplomacy to achieve the desired
behavioural change in the child and to mould and adapt the behaviour of the child.
He performs all these activities because he thinks them as valuable for the intended
purpose. As the teacher provides an atmosphere of utility and value to the child, in
the same approach the child takes part only in those activities which he considers
useful and valuable to him. Thus, the teacher and the child participate only in those
activities which they consider as educationally useful and valuable.
1.2.2 Classification and Hierarchy of Value
Values are classified in a number of ways. However, here we are only mentioning
the important types of classification.
Classification of Values
1. Aesthetic values
2. Cultural values
3. Citizenship values
4. Economic or material values
5. Emotional values
6. Ethical values
7. Humanistic values
8. Intellectual or mental values
9. Moral values
10. National values
11. Physical values
12. Religious values
13. Scientific values
14. Social or sociological values
15. Spiritual values
16. Universal values
17. Positive values and negative values
It may be observed that there is no watertight compartmental classification
of values as they overlap.

6 Self-Instructional Material
 Value Education:
An Overview

NOTES

Fig. 1.1 Human Values

Hierarchy of value
Different theorists have classified values differently, based on their priorities. Higher
values can be classified into the following five categories in descending order:
• Absolute values such as absolute truth, absolute goodness, absolute beauty
and absolute holiness
• Act of contributing to the development and happiness of humankind
• Act of contributing to the nation or the state
• Act of contributing to the regional society
• Act of cultivating oneself and managing one’s family well
1.2.3 Sources of Value
There are many sources of values. Important ones are discussed as follows:
1. Sociological source of value
There are various types of values related to different aspects of social life activities.
Some values are related to parents and some values are related to the national
system. The social life values are related to religious conduct, political conduct,
economic conduct, psychological conduct, etc. These types of values are
individualistic.
Similarly, the social values have one cognitive element. The aspect of value
operates in thinking process ‘what is right or wrong?’ This type of value is very
close to social norms. It is difficult to distinguish between the two.
According to Johnson, ‘values are the ideal rules of a society. A social value
integrates the three aspects: emotions, activities and cognitive elements, which operate
Self-Instructional Material 7
Value Education: simultaneously. The difference of these aspects vanishes automatically in social
An Overview
values’.
2. Religious and spiritual source of value
NOTES Religion etymologically refers to a state of unification between two aspects which
cannot be separated for whatever reason, but has the capability of becoming one
again. Religion, therefore, believes in the unity of man and God. Man is essentially
God, and because it is so, He has the capability to achieve finite through the infinite;
there is unity in diversity because both are essentially one. Religion should therefore
help to bridge the gap between man and God by playing on the divine nature of both.
Divinity is the essence of religion.
3. Psychological source of value
The culture of a person may be roughly described as the expression of a
‘consciousness of life’ which formulates itself in three aspects.
‘There is a side of thought, of idea, of upward will and the soul’s
aspiration; there is a side of creative self-expression, appreciative aesthetic,
intelligence and imagination; and there is a higher thinker which view our
mind’s purest, largest and most general formulation of its consciousness of life
and its dynamic view of existence’. —Sri Aurobindo
It is an ultimate expression of thought, will and action. ‘Values are not taught
but are to be caught’. It is a very old saying. It was perhaps true in days gone by
when parents at home and leaders in the community in the various walks of life
were all value-based people. Then, younger children and growing adolescents could
catch values of the elderly people and either by imitation or by special efforts to
develop appropriate values accepted and respected in society. Much water has
flowed under the bridge since then and there is a grave deterioration both among
parents and community leaders in terms of their being value models for the younger
generation. We cannot therefore expect values to be caught from undesirable situations
and persons in society in today’s world. Therefore, values have got to be taught in
addition to being caught from selected situations and personalities.
4. Biological source of value
We argue that in mammals, at least, a lot of the behaviour is caused by mental
structures intermediate between stimulus and response. These structures are feelings
or motivations. They cause behaviour by providing general goals, but without
specifying particular actions. The feelings are many, distinct and situation-specific;
the complete repertoire of feelings that members of a species normally experience,
each weighted according to its situation-specific intensity, is the species feeling profile.
Mammals use their perceptual apparatus and intelligence to interpret the world and
to anticipate future events. These interpretations and anticipations in turn evoke
feelings, which motivate behaviour. In any given situation – real or imagined - a
number of feelings may be evoked, orienting the animal to a number of different
purposes at once. The ensuing struggle among feelings for supremacy is the essence
of decision making, and behaviour (including verbal behaviour in humans) is the
result of the triumph of one feeling, or coalition of feelings, over all others.
8 Self-Instructional Material
Place of value in the educational systems in ancient india Value Education:
An Overview
Truth (satya), righteous conduct (dharma), peace (shanti), love (prem) and non-
violence (ahimsa) are the core universal values. They are the foundation for the
building of value-based education programme. These five values are correlated
NOTES
with five major objectives of education, i.e., knowledge, skill, balance, vision and
identities. These five human values should be deemed as five-fold life breath or
Pancha Pranas (Pranas, Apana, Udhana, Samana, and Vyaana i.e. the incoming,
outgoing, upward flow even and circulating breaths). According to the Indian
constitution, social values that are to be inculcated in our students are friendliness,
cooperation, compassion, self-discipline, courage and love for social justice.
Value education has been an important part of education since Vedic times in
this country. It has been the practice in other countries from the time of Plato and
Aristotle in Greek history. Both values and education go together. Development of
values in educational institutions starting from early education to higher education
(university and professional institution) is essentially an integral part. The end result
of education is human development which is based on certain values which determine
human actions in the society. In fact the quality of human action is directly correlated
with human values and rather it’s the manifestation of human values. In this regard,
we can say that ‘Education is Value Enterprise’. Human growth and development
of societies are always determined by the basic socio-cultural economic, ethical and
spiritual values of a particular society.
The educational system of Vedic times was aimed at natural development,
social efficiency and mental enrichment. These values were cherished and
communicated from teacher to pupil. The process of communication has been
described most appropriately as enkindling a light lit up by another light. The purport
of all this system of education was to create an aristocracy of character and learning
from which would come the required leadership of a community to be looked up to
for guidance and pramana (example or proof of nobility). These were values of a
traditional society which sought to be propagated among the youths so that they may
fit themselves into a particular pattern of society and culture governed by what is
known as Varnashram dharma. Varna referred to the kind of a social order in which
every individual had his on specific role assigned to him by virtue of two factors, one
being that of psychological aptitude (guna) and the other of acquired skill in a particular
occupation (karma). The notion of ‘Swadhrama’ comes to be developed in so far
as it emphasized the concept of ‘my station and its duties’. To mould an individual to
fit into specific role assigned to him became the subject of education.
So far as the education of masses was concerned, no emphasis was laid on
literacy. Education was thought to be possible so far as the generality of the people
was concerned through audio-visual modes of communication. Mainly the values
which came to be communicated to them by means of Itihasa and Puranas were
the values of Jnana (knowledge), Bhakti (devotion) and Vairagya (renunciation).
The education of people devoted to the pursuit of several arts and crafts of life were
left to be imparted to pupils concerned, the Varnashram ideal was being continuously
placed before them in addition to teaching them that knowledge led to liberation, that
by devotion to God their emotional lives are fed and nourished and by again exhorting
Self-Instructional Material 9
Value Education: them to learn to practice a spirit of detachment or renunciation in so far as it lay in
An Overview
their power. Examples of great Gyanis, Bhaktas and Viraktas were continuously
being presented to them by all available means of education, like the recital of the
Puranas, the performances of the Hari Kathas, Bhajans and Kirtans and by
NOTES philosophical and religious discourses, delivered by knowledgeable persons. So then,
the education of the masses became partitioned first into the mode of education,
which would enable them to earn their livelihood by following an art or craft, which
came to them by way of heredity or by deliberate choice directed by parents and
others. Then there were specific jobs which had nothing to do with the shaping or
moulding of the general outlook on Artha, Karma and Moksha, the ethical, the
erotic and the spiritual, of which the first three values were looked upon as instrumental
and the last one as intrinsic. Might or ‘bala’ devoid of personal or desired which did
not go contrary to prevailing moral standards were approved. Power with goodness
to which it was harnesses was looked upon as a value to be cherished.
Satyam, Shivam and Sundaram—the truth, the good and the beautiful were
looked upon as the ultimate values or axiological criteria. The values in the traditional
educational system in ancient India have their challenges to the modern world and
modern world has its own challenges to hurl at it.
This kind of education was for life and seems to have constituted the core of
the educational systems in ancient India and Gandhi made this principle the basis of
his scheme of basic education. He was in line with the ancient theory and practice
of education in India. He looked upon literacy and education as only means for the
formation of character and not pursuit of knowledge for its own sake.
Professor P.K. Mukerji has rightly said about the relation of Values and the
Education, ‘Values are socially approved desires and goals that are internalized
through the process of conditioning, learning or socialization and they become
subjective preferences, standards and aspirations’.
Nature of Value
Let us try to understand whether values are subjective or objective.
1. Subjective view: According to this view, values do not exist independently
of the ‘valuer’ rather they find their origin in a valuing organism. Value is
depended on factors like interest, desire, likes hard work, determination power,
work or satisfaction. As a result of the combined effort of all these factors
the value is developed in the personal life of an individual and is more attached
to the personal experiences of that person. Some educators take the view
that educational values are internal and subjective. Thus textbooks, school
supplies, and other academic paraphernalia have value because of the relation
they bear to pupils and teachers who value them. The environment is neither
of worth nor is worthless unless an organism involved. Upset the organism’s
equilibrium, and instinct, emotion, and intellect will at once combine to express
a preference. Value is then realized in the native demand for the restoration
of balance. In ascribing value to his environment, man is merely projecting
these feelings into the objects to which he pays attention. But by themselves
these objects have no value until connected with some human interest.
10 Self-Instructional Material
 2. Objective view: Other educators are inclined to regard educational values Value Education:
An Overview
as external and objective. To them value is not just a private inner experience.
Rather it is an external quality in the things and circumstances which surround
teachers and learners. One way of stating it further is that everything has
some form or purpose. For instance, the skilled artisan takes wood and steel NOTES
and fashions them into schoolroom seats and desks. That is, he gives form to
these raw materials. This form lends purpose or value to the product. Value,
thus, is incorporated into the object; it is objectively part of it.
Apart from the above two views some educators and philosophers have a
third view that values have relationistic view.
3. Relationistic view: The educators who follow this view believe that there is
relation between human and its environment. They consider values to be
partially emotions and partially logic or rational in nature.
1.2.4 Types of Value
The varieties of human values are innumerable. Limitation of time delimits the scope
of values to be measured. On the basis of frequent mention in literature and their
relevance to the indigenous social milieu the values can be listed as given below.
Moral or ethical value: It is also known as logical values.
According to idealists, ethical values have the following features:
• Every person is able to do good which is an innate part of his nature and
sensation, perception and thought.
• They are obedience to universal moral laws, goodwill, society of ends,
and immorality.
According to naturalists
• The naturalists are concerned with life’s values and have some general
character of value.
• They believe in the value which people commonly enjoy, as well as
others.
• The ethics of naturalism is hedonistic, as long as this characterization is
accompanied by the conscious thought as good.
• The highest good for naturalists is pleasure. The choice of values is
based on pleasure.
• The other part of pleasure is the evil, which is also the counter part of
highest good. They believe that evil comes from society while the highest
good is given by nature.
According to realists
• The moral good can be defined as the happiness of the highest good
which increases the power of moral values.
• The realists have both spiritual nature and sensory desire.
• Spirit is to be thought of as the permanent potentiality of desire and
sensory satisfaction should be thought of as the temporary actualization
of spiritual need.
Self-Instructional Material 11
Value Education: According to pragmatists
An Overview
• They try to find the answer to the questions like where do values come
from? and what is the root of their existence?
NOTES • The values have their existence by virtue of the relation with individual
and social activities.
• The experience provides the basis of existence of values. The values
are the pragmatic guiding principles.
• Pragmatic axiology is the critical issue of values, which involves wisdom
and level of value criticism.
• There are two general aspects of pragmatic value i.e., theory and
practice, while moral value is another field of values.
• The existence of ethical value is formed by an individual–social life
process.
Religious value: Religious value is defined in terms of faith in God, attempt
to understand God, fear of divine wrath and acting according to the ethical codes
prescribed in the religious books. The relation of religion and value lies in the sense
that a person’s religious convictions, if he has any, will fix significantly what value of
life shall be for him.
Hocking holds the view that religion is as much a matter of ideas as it is of
feelings, and that the root ideas in the religion are bound to constitute a criterion by
which the rest of the life is judged. It is though much obvious that the most central of
the ideas in the religion is the idea of the supreme soul i.e. God almighty. Therefore
for a religious person at least the conception of God is likely to be the central or hub
of all the value experiences, and from it all other values will sprout.
Specification of religious value: There are two values which are supreme.
Six others may be mentioned which are important, but they are derived from the two
central ones which are—(1) Experiences of God in the self-consciousness
(2) Experience of love for God. It encompasses such desires as the longing for
spiritual self-preservation, for ultimate judgement of life, for perpetual renewal of
the work of life, and for immortality. It is essentially a simple urge towards God.
• One of the less fundamental values of the transformation of the self which
sometimes takes place in worship, and in which the whole-part relation is
significant. In worship the believer finds his true self by consciously relating
himself to the whole self in a face-to-face meeting.
• Religious experience has value on an epistemological score. For it is possible
to have some new knowledge of truth divulged to us in a worship experience.
That is to say that insight is sharpened and understandings are sometimes
given birth in us which reason and experience have not revealed to us.
• Another value arising in religious experience is an enlargement of the capacity
of creativity.
• There is also in religion the experience of vicarious success. A person may
feel that he has failed in the realising of some good. He may even doubt if
12 Self-Instructional Material
 he or his generation shall ever succeed in achieving divinely intended ends Value Education:
An Overview
at all.
• Attached with this value is its complement, which Hocking terms ‘prophetic
consciousness’. It is the development or creation of a literal, visionary and
responsible faith in us that comes only after long, tough labour NOTES
• At the end a very common value of religion is that which is based on reality
and it will certainly enhance all the other human attachments
o Thus to recapitulate we can say that according to Hockings the religious
values are consciousness of God, love for God, transformation of the
self some knowledge of truth, the development of creativity, enjoyment
of vicarious success, deliberate actualizing of divine goodness and the
general enhancement of all human relations.
Social value: Social value is defined in terms of charity, kindness, love and
sympathy for the people and efforts to serve God through the service of mankind.
According to Idealism, social values are as under:
• The social responsibilities are related to it.
• Plato has considered this value to be the best for national and social
development.
• The basis for this value is the social norms, social efficiency and social
adjustment.
• Formulating and planning new principles and objectives for social
development.
• Personality and human development are based on social development.
Naturalism has laid down the following points for social values:
• More emphasis is given to weight, age and nature than society.
• Rousseau says that society is the cause for maximum evils that is
occurring in society.
• According to naturalism, there are no social values.
Realism gives its following view on social values:
• Naturalism lays more emphasis on the physical world.
• It depends on individual faith and beliefs.
• Social norms are developed by these values.
• Person is a member of the society. He/she influences the society.
• A person is a physical and social unit. He/she have their own beliefs
and realization.
Pragmatism has the following views on social values:
• Person and society is the central point of this school.
• Person is prepared for the society.
• The school has the main social values.
Self-Instructional Material 13
Value Education: • Social efficiency has specific importance.
An Overview
• The society is the base of human life.
• Social adjustment is main process.
NOTES Aesthetic value: Aesthetic value is characterized by appreciation of beauty,
from proportion and harmony, love for fine arts, drawing painting, music, dance, etc.
Aesthetic values according to idealism:
• These types of values are behind the perceptual world
• Artistic abilities and skills provide enjoyments
• Plato considers it as specific ability and specific subject
• It is dominated by feelings or affective aspect
Naturalism gives the following opinions about aesthetic values:
• It is also known as experience values
• The specific experiences provides pleasure and happiness
• It is human nature
• It is a higher level of perception
• They do not accept the value beyond nature and matter
Realism has following concepts regarding aesthetic value:
• It is related to recreation
• Beauty is thinking of realization, skills and artistic ability
• It is related to feeling and interest of a person
• Sometimes this type of value are realized but cannot be expressed
• It is mainly related to the emotional aspect of person and this appreciation
Pragmatism holds the following views related to aesthetic values:
• Evaluation of experiences is an aspect of aesthetic values
• Aesthetic value depends on understanding
• All experiences have some specific values
• Aesthetic values are individual and social
• Our experiences have aesthetic values
• Music has the highest aesthetic value
• Artistic activities have these values
Democratic value: Democratic value is characterized by respect for
individuality, absence of discrimination among persons on the basis of sex, language,
religion, caste, colour, etc. The following are the main values or beliefs related to
democratic values:
• Rights of an individual: Right to life, dignity, security, liberty, equality of
opportunity, justice, to privacy and to private ownership of property

14 Self-Instructional Material
 • Freedom of an individual: Freedom to participate in the political process, Value Education:
An Overview
to worship, of thought, freedom of conscience, freedom of assembly, inquiry
and freedom of expression
• Responsibilities of an individual: To respect human life and respect the
rights of others. To be tolerant, honest, compassionate. To demonstrate self- NOTES
control and participate in the democratic process and lastly to respect the
property of others
Economic values: Economic value stands for desire for money and material
gains. These values are measured in the terms of expression as ‘how much’ of one
desirable condition or commodity will, or would be given up in substitute for some
other much loved condition or commodity. John Ruskin, a very famous and leading
English art critic belonging to the Victorian era had published an appraisal of the
economic concept of value from a moral point of view in 1860. His volume was
entitled Unto This Last and his central theme was:
‘It is impossible to conclude, of any given mass of acquired wealth, merely by
the fact of its existence, whether it signifies good or evil to the nation in the midst
of which it exists. Its real value depends on the moral sign attached to it, just as
strictly as that of a mathematical quantity depends on the algebraic sign attached
to it’.

Any given amassing of marketable wealth may be pinpointing on the one

hand, to faithful industries, progressive energies, and productive ingenuities or on the
other, it may be indicative of worldly luxury, hardhearted autocracy, disastrous
chicanery.
Knowledge value: Knowledge value stands for love of knowledge of
theoretical principles of any activity and love of discovery of truth.
Hedonistic value: Hedonistic value is defined as the conception of the
desirable of loving pleasure and avoiding pain.
Power value: Power value is defined as the conception of desirability of
ruling over others and also of leading others.
Family prestige value: Family prestige value is defined as the conception
of the desirability of such items of behaviour, roles, functions and relationships as
would become one’s family status.
Health value: Health value is the consideration for keeping the body in a fit
state for carrying out one’s day-to-day duties and functions.
Environmental values: Environmental values have their contribution in
disciplines like geography, sociology, anthropology, philosophy, economics, politics,
ecology and other disciplines, which share the current and prospective environment
of human beings and other species. It is aimed to elucidate the relationship between
realistic policy issues and more fundamental principles or assumptions. The present
pattern of human activity on Earth has resulted in the degradation of environment.
The narrow perception of reality is the main cause of environmental crisis and it
includes all kinds of land, air and water pollution. Multiple factors are responsible for
the degradation, some of them are as follows:

Self-Instructional Material 15
Value Education: • Human population explosion
An Overview
• Large amount of Chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs) generation
• Biodiversity in the nature
NOTES • Radiation hazards and unbalanced ecology
• Advancement of technology
Environmental values can be well developed among the children and the society by:
(i) Creating a healthy family environment: Family is an informal institution
where good social qualities and habits can be well developed.
(ii) Effective role of school: School is considered to be a miniature society and
contributes for positive socialization of the child.
(iii) Community role: Community develops cultural environment for the values
of the life and it makes educational process more meaningful and purposive.
Rokeach Value Survey
Milton Rokeach created the Rokeach Value Survey (RVS). It consists of two sets
of values, with each set containing eighteen individual value items. One set is called
terminal values which refer to desirable end-states of existence and the other set is
called instrumental values. These are the goals that a person would like to achieve.
Table 1.1 Terminal and Instrumental Values in Rokeach Value Survey

Terminal Values Instrumental Values

An exciting life (a stimulating, active life) Broad-minded (Open minded)
A sense of accomplishment (lasting Capable (Competent, effective)
contribution)
A world at peace (Free of war and conflict Cheerful (lighthearted, joyful)
A world of beauty (beauty of nature and the clean (neat, tidy)
arts)
Equality (brotherhood, equal opportunity for courageous (standing UP for your
all) beliefs)
family security (taking care of loved ones) Forgiving (willing to pardon others)
Freedom (independence, free choice) Helpful (working for the welfare of
others)
Happiness (contentedness) Honest (Sincere, truthful)
Inner harmony (freedom from inner conflict) Imaginative (daring, creative)

Mature love (sexual and spiritual intimacy) Independent (Self-reliant, self-

sufficient)
National security (Protection from attack) Intellectual (Intelligent reflective)
Pleasure (an enjoyable, leisurely life) Logical (Consistent, rational)
Salvation (saved, eternal life) Loving (affectionate, tender)
Social recognition (respect, admiration) Polite (Courteous, well-mannered)
True friendship (close companionship) Responsible (dependable reliable)
Wisdom (a mature understanding of life) Self-controlled (restrained, self-
disciplined)

16 Self-Instructional Material
 Value Education:
1.3 INHERENT DIFFICULTIES IN ACQUIRING An Overview

VALUES

Value education has always been a challenge that has been accepted as fact by NOTES
academia. This calls for a framework that is sufficient for inculcating value and
imparting education to the students on the cognitive level. Resonating with the
cognitive behavioural and functional aspects is essential since this would help the
young minds develop moral behaviour that impacts the society in a positive way
while improving the life quality at the individual level. However, with ongoing debate
and with numerous challenges that are faced by the teachers, there is still a significant
gap into acquiring value by the students or youths. Broadly speaking, we will need to
learn about two categories that influence the value learning process. The ‘Pedagogic
Challenges’ that the academicians, teachers and the educators today are facing and
the ‘Importance of Cognitive Core’ that has to be the part of the modular teaching
methodology for furthering changes in the learning for value. Let us discuss these
two in detail.
Two Factors of Value Education
Value education comprises of broadly two factors, explicit and implicit values. Explicit
values comprise of methodologies, programmes and inclusion of different pedagogies
that are utilized by the teachers or the educators for the creation of a proper learning
experience by the students.
Implicit values relate to different aspects that include educational experience
impacting the influence of learning value. This concept is often not the explicit form,
but the hidden concept of the curriculum. The point of challenge often arises from
the explicit and the implicit approach of education that creates multiple other challenges
into dissemination of the knowledge on the academic level. Whatever the approach
adopted by the educational system, the most essential step is to keep in mind the
primary objectives.
Objectives of Value Education
• Impacting and improving the integral growth of individuals.
• Creating positive attitudes and measurable improvements for sustainable
lifestyle.
• Increasing individual awareness pertaining to national integration, cultural
heritage, environment conservation, community development and constitutional
rights.
• Developing individual awareness towards the significance and role of values.
• Creating an amicable environment through raising individual awareness to
the environment and the interaction with the environment.

Self-Instructional Material 17
Value Education: Pedagogical Challenges
An Overview
The most essential thing is to bring the focus on the timely value study. The current
system is complex and requires a change in the framework, there are many
challenges ahead for improving and enhancing it.
NOTES
To begin with the following are some of the primary challenges that stand in
the way of education.
Including the Nature and Sources
The primary concern of a teacher is to introduce the students to the concept of the
value to begin with. Even if that is done, there are other challenges like describing
the sources and the nature of values. The cause of challenges is making the students
understand about the two aspects of value that involve the cognitive weighting that
makes them aware about desiring to do good and knowing the quality of the goodness
that is desirable. Grappling with these concepts on the educational front often create
a huge challenge for the teachers.
Researchers Oliver and Bane with Kohlberg made an observation in relation
to the same challenge after providing classroom reasoning related to cognitive values
and justice. The results however, were not complementary to the stimulus provided
at the classroom level to the students who were far from the flow-on behaviour
when they were engaged in playground activities. The results were not
complementary in relation to the classroom teaching that failed to translate into a
positive action by the students who received it. This clearly states that there needs
to be a system in place that will ensure a disposition that will translate to an action
rather than a cognitive state.
Identifying the Teaching Domains
The teaching domains need to have a viable framework that would help the student
learn about value the following are some of the aspects that will help you understand
more about what needs to be included in teaching domains to form an essential part
of the system:
• Engaging the internal drive is an essential aspect when it comes to reaching
out to the students. This drive can be regulated with the help of learning
experiences that can be included within daily teaching. However, another
challenge is being able to identify the level of internal drive for each student
that makes it utmost difficult to devise a uniform system that will ensure the
involvement at an intellectual level.
• Monitoring and regulating the concepts and ideas for a better functioning of
the students. This poses as another challenge that needs to be included in the
structure of evaluation.
• Devising a formalized plan and test conditions that will ensure a behavioural
outcome or reaction from the subject involved may provide conclusive results.
This will ensure how under given conditions an individual will act keeping in
mind the values that they have already learned.

18 Self-Instructional Material
 • Creating tasks that will improve the moral aptitude of the student with regard Value Education:
An Overview
to feeling and thinking capacities involved in decision making at the time of
the given situation.
• The teacher should be able to observe closely only after including variety of
situations that are formal and informal over a given time period to ensure that NOTES
the results are reliable.
Application of Complementary Strategies
Complementary strategies need to be devised and applied with relation to inclusion
of value within the curriculum that would form an essential part of school practices
at large. It is essential to ensure that education is imparted in a proper way. Including
the value within the curriculum that would comprise all the elements such as social,
aesthetic, intellectual and religious makes the model complex. The hidden curriculum
that was once a part of the sixties education is now being rehashed according to the
modern era. Thus again creating a conflict of classroom teaching vs. other school
practices at large.
Role Model Teaching
Role model teaching is yet another aspect that needs to be understood by every
teacher. Administrators and teachers are the role models to the students that make
them the primary mode of acquiring value for the students. The impact of their
behaviour upon the psyche of the student has a lot to say about the practices they
themselves follow while teaching value. Clearly outlining the need for moralistic
behaviour of the teachers towards students would positively impact upon their minds
without separating themselves from the teaching methodology.
Importance of Cognitive Core
Cognitive core is all about the beliefs and perceptions that one forms with relation to
the environment and their perception of it that greatly impacts the mental process of
an individual. It is essential to understand that classroom teaching is not the only
primary source from which a student is able to receive value; cognitive core too is
an equally important aspect. Deficiency of this essential aspect within the curriculum
is something that should not be ignored at all. Therefore, it is essential to learn about
the elements influencing cognitive core.
Belief Systems
It is hard not to include or understand the importance of the belief system to be a
part of the curriculum. A careful integration of the belief system is what creates a
huge challenge for structuring a system that would be suitable to all. A disciplined
system that involves studies and tests is required. However, going by Kohlberg’s
research, the tests too did not fetch conclusive results or validity of the dilemma that
was not able to guarantee a practice of working life situations. Another approach
may include the Confucian model that encomposses teaching morals as a duty towards
elders in the light of expectation to produce willing allegiance to the precepts.
However, even this too could not produce results due to the fact that it is hard to

Self-Instructional Material 19
Value Education: impose an unquestioning obedience. Additionally, when this is done in the classroom
An Overview
as opposed to the authoritarian in a social or home structure the allegiance is hard to
achieve. It then becomes more of an option that most of the younger generation
would choose or not choose to go with.
NOTES
Integrated Network
Beliefs and values often rest upon integrated network that is essential for the students
to understand. Inclusion of articulated life stances within the cultural heritage need
to be inspected deeply to help understand the connection. Here it is essential to
understand that the approach should be balanced, it should neither be imposed nor
ignored with relation to the belief systems. The influence of value can only be achieved
through the inclusion of explore attitude. The way an individual is connected to a
group or a network of religious or moral teachings has much to do with cognitive
learning. For this reason it is essential to modulate the approach that should appeal
and create the desired outcome.
Religion Based Schools
Often the biggest dilemma related to value teaching is faced by religion based schools.
It is essential for them to ensure that while the students are able to learn, but they
should not conform to group pressure. It is essential to understand that the system
should be devised that would give rise to critical view point towards such affiliations.
It is essential that each student should not cave into embracing an uniform value
system without respecting other forms with whom they disagree.
Pluralistic Approach
If the education system at large has been successfully able to come out with a value
teaching methodology then applying a pluralistic approach is essential too. It is all
about adapting an approach that includes teaching students who come from different
backgrounds and different cultures. Comprising the plurilingual and pluricultural
competence are the basic concepts that form the basis of pluralistic approaches. In
simple terms, it is all about learning and teaching all cultures that would be profitable
and beneficial for every student. However, it is often not the approach that is included
by the schools these days; the protectionist approach is often seen to be dominant in
the school curriculum that may lead to social fragmentation. Schools not willing to
accept the importance of other cultures and other teachings are what make it yet
another challenge to teach value at large. This approach is often on the increase that
makes it difficult to achieve a middle ground.
Public Morality vs. Personal Morality
Often the emphasis on public morality overcomes personal morality in the schools or
educational institutes. It is hard not to understand that while public morality is the
widely accepted norm, but personal morality should be emphasized by the schools.
Taking a unified approach in this context then becomes difficult for schools. However,
integration of these approaches together is a difficult task. Schools should be able to

20 Self-Instructional Material
present study trials that includes responsible citizenship, community morale along Value Education:
An Overview
with personal life goals and personal morality. An amalgamation of these two essential
aspects in the value system is required although it is often lacking in the system. It is
essential to understand that attitudes and feelings are based on personal visions of
life as opposed to isolated teaching systems comprising connectedness and resilience. NOTES

Conclusion
All that has been stated about the challenges that educational institutes are facing
are enough to draw a conclusion that they need to modulate their teaching
methodologies accordingly. The specific areas of challenges highlighted earlier helps
in understanding what all needs to be included or made redundant in the value teaching
structure. Keeping all this in mind it is essential to take necessary steps towards
improving and enhancing the current value framework with measures that would
impact individual choices while keeping the interest of the society at large.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

1. What are the content and intensity attributes of value?
2. What all does a social value integrate?
3. What is prophetic consciousness?
4. What are the two factors value education comprises of?

1.4 CONCEPT AND NEEDS OF MORALITY

The word ‘morality’ can be described in two ways:

• Descriptive
• Normative
Descriptive: This refers to codes of behaviour as put forward by:
(a) Society
(b) Some other assembly, such as a religion
(c) Behaviour of an individual leading to his or her own set of rules and regulations
Normative: A code of conduct that is to be followed by all rational people. This is
known as a normative moral code.
Anthropologists use the descriptive meaning of ‘morality’ when they compile
reports on their studies of moralities of society. ‘Morality’ has also been referred to
as any code of conduct that individuals look upon as most important.
In the case of normative morality, individuals should not go against the expected
logical code of conduct. Everybody who describes ‘morality’ as normative maintains
that, under reasonable specified conditions, all rational people would approve that
code. Moral theories differ with different people according to the code of conduct
they apply to themselves.
Self-Instructional Material 21
Value Education: In the descriptive sense, ‘Morality’ has a fundamental feature that is very
An Overview
different and is not present in the ‘morality’ of the normative sense. It draws attention
to codes of conduct which are accepted by certain individuals, a group or society.
Those individuals, who are not a part of that group or society, do not follow that code
NOTES of conduct. They follow the descriptive definition of ‘morality’ under which no specific
rules of behaviour are laid down. They follow a behavioural pattern which they feel
all rational persons would follow. They also categorize some kinds of behaviour as
immoral.
Nature of Morality
Most of us acquire the basic principles of our morality from others and accept them
as true and valid, without any sort of further questioning.
Morality covers the vast ring of human conduct that is seen in our interaction
with other humans. Morality is associated with every aspect of our life and each and
every minute of our life. The morality we follow administers all our contacts with
members of the society we live in – from our family, our co-workers, our place of
worship, to all aspects of our government. It decides our attitude towards politics,
our children, war and peace, our parents and religious issues such as life after death.
When we talk about morality we don’t talk just about a philosophic notion; we
talk about the morality we follow in all our day-to-day actions. If we want our
interaction with other human beings to be effective, it is extremely important for us
to get clarity of the concept of morality with all its expressions and implications. A
clear understanding of morality is of extreme importance in all our interactions and
for the achievement of happiness. If the concept of morality is not clear to us, then
we will continuously face many conflicts in our lives.
Morality has no role to play when we deal with non-living objects such as
cars and houses. Morality is not concerned with inanimate things. Neither does
morality have any role to play in our interaction with animals. It is only concerned
with interaction among human beings.
Human behaviour is governed by the basic values taught to us since childhood.
These are deeply embedded within us. However, the human mind is continuously
evolving and we have mastered the art of how to make people do things we would
want them to do for our benefit. The entire purpose of human existence is to influence
people by different means for our benefit and with as much subtlety as possible.
However, the degree of subtleness depends on the interaction of the person who is
manipulating and the person who is being manipulated.
Morality has negative effects too. One of the primary spheres of human
mortality is to manipulate other human beings to get them to perform certain tasks.
Let us explain this with the help of an example. Rohit may call Joginder ‘evil’ to prod
him to mend his ways and change his behaviour positively. Ashok may call Manoj
‘evil’ so as to prevent other people from following him. Siddharth may call Aditya
‘evil’ to deprive him of his property, or to kill him.
Till now, it is clear that mortality revolves around the behaviour of a person
and how it can vary for our own benefits. Morality revolves around concepts such
22 Self-Instructional Material
as good or bad, right or wrong, good or evil, moral and immoral. Mortality gives us Value Education:
An Overview
an insight of how to react under various circumstances.
The term morality should not be confused with similar terms such as ethics
and laws. The term ethics may be synonymous with morality but ethics comprises
a set of rules that one follows. These are unspoken rules that must be followed at all NOTES
times. These may be professional ethics which is commonly termed as business
ethics. This term is a little unclear and should be avoided in the discussion of moral
issues. Since ethics are basically unspoken laws, we must avoid any confusion with
actual laws laid down by governing authorities and morality.
The other term often associated with morality is law. Both these terms, that
is, morality and law, are not similar. An act may have moral values, may be valued
and be completely lawful in some countries and may have dire consequences in
some others. This difference may be due to differences in the religious values of
different countries. For example, eve-teasing in Western countries is not considered
a major crime, whereas in the Middle East, severe punishments are given for eve-
teasing. To function smoothly, society must follow common values accepted by the
larger share of members of that society so that peace and harmony can be maintained.
The comfort and security of a society and individuals partly depends on a familiar
code of conduct.
Different people may follow different moral values. It is not a requisite that
all members of society must follow the same set of moral values. However, it is
essential that all individuals must be aware of the differences in values that might
exist amongst various other groups. This unanimity enables people to maintain
harmonious relationships not only with other individuals of their own culture, but
with people of other societies as well.
In order to ensure that the roots of a society remain firm and to keep the
society united, it is necessary for all individuals to stick to the basic set of laws of
moral conduct which we shall call, Three Natural Laws of Morality. These laws
are called natural, not because these laws remain the same over time, but because
they are laws that have developed from the basic nature of man.
• The most basic law of the ‘Three Natural Laws of Morality’ is called the
motto. This law is common to all communities and societies. It maintains
that all the individuals in a community must abstain from killing or injuring
other fellow members of the community, except in the case of self-defence.
This law is simple and self-explanatory. All societies from various walks
of life and with different beliefs have accepted and enforced it vigorously.
• The second natural law of morality is concerned with the rights of all the
members of a community to be free from being slaves.
• The third natural law is the right to hold property.
In the study of morality there are a number of questions and discussions that
arise: Is morality a human concept in evolution? How is morality forced on humans?
Is it absolute, universal or dependent on objectives?

Self-Instructional Material 23
Value Education: There is a gap between understanding the nature of morality between the
An Overview
objectivists and the subjectivists. The most important and huge difference here
lies in whether an act is a matter of individual preference or a moral fact.
For example, objectivists might say that the act of cruelty has nothing to do
NOTES with human preference; factually, it is morally wrong. Even if some people enjoy
being cruel, and would like others to approve of their actions, they would still be
morally wrong, because a moral quality can in no way be influenced or affected by
what people prefer.
On the other hand, subjectivists maintain that a moral fact is only a procedure
to be followed. They argue that there is no such thing as a ‘moral fact’. How can
objectivists show that cruelty is a morally wrong fact? How can that be established?
Surely nothing can be morally right or wrong about cruelty, since there are no
such facts as morally right or morally wrong. For example, when we tell a driver
that it is incorrect to drive on the left side of the road, there is nothing morally right
or wrong about it. At most, it is a procedure that we follow to gain satisfactory
results of everyone following the same rules.
Subjectivists lay down procedures to give us whatever is necessary for a
good society. A good society refers to a society where we all have a good quality of
life and are content. Whatever moral rules are laid down are with the intent of
maintaining desirable behaviour and order in society.

1.5 EDUCATING PARENTS AS NATURAL MORAL

EDUCATION

Parents are the primary educators of children who are responsible for providing
primary moral education. The reliability of feelings, moral thoughts and actions are
all a part of a set of processes that are inherited from the parents. The parental
influences on the psyche of children’s’ moral development play a huge role.
Let us understand all about the parental influences that includes induction,
expression, demandingness, setting limits, modeling and implementation creates an
impact on the actions of children and their decision making process. Let us discuss
each of the essential dimensions in detail.
Induction
Induction is the most powerful parental influence on the moral development of a
child. Additionally, parental behaviour and the long term implications on the child are
essential to notice that are responsible for developing conscience, moral reasoning
and altruism. Philosophers often argue that often the behaviour of parents is what
shapes up the behaviour of children. Here the most essential aspect that one needs
to remember is that parents need to practice what they preach and then preach
what they practice. This would create maximum impact upon the cognitive functioning
of the child and influence the empathy aspects helping them to internalize and set
standards for behaving morally.

24 Self-Instructional Material
 Parents explaining their children about their behaviour and their awareness Value Education:
An Overview
towards the effect of their behaviour are directly related to acknowledgement towards
the fact that the feelings of the child along with the viewpoint are worth their attention.
For this reason the induction models are rational in approach.
NOTES
Nurturing and support
Parenting involves core components related to morality that is Authoritative Parenting
as explained by Baumrind. According to him, it is through authoritative child rearing
that is helpful in determining moral-emotional patterns. It is through this that you as
a parent are responsible to foster self-awareness, respect and social sensitivity along
with authority and respect for rules. It is essential to keep in mind that one needs to
implement open communication that revolves around the idea of making the child
feel valuable and worth the positive treatment.
Demandingness
There are three major components when it comes demandingness.
1. Parents should be able to set high but practical goals. Here parents need to
communicate these goals to their children.
2. Providing support for attainment of the set goals.
3. Monitoring the children regularly whether they are able to meet these
expectations.
Modeling
This requires the parents to teach their kids by setting an example. Respecting the
kids is essential to teach them respect. Another thing to notice is how parents speak
about others that are friends, acquaintances, relatives, neighbors and even strangers.
Children observe their kids closely and this is how they learn. Remember, if you are
modeling negative behaviour that includes abuse then this is what the kids learn
about it. Let the kids come up to you for queries regarding a certain behaviour or
action and you as a parent resolves these in the best possible way.
Keeping all these components in mind, parents need to include these in their
teachings related to morality. This would help them bring up their children who are
responsible for their behaviour and actions. The rule of thumb being that parents
need to first understand that their behaviour and their actions are causing deep
impact upon their children and they need to modulate it accordingly before teaching
their kids.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

5. What is descriptive morality?
6. What is the second natural law of morality concerned with?
7. What is the most powerful parental; influence on the moral development
of a child?

Self-Instructional Material 25
Value Education:
An Overview 1.6 VALUE EDUCATION: MEANING,
SIGNIFICANCE AND GLOBAL TRENDS

NOTES The concern for value education is reflected in our key policy documents from time
to time. After independence, the National Commission of Secondary Education (1952-
53) was a significant landmark in emphasizing character building as the defining
goal of education. The shift of focus, over the decades, from religious and moral
education to education for peace, via value education, parallels the shifting sense
and sensitivities in the larger context of education. The acceptance of education for
peace as a necessary ingredient of holistic education in the western context was
driven by deepening anxieties about the rise and spread of violence. A similar pattern
is obtained in our context as well.
Why education for values?
A most important reason for reorienting education for values is the fact that the
current model of education contributes to the lopsided development of students.
This model of education puts exclusive focus on cognitive to the total neglect of the
affective domain and presents alienation between the head and heart. Students are
nurtured in a spirit of excessive competition and are trained right from the beginning
to relate to aggressive competition and facts detached from contexts.
The individualistic idea of excellence is promoted at the cost of emotional and
relational skills. Young learners hardly understand why they are in school, why they
are studying different subjects and how their schooling will be helpful to them. Their
understanding is limited to learning about the subjects. They hardly know how they
should live their lives, commit themselves to the welfare of the country, care about
the environment and other social and moral issues. They are not clear as to what
sort of persons they hope to become when they complete their school education.
Education of this kind turns children into machines. Such a perspective defeats
the very purpose of education - the wholesome development of personality including
ethical development which is fundamental for making responsible decision making
in case of moral conflicts.
Improvement of the quality of education has always been the key concern
for education. In recent times, quality education has been defined in more pragmatic
terms. It has become synonymous with employability, preparation for the word of
work, less and less consideration is given to the subject of education, i.e., individual
student and his/her full development as a human being.
Improvement of quality of education is not the only reason for value education.
The current resurgence of interest in education as a powerful means to inculcate
values among students is also due to the fast degeneration of values in our country.
Despite considerable progress made, our society is shaken by conflicts, corruption
and violence. There has been distortion in our value system.
The problem of declining values is multi dimensional arising out of a combination
of major social forces such as globalization, materialism, consumerism,
26 Self-Instructional Material
commercialization of education, threats to humanity due to climatic changes, Value Education:
An Overview
environmental degradation, violence, terrorism.
Causes of Value Crisis in Present Society
1. Challenges of traditional values: In the past, the society in which we NOTES
were living was well protected and self-contained. But today the technological
advances have brought many changes at the personal, racial, social and national
levels. Man has to adjust himself to all the variations, and this has given rise to
a crisis in the value system.
2. Development of the attitude of cynicism: The attitude of people towards
the existing value system is turning out to be negative. Rejection of the pre-
existing values and not believing in formulating new ones has brought
deterioration of the moral values.
3. Loss of leadership and ethical values in teachers: Teachers have three
important functions to perform, i.e., to teach, set examples for others and
have influential effect. But in this materialistic society teachers have lost
their sense of devotion and dedication towards their profession. Teachers
must themselves set examples for their students; only preaching will not help
the students to follow the right beliefs and values.
4. Undue emphasis on literacy: Just getting a certificate or degree from college
or university is not sufficient to qualify a person as literate. Even an illiterate
can possess good qualities under the influence of right education, guidance
and values.
5. Impact of materialistic philosophy on modern society: In the mad race
of money and power people are neglecting values. For people only materialistic
things are more important rather than living an ethical life.
6. Increasing emphasis on Individualism: In the current scenario the social
bonding has lost its strength and people are developing a hedonistic outlook.
Love and affection even among the family members is getting lost. Thus
people are not able to develop the sense of loyalty and sacrifice.
Importance of Value Education
• Value education helps develop a healthy and a balanced personality.
• It enables a child to earn his livelihood and to acquire material prosperity.
• It develops vocational efficiency.
• It develops character and morality in children.
• It makes children ideal citizens.
• It helps in reconstruction of experiences.
• It enables children to adjust to their environment.
• It promotes social efficiency.

Self-Instructional Material 27
Value Education: • It develops cultural values.
An Overview
• It inculcates the feeling of national integration.
National Policy on Education (1986 and 1992) on the Need and
NOTES Significance of Value Education
The National Policy on Education (NPE; 1986) highlights the urgent need for value
education in view of the growing erosion of essential values and increasing cynicism
in society. With a well-designed system of curriculum, it is possible to make education
a forceful tool for the cultivation of desirable ethical, moral, spiritual and social
values. Education should foster universal and eternal values. Value education should
help to eliminate obscurantism, religious fanaticism, violence, superstition and fatalism.
Education which inculcates universal and eternal values like compassion, courage,
honesty, and tolerance and truthfulness, will help in developing balanced individuals
and in creating a humane society.
The National Policy on Education (1986 and as amended in 1992) observes,
‘Every country develops its system of education to express and promote its unique
socio-cultural identity and also to meet the challenges of the times. There are moments
in history when a new direction has to be given to an age-old process. That moment
is today.’
NPE has further observed, ‘Education has an acculturating role. It refines
sensitivities and perceptions.’
The NPE has further expressed its concern over ‘value crisis and the role of
education’ as, ‘The growing concern over the erosion of essential values and an
increasing cynicism in society has brought to focus the need for readjustments in the
curriculum in order to make education a forceful tool for the cultivation of social and
moral values’.
The Programme of Action on National Policy on Education (1986) in the
chapter entitled ‘The Cultural Perspective’ under the sub-heading ‘Institutes of Moral
Education’ has made the following observations:
‘A special place has been assigned to imparting of value-oriented education in
the Education Policy document. A beginning would be made by instituting a
special study on value-oriented education. Based on its analysis, it would in
collaboration with NCERT and state institutions, help in suggesting broad
parameters of values of integrity truth, devotion, loyalty, etc., with particular
reference to their embodiment in Indian heritage, so as to blend naturally with
the overall educational process.’

Readjustment of the Curriculum and School Programme for Value

Education
A comprehensive programme of value education is the need of the hour. The following
schematic representation of the process of value education illustrates the entire
programme of value education.

28 Self-Instructional Material
 Value Education:
An Overview

NOTES

Fig. 1.2 A Schematic Representation of the Process of Value Education

Source: National Seminar on ‘Philosophy of Value Oriented Education—‘Theory and Practice’
18–20 January 2002, Delhi.

Fig. 1.3 Ever Evolving Circle of Value Education

Source: Journal of Value Education, July 2003, NCERT

Self-Instructional Material 29
Value Education: Fourfold Programme for Value Development
An Overview
1. Project and Activities
The following are the important activities to be undertaken in the school in this
NOTES regard:
1. Celebration of national festivals
2. Social service programmes
3. Emphasis on the unity of all religions, harmony among communities and national
integration
4. Development of scientific temper
5. Community prayer in the school
6. Health and cleanliness programmes
7. Socially useful productive programmes
8. Citizenship training programmes
9. Cultural and recreational programmes
10. Student self-government in schools
11. Introduction of information technology
12. International understanding
13. Appropriate teaching-learning situations
2. Talks
Emphasis should be laid on the unity of all religions, appreciation of the sentiments of
faith of all sections of the society, harmony among communities, linguistic groups
and emotional and national integration.
3. Removing prejudicial contents from textbooks
Special drive should be undertaken to ensure that the textbooks contain unbiased
material and in no way hurt the feelings of any section of the society.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

8. What was a significant landmark in emphasizing character building as the
defining goal of education?
9. What are some of the social forces responsible for the decline in values?

1.7 SUMMARY

• A value is what an individual desires, likes or prefers. Value comes from, the
Latin word ‘valere’, which means to be of worth or to be strong.
• In its philosophical or educational interpretation, values signify neither a thing
nor an individual but a reflection or a point of view.
30 Self-Instructional Material
• According to its verbal meaning, values signify that eminence of an individual Value Education:
An Overview
or things which makes that individual or thing important, respectable and
useful. This quality or eminence can be internal or external or both.
• Educational values are related to those activities which are good, useful and
valuable from the point of view of education. Earlier also it has been pointed NOTES
by Adams that education is a bipolar process which has two parts (i) The
teacher and (ii) The child.
• Religion etymologically refers to a state of unification between two aspects
which not look separated for whatever reason, but have the capability of
becoming one again. Religion, therefore, believes in the unity of man and
God.
• The culture of a person may be roughly described as the expression of a
‘consciousness of life’ which formulates itself in three aspects.
• Truth (satya), righteous conduct (dharma), peace (shanti), love (prem) and
non-violence (ahimsa) are the core universal values. They are the foundation
for the building of value-based education programme.
• Social value is defined in terms of charity, kindness, love and sympathy for
the people and efforts to serve God through the service of mankind.
• Power value is defined as the conception of desirability of ruling over others
and also of leading others.
• Milton Rokeach created the Rokeach Value Survey (RVS). It consists of two
sets of values, with each set containing eighteen individual value items. One
set is called terminal values which refer to desirable end-states of existence
and the other set is called instrumental values.
• Value education comprises of broadly two factors, explicit and implicit values.
• Explicit values comprise of methodologies, programmes and inclusion of
different pedagogies that are utilized by the teachers or the educators for the
creation of a proper learning experience by the students.
• Implicit values relate to different aspects that include educational experience
impacting the influence of learning value.
• The word ‘morality’ can be described in two ways:
o Descriptive
o Normative
• Anthropologists use the descriptive meaning of ‘morality’ when they compile
reports on their studies of moralities of society. ‘Morality’ has also been
referred to as any code of conduct that individuals look upon as most important.
• The Three Natural Laws of Morality are called natural, not because these
laws remain the same over time, but because they are laws that have
developed from the basic nature of man.
• The concern for value education is reflected in our key policy documents
from time to time. After Independence, the National Commission of Secondary
Self-Instructional Material 31
Value Education: Education (1952-53) was a significant landmark in emphasizing character
An Overview
building as the defining goal of education.
• The National Policy on Education (NPE; 1986) highlights the urgent need for
value education in view of the growing erosion of essential values and increasing
NOTES cynicism in society.

1.8 KEY TERMS

• Ethics: They refer to moral principles that govern a person’s behaviour or

the conducting of an activity.
• Morality: They refer to principles concerning the distinction between right
and wrong or good and bad behaviour.
• Induction: It refers to the process or action of bringing about or giving rise
to something.
• Consumerism: It refers to the protection or promotion of the interests of
consumers.
• Globalization: It the process by which businesses or other organizations
develop international influence or start operating on an international scale.

1.9 ANSWERS TO ‘CHECK YOUR PROGRESS’

1. Values have both content and intensity attributes. The content attribute says
that a mode of conduct or end state of existence is important. The intensity
attribute specifies how we rank an individual’s value in terms of their intensity
which helps to obtain that person’s value system.
2. Social value integrates the three aspects: emotions, activities and cognitive
elements, which operate simultaneously. The difference of these aspects
vanishes automatically in social values.
3. Prophetic consciousness is the development or creation of a literal, visionary
and responsible faith in us that comes only after long, tough labour.
4. Value education comprises of broadly two factors, explicit and implicit values.
5. Descriptive morality refers to codes of behaviour as put forward by:
• Society
• Some other assembly such as religion
• Behaviour of an individual leading his or her own set of rules and regulations
6. The second natural law of morality is concerned with the rights of all the
members of a community to be free from being slaves.
7. Induction is the most powerful parental influence on the moral development
of a child.

32 Self-Instructional Material
 8. After independence, the National Commission of Secondary Education Value Education:
An Overview
(1952-53) was a significant landmark in emphasizing character building as
the defining goal of education.
9. The problem of declining values is multi-dimensional arising out of a
combination of major social forces such as globalization, materialism, NOTES
consumerism, commercialization of education, threats to humanity due to
climatic changes, environmental degradation, violence and terrorism.

1.10 QUESTIONS AND EXERCISES

Short-Answer Questions
1. What do you understand by value?
2. Give any two definitions of value.
3. Why are values important?
4. List the different sources of values.
5. What are the objectives of value education?
Long-Answer Questions
1. What was the place of value in the educational systems of ancient India?
2. Discuss the different types of value.
3. Define morality. Discuss the three natural laws of morality.
4. Examine the causes for value crises in present society.
5. What did the national Policy on Education had to say on the need and
significance of value education?

1.11 FURTHER READING

Gandhi, K.K. 1993. Value Education: A Study of Public Opinion. New Delhi:
Gyan Publishing House.
Mukerji, R.K. 1949. The Social Structures of Values. London: Macmillan & Co.
Brubacher, J.S. 1983. Modern Philosophies of Education. London: McGraw-Hill
Book Company, London.
Shukla, R.P. 2004. Value Education and Human Rights. New Delhi: Sarup Book
Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

Self-Instructional Material 33
 Moral Development

UNIT 2 MORAL DEVELOPMENT

Structure NOTES
2.0 Introduction
2.1 Unit Objectives
2.2 Moral Development: Concept and Significance
2.2.1 Piaget’s Theory of Moral Development
2.2.2 Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development
2.2.3 Carol Gilligan’s Feminist Theory of Moral Development
2.3 Role of Parents to Facilitate Children’s Moral Development
2.4 Summary
2.5 Key Terms
2.6 Answers to ‘Check Your Progress’
2.7 Questions and Exercises
2.8 Further Reading

2.0 INTRODUCTION

Moral development can be defined as a process that involves development of

behaviours and attitudes in children and adults towards society, laws and rules.
These behavioural patterns are based in cultural and social norms that give rise to
morality.
The objective of moral development is to shape up the human behaviour that
would help the society at large. It all begins with parents and with what the child is
exposed to at early stages. Even we as adults came through a learning process that
involved being taught about it at an early stage of our growth. For this reason, moral
development is a great concern for parents these days. It is essential to teach the
child all about what is right and what is not. Helping a child to distinguish between
the two opposites is what parenting is all about. There are many versions of it due to
complexity of the issue at hand, the topic however, has been widely discussed by
philosophers, culture theorists, psychologists and theologians ever since. It was not
till late 1950’s that the topic was studied scientifically to find out about the implications
and impact of morality with relation to individual development and decision making
process.
In this unit, you will learn about the concept and significance of moral
development through Piaget’s, Kohlberg and Gilligan’s theories and understand the
role of parents to facilitate children’s moral development.

2.1 UNIT OBJECTIVES

After going through this unit, you will be able to:

• Discuss the Piaget’s theory of moral development
• Describe Kohlberg’s theory of moral development
Self-Instructional Material 35
Moral Development • Explain Carol Gilligan’s feminist theory of moral development
• Assess the role of parents to facilitate children’s moral development

NOTES 2.2 MORAL DEVELOPMENT: CONCEPT AND

SIGNIFICANCE

In the past, the study of moral development was considered to be on the fringe of
psychology. It has now become a worthy independent topic of study that has important
implications.
The term moral is derived from the Latin word mores, meaning manners,
customs and folk ways. Morality is indissolubly linked with social system. The child
has to learn what is good and what is bad, what is right and what is wrong. He has
also to learn his duty. All these terms clearly imply that morality has reference to
social relationship and the social process. Morality has two dimensions which are
closely interlinked. Rules of morality operate in the social context. Secondly, it is
used to mean pursuit of good life—personal moral code.
Dimensions of Moral Development
Baqer Mehdi and B P Gupta in an NCERT publication entitled, Psychology of the
Child and Curriculum (1983) observed, ‘Moral development of the child implies
inculcation in the child a number of qualities for which the curriculum provides
ample opportunities’. According to them, some important moral qualities which need
to be attended to in schools are:
• Honesty in words and deeds
• Truthfulness
• Self-respect and a desire to respect others
• Righteousness
• Self control
• Duty consciousness
• Compassion.
Moral Maturity
W Kay (1970) asserted that moral maturity involves the following elements or
attitudes:
1. Altruism
2. Rationality
3. Responsibility, and
4. Moral independence
Altruism is that element which reveals a concern for others, a readiness to
consider the feelings of other persons and to help them to the extent possible.
Rationality is the readiness to discuss the moral requirements of a situation with an
36 Self-Instructional Material
open mind. Responsibility is the readiness to accept the results of one’s actions. Moral Development
Finally, moral independence is the degree to which one is ready to reach moral
decisions by himself.
Educational Implications of Moral Development NOTES
Research findings on moral development indicate that young children whose mothers
preferred physical discipline were more likely to resist the temptation of cheating in
a game than were children of mothers who preferred other methods. Older children
deviated less than younger ones when punishment plus a reason was provided.
However, they deviated more than younger children when only punishment was
provided. Moral reasoning was also found more effective than verbal punishment in
preventing deviation.
Self-administered rewards have been found to be as effective as rewards
administered by adults. According to R M Liebert et al. (1979), ‘Among the factors
in child rearing that seem to encourage strive for achievement are warm and
encouraging mothers, reward of achievement efforts and instigation of intellectual
pursuits.’
The type of discipline one receives is related to moral development. Inductive
discipline can lead to a moral code that is internally based and, not dependent on
external sanctions. Power assertive discipline can lead to a shallow morality
based on fear of external detection.
Both parents and teachers are expected to observe high standard of morality.
Activity-oriented School Programme for Moral Development
School plays a very important role in the moral development of the child. Through
the organization of various curricular and co-curricular activities, teachers can foster
among children various moral qualities. In the teaching of different subjects like
languages and social studies, the teacher may stress moral qualities like love, sacrifice,
self-control, truthfulness and uprightness.
A suggestive list of some activities for the moral development of children is
given below:
1. Organizing group projects
2. Organizing group games
3. Organizing a school panchayat
4. Conducting daily morning school assembly
5. Celebrating national events
6. Celebrating festivals, including those of different communities
7. Organizing camps
8. Screening appropriate films
9. Staging dramas and plays
10. Stressing the main teachings of saints and seers

Self-Instructional Material 37
Moral Development 11. Looking after the cleanliness of school campus, classroom and
playground, etc.
12. Looking after the school garden
NOTES 13. Organizing social service programmes, including ‘shramdan’
14. Organizing girl guiding and scouting
15. Celebrating festivals of different communities
16. Organizing educational excursions and trips
17. Domesticating and rearing animal pets
18. Visiting backward and slum areas and rendering some sort of service to
the people living in these areas
19. Arranging community and school get-together
20. Organizing a comprehensive programme of guidance and counselling
for bringing about moral changes.
Moral Development: A Challenging Task
Moral development is not a natural endowment of man. It depends on the nature of
experiences and training to which he is exposed at home, in the neighbourhood, in
the school and in the society at large. What makes development of morality among
children particularly difficult is the prevalence of double standards among people in
general and leaders in particular. We hardly practise what we preach. We follow
different standards for ourselves than we do for others. The matter of double standards
has unfortunately touched every aspect of life and has started casting its shadow
even at the highest level. ‘These double standards of the behaviour are observed by
the child first with amazement and then with acquiescence and, hence, the efforts
made by the school to teach morality to our students become a matter of ridicule for
many’, noted the Psychology of the Child and the Curriculum. It nevertheless
further observed, ‘The fact, however, remains that both the home and the school
have to continue their efforts to develop in the child good moral character. It would
be a doomsday when the moral edifice of man collapses completely.’
2.2.1 Piaget’s Theory of Moral Development
Jean Piaget (1932) used the interview method to find the various stages of moral
development of the child. According to him, there are four stages:
(i) Anomy (the first five years),
(ii) Heteronomy—Authority (5–8 years),
(iii) Heteronomy—Reciprocity (8–13 years),
(iv) Autonomy—Adolescence (13–18 years).
1. Anomy (First five years). Anomy means without law. At this stage, the
behaviour of the child is neither moral nor immoral; it is non-moral or amoral.
His behaviour is not guided by moral standards. The regulators of behaviour
are pain and pleasure. This is the ‘discipline of natural consequences’ as
advocated by Rousseau.
38 Self-Instructional Material
 2. Heteronomy—Discipline of Authority (5–8 years). The second stage of Moral Development
moral development may be called the discipline of artificial consequences
imposed by adults. Moral development at this stage is controlled by external
authority. Rewards and punishments regulate moral development.
3. Heteronomy—Reciprocity (9–13 years). At this stage, there is the morality NOTES
of cooperation with peers or equals. This stage is regulated by reciprocity
which implies, ‘we should not do to others what will be offensive to us.’
Conformity with the group becomes imperative.
4. Autonomy—Adolescence (13–18 years). Piaget also calls this stage equity
stage. As Piaget puts it, while reciprocity demands strict equality, autonomy
develops equity, taking into account such factors as motive, circumstance,
etc. The individual at this stage is fully responsible for his behaviour. J A
Hadfield (1964) observes, ‘The goal of moral authority is to know ourselves,
accept ourselves, and be ourselves.’ The rules governing moral behaviour
come from within the individual. Such autonomy is the ideal of moral
development.
A word of caution! The different levels of moral development associated
with the different age levels must not be looked upon as fixed stages for all children.
It should neither be assumed that each succeeding stage makes the child give up the
preceding stage.
2.2.2 Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development
A L Kohlberg (1963) distinguished three levels of moral development. Pre-
conventional, conventional and post-conventional, each divided into two stages.
Pre-Conventional Level
Stage 1: Punishment and Obedience Orientation. The moral development is
determined by the physical consequences of an action whether it is good or bad.
Avoiding punishment and bowing to superior authority are valued positively.
Stage 2: Instrumental Relativist Orientation. Right action consists of behaviour
that satisfies child’s own needs. Human relations are considered in reciprocity. It
may be seen in a pragmatic way, i.e., ‘you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.’
Conventional Level
Stage 3: Interpersonal Concordance. At this stage, the child begins to like the
goodwill of others and tries to please others to obtain their approval in the form of
‘good boy’, ‘nice girl’. Good moral behaviour always pleases others.
Stage 4: Orientation towards Authority. Focus is on authority or rules. One shows
respect for authority.
Post-Conventional Level
Stage 5: Social Contract Orientation. Right behaviour is defined according to the
standards agreed upon by the group or society. These standards can be changed
through a proper procedure.
Self-Instructional Material 39
Moral Development Stage 6: Universal Ethical Principle Orientation. At this stage, the individual
keeps in mind not only the norms of society but also the universal moral principles.
To uphold these principles, an individual may be prepared to sacrifice his all, including
his life.
NOTES
2.2.3 Carol Gilligan’s Feminist Theory of Moral Development
Carol Gilligan achieved her first recognition when she published her groundbreaking
book in the year 1982 called In A Different Voice. The book is now a landmark
piece that is being debated upon by popular educationists, philosophers and even
psychologists. The book is known to have created impact for two reasons, first for
the generalization of Kohlberg’s theory on morality and the second for highlighting
feminist critique to the theory. Her perspective highlights the fact that different
genders have different qualities; she even asserts that it is not possible to place
value judgement on either of the genders.
Gilligan’s book highlights the findings on the moral development of females
that included decision-making based on the studies conducted on children and
university students. In comparison, Kohlberg’s studies centred around male candidates
only, female subjects were deficient in the studies conducted on similar age. Gilligan
found out the problem with the studies of Kohlberg’s and Piaget’s theories.
Kohlberg’s moral development theory with six stages was greatly criticised
for giving rise to upper class morality and its understanding regarding it. The critics
saw a huge gap with the working class, rural, urban class understandings related to
morality. Feminists were quick to point out all the possible sexist elements in these
theories that were devised by male researchers that only included male subjects.
Differences arise with the gender related experiences that differ with women from
that of men in every culture; this followed a reason that the moral development of
women is different from that of men.
Gilligan deemed the research of Kohlberg as biased due to inclusion of only
male subjects to conclude his findings. Another thing to notice is that the model that
he came out with was based on justice and equity that describes about six stages
that men go through related to moral development. According to Gilligan’s findings,
women interact more than men and as a result their moral decisions are based more
on the culture for caring.
How it all began?
It was in the year 1968 when Gilligan returned to Harvard and started working with
Lawrence Kohlberg and Erik Erikson. During this time she observed that Erikson’s
theory related to identity was a reflection of his own life, while Kohlberg’s ideas
pertaining to moral dilemmas were more or less related to his own experience.
In her findings, she noticed that fifteen women out of twenty-five who
registered for Kohlberg’s class dropped from it, considering the fact that it was not
easy to get into the class. However, when we look at the men attending the same
class, only five dropped out of fifty. It was Gilligan who found out that women
attending the class proposed profound questions that were related to human suffering
which were not addressed adequately by the moral theories.
40 Self-Instructional Material
 Gilligan tracked down the drop outs and began interviewing them with regard Moral Development
to their moral perspective. It was in the year 1975 that she began clarifying her
ideas in her writings. Her dissertation called In A Different Voice- Women’s
Conceptions of Self and Morality was the first ever to be published by the Harvard.
This however, triggered a debate throughout the nation amongst psychologists, NOTES
educationists and theorists. All this was a result of the argument presented in her
writing that argued about the standards of moral development and maturity that
were used for psychological testing, but were not true in case of women. Women’s
development as suggested by Gilligan is more about relationships and caring as
opposed to compliance to rules and rights. It was due to this theory that Gilligan
became an advocate across the nation to break the assumptions regarding gender.
The Theory
It was in the year 1968 that Gilligan while teaching at Harvard started criticizing the
works of Kohlberg and Erikson. She found the reports and the subjects involved
were not up to the mark to create conclusive results about morality.
Gilligan’s primary focus was on female moral development. She interviewed
women during the time of Vietnam War who were going through the dilemma of
abortions. During that time she found the investigations done by Kohlberg that were
more in the favour or men. He concluded that women were in some way less
developed as compared to men and scored low. According to her research, the
theory did not represent the experience or identity of women. This brought about a
drastic change in the way people thought about the moral development of women as
opposed to that of men. Criticizing the most popular philosophers of the time was
revolutionary within itself.
Gilligan began working independently and came out with her theories that
were more or less a critique of Kohlberg’s work. In A Different Voice:
Psychological Theory and Women’s Development (1982), she opined that only
upper class men and boys were included, and for this reason it formed a distorted
opinion which was against women. In the stage theory of Kohlberg, the emphasis
was more on the male view with regard to rules and individual rights that were
considered at a higher state than that of women’s development. Gilligan’s focus
upon the theory was to bring out the fact that women are in no way lesser than men,
they are not moral midgets, she went against these psychological opinions that dubbed
women as inferiors when it came to their moral development. Another theory to
notice about women’s development is by Erik Erickson who stated that the only way
women can develop is through a separation from family and mother, if they were not
successful in doing so then their growth would be thwarted. For these reasons when
we refer to Gilligan’s work and her theory it sure stands in a good light.
Three Stages of Development
Gilligan’s theory on moral development consists of three stages that begin from
selfish to conventional morality and then post conventional morality. According to
her, women are often hesitant to judge as they are able to view the complexities that
are present in the relationship.
Self-Instructional Material 41
Moral Development The stages of development as explained by Gilligan is more about the series
of stages that people go through while they are on their way to moral maturity.
When we compare this to Kohlberg’s stages we can se that the stages are more in
the abstract sense about ethics, while Gilligan’s stages are central to women’s
NOTES development as she describes it as a process that involves the developing sense of
responsibility with relation to the psyche of women.
The first stage is about the transition that is often criticized as selfish; it is
during this phase that the individual focuses more on self care to ensure survival.
This stage is about the time when we were children. The next stage is that of
transitional phase that involves viewing connections between self and others. Caring
for others is a good and acceptable social behaviour in the second stage. The second
transitional phase occurs when the individual goes through tension and feels a pull
between caring for others and having own desires realised. The responsibility of
taking care of others along with demand for personal needs to be met is faced
during this phase. The third stage is defined by accepting care as universal ethical
principle.
Let us now understand these three stages one by one.
Pre Conventional - This is the stage at which one is only thinking about self
that springs from the survival instinct. This is the beginning stage of individual
development which is experienced by us all during our childhood. During this phase
the attitude of the person is thought upon as selfish, the person views their connection
with self and not with others.
Conventional - During this stage care for others is shown by the individual.
Gilligan is of the opinion that this is depicted in the roles played by Mother and Wife.
Often during this stage the individual ignores the needs of self and the situation is an
ongoing process. It is during this phase that the tension between caring for others
versus self care is experienced.
Post Conventional - The principle of care is accepted in this stage; care for
self as well as for others. However, often some people are not able to reach this
level.
With these three stages of development it is easy to conclude that at each
stage an individual goes through transformational psychological state of mind that
helps them grow as an individual.
Why Carol Gilligan’s Theory is Valid?
When we talk about Gilligan’s theory the most essential aspect is that of the means
that she employs for reaching to the conclusion that has revolutionized the way one
sees moral development of women. Gilligan noticed that in Kohlberg’s class fifteen
women dropped out from a total of twenty-five. The moral development class saw
less of women as compared to men wherein only five dropped out of fifty.
Gilligan observed that women posed difficult questions pertaining to human
suffering that were not addressed in a proper manner by moral theories. In the first
dissertation on moral development, she published interview notes from these women
and their view on moral perspective.
42 Self-Instructional Material
 In her research she highlighted the fact that women’s development comprises Moral Development
of caring and relationships rather than the complexity that compliance to abstract
rights and rules offer. She directly asked questions related to women’s voices: Who
is speaking? What body? What Story? What cultural framework is the story
presented? NOTES
These questions created a revolution in the way all the theorists, educationists
and psychologists viewed women and their moral growth.
Gilligan’s findings highlighted the fact that morality pertaining to care is good
to serve as opposed to justice and rights as per the theories of Kohlberg. In her view
morality related to care and justice are distinct but still connected.
While referring to Kohlberg’s work Gilligan criticizes two facts in his theory.
The first being that the study was based on privileged white boys and men, this
caused gender biased opinion. The second fact being that the theory has male view
of rules and individual rights which is considered to be of higher stage than that of
women, especially when it came to caring effect and human relationships.
She further outlines three stages that begin from selfish to conventional morality
and then final stage that comprise of principled morality. Her theory is instrumental
in research on women’s development, adolescence, conflict resolution and moral
development. It is due to her theory that a different opinion is projected about women
and the way they behave with relation to morals.
‘Women must learn to deal to their own interests and to the interests of
others.’
When it comes to describing the pre-conventional person the stage comprise
of an individual who cares for self for survival. It is only after the transformation to
another stage that the selfish attitude transforms into a responsible behaviour where
care is shown to others as well. Post conventional stage is the final stage of individual
development wherein the person takes responsibility for self and care for others
accepting it as the societal norm. However, the thing to notice is that often only few
reach this stage.
Gilligan Vs Kohlberg
Even though these two have formed and highlighted different theories pertaining to
individual development and stages that differ vastly, there are still some similarities
the one would observe. Both the theories come from an outlook of self governed by
moral principle.
Both the philosophers emphasize on greater authority, but then fall back to
personal ethics. This difference in their approaches is what make them stand apart
from one another.
Another thing to notice is that the moral principles laid by both the philosophers
differ in their opinion as they are arrived at differently utilizing different means of
conducting experiments. The abstract principles are more about impartial treatment
and precedence of one class of people over another. Another thing to notice in the
same context is importance of justice over personal involvement, this sure finds

Self-Instructional Material 43
Moral Development appreciation in the social set up wherein it would be easy to eliminate suffering and
pain while justice is at its peak. When we look at another theory that speaks about
personal rights that directly affect ordinary people it sure causes a long term impact
though not immediate one when it comes general unrest amongst citizens.
NOTES Gilligan’s findings are more about psychological struggle of females as against
the traditional ideas of the society that are more of gender biased and are in favour
of stereotypical roles of both the genders. Gilligan claims that women should gain
personal independence after they overcome the ideas of their roles and interests
that should revolve around their children, husbands and other family members that
they are providing care for.
On the similar lines, when we apply her theory on the society and expectations
from a woman, the task becomes harder with the idea that involves self care in the
same measure that she does for others. However, when we look at Kohlberg’s
theory this psychological struggle is missing in context as only men were highlighted
in his theory.
Is She Wrong?
Gilligan’s theory is widely criticized by Christina Hoff Sommers (PhD) as she opines
that Gilligan’s theory is missing relevant data to backup the research. Another
missing link that Sommers highlights is the unreliable evidence due to which the
researchers are not able to replicate the findings, the samples too were small that
could not be utilized. Sommers strongly feel that the agenda is strongly anti-male
and it goes against both the genders.
In her argument against Sommers, Gilligan is quick to point out that her work
is published in journals and articles and what Sommers is talking about is inaccurate.
Application of Gilligan’s Theory
Let us now understand how Gilligan’s theory impacts different aspects of our lives
in different sectors.
Society
When Gilligan states that women can only gain personal independence after the
rejection of their stereotypical idea and overcoming of their personal interests as
opposed to care giving to children, husbands and other people is against the ideas of
society. In simple words, Gilligan’s theory says that women like to help others, however,
they should care for self as much as they do for others.
Education
Her theory is helpful for both the genders in a way that it helps in highlighting
different perspective. Both the genders are able to see the view point of another. In
educational terms, this should be focused upon and the need for education is essential
for both the genders. Putting the needs of another before self should be discouraged
when it comes to education.

44 Self-Instructional Material
Workplace Moral Development

The transformation of a person into ethic of care stage is essential for the one who
is going for a new job. The conventional stage is essential at the time for acquiring a
new job for making a good impression. Then one can opt the post conventional stage
NOTES
wherein care for self and another is on equilibrium level. However, not everyone is
capable or is able to reach this stage.
Conclusion
In essence, Gilligan’s arguments is great regarding the psychological makeup of
different genders that supports ethical outlook. However, when we look at the
masculine view where men are autonomous individuals who are free to act the way
they want, while still managing to live within the society differs largely with view to
Kohlberg’s theory. His theory then holds importance by implying justice and rules
that are uniformly applied within the society especially with separate masculine
selves who need governance of an authority.
On another note, when considering the interconnectedness amongst people
in a society, there arises a need for a different ethic. However, when we focus upon
relationships, the biggest threat that comes along is that of having no care for another.
It is essential to accept responsibilities with regard to people. There is a visible
ethical dilemma that one would face with regard to conflicting and competing
responsibilities. It is essential here to consider the fact that each situation needs to
be considered carefully and so that viable treatment for special cases can be arrived
upon. For this reason Gilligan is able to make sense when it comes to ethic of care.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

1. Name the stage at which moral development of the child is controlled by
external authority as per Piaget.
2. What happens at the interpersonal concordance stage as per Kohlberg?
3. Which stage of moral development as propounded by Gilligan is not
attainable by everyone?
4. When is the conventional stage important at workplace?

2.3 ROLE OF PARENTS TO FACILITATE

CHILDREN’S MORAL DEVELOPMENT

Parents are the essential trigger shaping the moral behaviour of children. Through
them children understand and obtain the domain for developmentally sensitive
explanations and reasoning related to the social world. It stimulates the development
of the child and makes them mature to the idea of moral thought.
Beginning at a very young age when the child is ready to grasp through
observing the adult behaviour, it becomes easy to mould them. You as a parent
become their model for ideal behaviour they learn from you about what is permissible
Self-Instructional Material 45
Moral Development and what is impermissible form of behaviour. Moral development is all about
influencing and shaping the decision-making trait of the child. The experiences that
a child develops from birth help in moulding the morals that eventually are responsible
for the entire development of a child. It is all about projecting the right role as a
NOTES parent towards your child to instil morals that will be valuable to them in their formative
years. Things like generosity, respect, honesty and kindness will be well understood
by them if they are already aware about the basic concept. The technique employed
by parents for teaching of morals is essential as it helps in the overall development
of the child.
When we talk about the early childhood education, there is an essential need
to address the moral development of the child. The two most essential components
like compassion and caring should be emphasized upon from early stages. These
are the primary components towards the complex world of moral understanding
from a child’s perspective that parents need to include while educating them about
moral behaviour.
Let us understand how to begin with facilitating children with moral
development and moral values.
Moral Development
It is often the most argued upon topic by educationists that moral development along
with sense of caring should begin with home environment. They are of the opinion
that moral development is not the sole responsibility of schools alone. For this reason
the emphasis of moral education at the home environment is essential.
It is to be understood that when it comes to positive moral characteristics,
these are not spontaneous, as opined by Berkowitch & Grych (1998). It is essential
to commit and involve towards addressing the cultural moral crisis. It is essential to
remember that community involvement is necessary with the given fact that there is
a lack of teaching on ethics and morality when it comes to homes. The worst part is
that some parents are caught within the negative cycle that does not set a good
example for their kids as explained by the noted American philosopher Daniel
Callahan (2004). Callahan further explains that many educators are familiar with
the cultural moral crisis and promoting ethical development within classroom.
However, the dilemma is to implement these in the best possible way that poses a
great hindrance.
The constructivist theory suggests that it is not possible to give moral functioning
to the kids, it can only be fostered. Giving an understanding about the concepts like
cause and effect cannot be done, instead what will work is providing with the
experiences that acts as catalyst into promoting an understanding towards it. Similarly,
it is important to provide experience in relation to moral functioning in children. This
needs to begin at a young age as suggested by Callahan.
Promoting Moral Development
The constructivist model of moral development is against the idea of providing a list
of virtues and vices to the kids to guide their behaviour. Still, it is essential to note
that children must learn to behave or act in a socially acceptable manner to be able
46 Self-Instructional Material
to get along with others in the society and for maintaining a good sense of self. It Moral Development
includes following etiquettes that are as basic as proper use of bathroom, table
manners and expressing frustration and anger without causing hurt to another.
However, morality is not at all limited to thinking rules it is more about introducing a
sense of compassion, caring and justice along with the ability to take perspective, NOTES
that is being able to discern the feeling or thought process of another.
Following are the six stages of teaching that involve different means of educating
the children about morals:
I. It is essential for the parents to help their kids understand the reason behind
rules that are related to moral concerns and human welfare. Discussing the
reasons why one is preferable to another will help them differentiate between
what is acceptable and what is not.
II. Matching the response to the conflicting situations regarding the level of social
and cognitive development of the child is essential too. Here one should keep
in mind that there is a difference in understanding of children on the cognitive
level that includes social and physical world. Young children operate from the
level of ego and thus their judgement is not able to create a balanced approach
to events and behaviours. For them it is difficult to assess the situation related
to them and taking into account the perspective of another.
III. Take for example the Sandbox study involving four years old children Alex
and Lisa by DeVries and Zan (2003). While Alex is busy playing in the sandbox,
Lisa awaits her turn to play. Alex doesn’t stop playing and develops a
sympathetic behaviour towards Lisa. Adults need to understand the position
of Alex wherein rules and procedures need to be established for the rights
and interests of other children. Developing a sense of rules and reasons behind
a certain behaviour is essential. Involving children in making rules helps in
promoting moral development. It is essential here to develop a rule pertaining
to time limits when it comes to sandbox, this should follow a discussion while
pointing them out how they would feel in a similar situation by not getting their
turn. Another thing to understand is that even with time limit rule Alex may
not immediately empathize with Lisa. It is essential to remind him of the rule
that is created for the purpose of protecting the feelings and rights of all the
kids. Kohlberg is of the opinion that following the rules is just the beginning of
moral reasoning or the stepping stone. At this stage children are only motivated
to follow with a fact that they will face punishment or get rewards for doing
so. Alex should be made to feel good when he follows the time rule that
includes praising him to motivate him for acting in the similar way in future.
He will then be able to follow rules for the same reason.
IV. It is essential to talk about the feelings of another related to specific action.
This is how children are encouraged to understand and take care of feelings
of others. Another addition is that done by Gilligan who introduced the theory
based on morality of care. While Kohlberg’s model is about just treatment,
Gilligan is more about the fact that it is more about care for another. It is
essential that when a parent faces a dilemma wherein there is a victim and
Self-Instructional Material 47
Moral Development another one inflicting pain. The parent should first attend to the hurt child
rather than having concerns about breaking of rules. This will help create an
environment of care for the hurt.
V. In early childhood the best way to educate kids is by using children’s literature
NOTES with examples of caring. The words loyalty and respect would then create
impact instead of being an addition to their vocabulary. Another addition would
be using the constructivist theory that helps children get a sense of morality
rather than just providing experiences, they will understand about the right
thing (Narvaez, 2001, 2002).
VI. Rewarding the acts of caring, model and encouragement work well. It is
essential for children to see others getting engaged in kindness and caring
acts of expressions. Practicing acts of kindness in daily routine too should be
encouraged. Another thing would be helping kids take care of pets that would
give them the sense of care for another.
When it comes to home environment, kids see and learn things from their
parents, for this reason parents needs to devise methods to teach morals.
Educating Kids in the Home Environment
Following can be the means of educating the kids in the home environment:
• Display Morals
Kids learn from their environment and what they see becomes their behaviour. For
this reason it is essential to modulate your behaviour according to what you want
your child to absorb. Your own behaviour is powerful enough to teach your child.
Putting the values like honesty, kindness, respect, loyalty and forgiveness should
first be practiced by you as a parent with a reason that you are the role model for
your children.
• Create a Moral Environment
It is essential to take a note that the way a family or home environment operates
effects the morals of the children and their moral developmental stage. For example,
it is often said that people are precious to possessions; for including this behaviour in
kids it is essential that parents emphasize more on why people must be valued more
instead of things. Spending quality time with your kids or taking them to a volunteering
activity or involving them in community service is essential. Choose to monitor your
kids’ screen time and include shows that are based on morals that you want your
kids to learn.
• Parent with Morals
The most essential thing to notice is your everyday behaviour that affects the child
and the way you discipline your child. Treating a child with insensitivity would create
a wall between connections with another and may result in lack of moral foundation
that is essential process for decision making as suggested by psychologists. It is
essential to show empathy when the child is low or upset that would teach them a lot

48 Self-Instructional Material
about empathizing with others. A calm voice with respectful behaviour towards your Moral Development
child will teach him more about discipline as opposed to cursing and screaming.
Involving the kid with house responsibilities or small home chores will contribute
towards their moral development as suggested by Ohio State University Extension.
NOTES
• Use Real-life Situations
It is possible that even after your model behaviour the child may see some bad
examples. Withholding information related to broken toy or loss of a valuable, having
inability to share things are some signs that you need to be more involved. Using
conversation to bridge the gap between understanding and consequences of bad
behaviour will help. For example, if your child takes away his friend’s toy without
asking for permission or breaks it accidentally, they should be educated upon the
feelings their friend is going through. The consequences of immoral behaviour must
also be included in your discussion.
Conclusion
Morality is all about helping children learn about what is moral from what is immoral.
The acceptance or precedence of one behaviour over another in a society or as a
social norm creates imbalance. For this reason it is essential to strike a balance
varying forms of morality. This is where the role of parents comes in. When parents
recognize it as an early childhood goal then they become successful in teaching their
kids about it. On another note when parents emphasize more on getting good grades
that translates to being successful the only behaviour that the child takes along as an
adult is that of being successful in a well paid job or higher position. Often a behaviour
like this may lead to steering away from fulfilment and practice of goodness. However,
when we look at success differently then, the meaning to it changes entirely on
human terms.
According to Ralph Waldo Emerson (great American poet, essayist and
lecturer) successful people enjoy a fulfilled life that has much to do with internal
happiness and joy. This inner happiness and fulfilment is why they see better in
people and leave the world a better place while giving their best to all. Perhaps this
is the exact vision as explained by Emerson in relation to success that we all should
adhere to while planning educational programs and creating activities for young
children.
This surely concludes that it all depends on what you teach your children at
an early stage that becomes their adult behaviour. Teaching them to value the right
things in life would then translate towards a good contributing citizen of a nation with
strong moral values. Parents play a key role in shaping the behaviour of their children
at an early stage through modelling, encouragement, positive re-inforcement and
loving discipline are some essential key elements that help them grow as better
individuals morally.

Self-Instructional Material 49
Moral Development

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

5. Name the two most essential components of moral development for the
NOTES early stages of childhood education.
6. Which idea does the constructivist model of moral development does not
support?
7. Mention the constructive alternative to cursing and screaming on a child
for disciplining him/her.

2.4 SUMMARY

• The term moral is derived from the Latin word mores, meaning manners,
customs and folk ways. Morality is indissolubly linked with social system.
• Morality has two dimensions which are closely interlinked. Rules of morality
operate in the social context. Secondly, it is used to mean pursuit of good
life—personal moral code.
• Jean Piaget (1932) used the interview method to find the various stages of
moral development of the child. According to him, there are four stages: (i)
Anomy (the first five years), (ii) Heteronomy—Authority (5–8 years), (iii)
Heteronomy—Reciprocity (8–13 years), and (iv) Autonomy—Adolescence
(13–18 years).
• A L Kohlberg (1963) distinguished three levels of moral development. Pre-
conventional, conventional and post-conventional, each divided into two stages.
These are pre-conventional level including punishment and obedience
orientation and instrumental relativist orientation; conventional level including
interpersonal concordance and orientation towards authority; and post-
conventional level including social contract orientation and universal ethical
principle orientation.
• W Kay (1970) asserted that moral maturity involves the following elements
or attitudes: Altruism, rationality, responsibility, and moral independence.
• The type of discipline one receives is related to moral development. Inductive
discipline can lead to a moral code that is internally based and not dependent
on external sanctions. Power assertive discipline can lead to a shallow morality
based on fear of external detection.
• Schools plays a very important role in the moral development of the child.
Through the organization of various curricular and co-curricular activities,
teachers can foster among children various moral qualities.
• Moral development is not a natural endowment of man. It depends on the
nature of experiences and training to which he is exposed at home, in the
neighbourhood, in the school and in the society at large. What makes
development of morality among children particularly difficult is the prevalence
of double standards among people in general and leaders in particular.
50 Self-Instructional Material
• Carol Gilligan achieved her first recognition when she published her Moral Development
groundbreaking book in the year 1982 called In A Different Voice. The book
is now a landmark piece that is being debated upon by popular educationists,
philosophers and even psychologists. The book is known to have created
impact for two reasons, first for the generalization of Kohlberg’s theory on NOTES
morality and the second for highlighting feminist critique to the theory.
• Gilligan found out the problem with the studies of Kohlberg’s and Piaget’s
theories. Gilligan deemed the research of Kohlberg as biased due to inclusion
of male subjects to conclude his findings.
• Gilligan’s primary focus was on female moral development. She interviewed
women during the time of Vietnam War who were going through the dilemma
of abortions. During the time, she found the investigations done by Kohlberg
that were more in the favour or men.
• Gilligan’s focus upon the theory was to bring out the fact that women are in
no way lesser than men, they are not moral midgets, she went against these
psychological opinions that dubbed women as inferior when it came to moral
development of women. Her theory on moral development consists of three
stages that begin from selfish to conventional morality and then post
conventional morality.
• Gilligan’s theory is widely criticized by Christina Hoff Sommers (PhD) as she
opines that her theory is missing relevant data to backup the research. Another
missing link that she highlights is the unreliable evidence due to which the
researchers are not able to replicate the findings, the samples too were small
that could not be utilized.
• Beginning at a very young age when the child is ready to grasp through
seeing the adult behaviour, it becomes easy to mould them. While you as a
parent become their model for ideal behaviour they learn from you about
what is permissible and what is impermissible form of behaviour.
• The constructivist model of moral development is against the idea of providing
a list of virtues and vices to the kids to guide their behavior. Still, it is essential
to note that children must learn to behave or act in a socially acceptable
manner to be able to get along with others in the society and for maintaining
a good sense of self.
• There are six stages of teaching that involve different means of educating the
children about morals: teaching reasons behind the rules, matching the response
to conflicting situations, development of a sense of rules and reasons behind
a certain behaviour, talking about feelings of another related to specific action,
using literature to educate kids in early childhood and rewarding the acts of
caring, model and encouragement.
• Displaying of morals, creating a moral environment, parenting with morals
and using real life situations are the means of educating the kids at home
environment.

Self-Instructional Material 51
Moral Development
2.5 KEY TERMS

• Moral: It is a latin term meaning manners, customs and folk ways.

NOTES • Altruism: It is the element which reveals a concern for others, a readiness
to consider the feelings of other persons and to help them to the extent possible.
• Pre Conventional Stage: It is the stage of moral development propounded
by Carol Gilligan at which one is only thinking about self that springs from
survival.
• Conventional: It refers to the stage of moral development propounded by
Carol Gilligan at which care for others is shown by the individual.
• Post Conventional: It is the stage of moral development propounded by
Carol Gilligan at which principle of care is accepted; care for self as well as
for others.

2.6 ANSWERS TO ‘CHECK YOUR PROGRESS’

1. According to Jean Piaget, it is at the second stage or heteronomy or discipline

of authority at which moral development of the child is controlled by an
external authority.
2. As per Kohlberg, at the interpersonal stage, the child begins to like the goodwill
of others and tries to please others to obtain their approval in the form of
‘good boy’, ‘nice girl’.
3. Post-conventional is the stage of development as propounded by Gilligan which
is not attainable by everyone as it involves care for self as well as others.
4. The conventional stage is essential at the time for acquiring a new job for
making a good impression.
5. The two most essential components of moral development which must be
emphasized upon from early stages of childhood education.
6. The constructivist model of moral development is against the idea of providing
a list of virtues and vices to the kids to guide their behaviour.
7. A calm voice with respectful behaviour towards a child is a good alternative
for teaching him/her discipline as opposed to cursing and screaming.

2.7 QUESTIONS AND EXERCISES

Short-Answer Questions
1. What is the difference between Piaget’s stages of heteronomy- discipline of
authority and heteronomy-reciprocity?
2. What are the two critical differences that Gilligan found in Kohlberg’s work?
3. How is display of morals for kids essential to teach them about morals?
52 Self-Instructional Material
 4. Why was Kohlberg's moral development theory with six stages greatly Moral Development
criticised?
5. Where was Erik Erickson wrong with his development theory?
6. How can the kids be taught at home environment? NOTES
Long-Answer Questions
1. Discuss Piaget’s stages of moral development of a child.
2. Describe Kohlberg’s views on moral development.
3. What does sandbox study teaches about morals?
4. Explain how Gilligan’s theory of six stages helps in moral development of
kids.
5. What makes the Carol Gilligan’s theory valid about moral development?
6. Explain how Gilligan’s theory impacts different aspects of our lives?
7. Compare and contrast Gilligan Vs Kohlberg theories.

2.8 FURTHER READING

Gilligan, C. 1982. In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women’s

Development. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Kohlberg, L. 1984. The Psychology of Moral Development. New York: Harper
& Row.
Noddings, N. 2002. Educating Moral People: A Caring Alternative to Character
Education. New York: Teachers College Press.
Noddings, N. 2002. Starting at Home: Caring and Social Policy. Berkeley:
University of California Press.
Nucci, L. 2001. Education in the Moral Domain. Cambridge, England: University
Press.
Piaget, J. 1965. The Moral Judgment of the Child. New York: The Free Press.

Self-Instructional Material 53
 Fostering Value Education

UNIT 3 FOSTERING VALUE

EDUCATION
NOTES
Structure
3.0 Introduction
3.1 Unit Objectives
3.2 Fostering Values: Meaning and Significance
3.2.1 Values in the Classroom
3.2.2 Values from the Pupil’s Perspective
3.3 Approaches to Value Education
3.3.1 Role of Teacher in Fostering Values among Students
3.4 Summary
3.5 Key Terms
3.6 Answers to ‘Check Your Progress’
3.7 Questions and Exercises
3.8 Further Reading

3.0 INTRODUCTION

At the first instance, values are recognized as the collection of moral ideas. However,
sociologists have often used this term to define values as indicating ‘the generalised
end which has the connotations of rightness, goodness or inherent desirability’. Hence,
these rules are essential and worth inculcating in students and adults.
Moreover, values are often interpreted as some socially acceptable standards.
Thus, it is imperative to say that values can be defined as collective concepts that
comprise a mix of good and bad, desirable or undesirable, proper or improper in a
given culture or a set-up.
Different sociologists and philosophers have varying views about values. Let
us now discuss about them.
M. Haralambos (author) opines that value is all about the right belief that
gives the individual a judgement of what can be good and desirable.
R.K. Mukerjee (a pioneer Indian sociologist known to have initiated social
values) opines that values are the norms related to desires and goals as set through
the process of standards, aspirations and preferences.
Thus, according to their views, value is more about a shared idea that explains
how something is evaluated when it comes to goodness. In this unit, you will study
about the meaning and significance of values, and the various approaches to value
education.

Self-Instructional Material 55
Fostering Value Education
3.1 UNIT OBJECTIVES

After going through this unit, you will be able to:

NOTES • Analyse the meaning and significance of values
• Define values from the perspective of a student
• Discuss the various approaches to value education
• Explain the role of teacher in fostering values among students

3.2 FOSTERING VALUES: MEANING AND

SIGNIFICANCE

Fostering values is not restricted to classroom teaching or home environment. Values

are imbibed through the community, work place, home environment, classroom and
even society. For this reason, it becomes a complex task to analyse the significance
of values given the different environment and the different set-ups from which it is
nurtured. However, one thing to be noted is that values when nurtured at home and
classroom leave a significant impact on the mind of the individual receiving it. At
that level, it becomes easy to groom the individual into a responsible citizen. At the
societal level, when the governing authority or leaders exhibit ideal behaviour, then it
becomes easy to communicate these values to the community and masses at large
in order to ensure a uniform code of conduct. This helps in bringing about overall
harmony and shared belief system that helps one to connect with the masses.
For numerous reasons, it is essential to understand the complexity of values.
Let us begin by understanding the types of values that should be introduced at the
school level or classroom level.
Types of values
Before beginning the topic of types of values, one needs to understand that values
are universal. It is essential to focus upon values because of the society and the
community in which we live that requires established principles for proper governance
serving as guide for proper behaviour towards another. For this reason, it is essential
that all the aspects of morality that includes, responsibility, solidarity, honesty, tolerance,
peace and cooperation should be accepted as universal values.
It is essential to understand these universal values in a detailed manner. For
this reason, classification of each of the essential values should be defined in detail
as follows:
• Personal values: These pertain to the most important principles that
shape the life of an individual. It is an important component towards guiding
one as to how to relate with another. Personal values comprise of a blend
of socio-cultural values and family values that together with individual
values form a part of individual learning. Additionally, experiences too

56 Self-Instructional Material
 play an important role as to how the individual perceives and learns from Fostering Value Education
his or her environment.
• Family values: These values are imbibed by the individual while being
brought up by his family. These values are derived from the fundamental
beliefs of the parents are useful in educating their kids. At this stage, NOTES
these form a part of basic principles or guidelines that are beneficial in
forming the initial behaviour of the individual in a society. Often this
behaviour is reflected through family behaviour that can be simple or
complex.
• Socio-cultural values: These values are influenced by the social and
cultural factors of the society that vary with changing times. These may
or may not coincide with personal or family values. These values are a
mix of complex values that may be contradictory or stir up a dilemma. An
example regarding dilemmas would be promotion of a false idea that peace
can only be achieved through violence or acts of violence.
• Material values: These are a set of values that give the survival instinct
to an individual and are directly related to the basic needs such as, clothing,
food and shelter. These are the fundamental needs that form a necessary
yet complex part of individual and socio-cultural values. However, if these
are exaggerated, then these needs will stand in contradiction to the spiritual
values. For this reason, it is essential to strike a balance between the two
to create the desired harmony.
• Spiritual values: These values are apart from the material aspects that
are more essential to the individual for his or her growth and development.
These form an essential part of human needs and are helpful in creating a
sense of fulfilment within the individual. Spiritual values give a distinct
meaning to the life of the individual while providing a strong foundation.
These are as important as religious beliefs as it is the understanding and
inclusion of these values which helps the individual in forming core values
which further facilitate the decision-making process.
• Moral values: These are the values that pertain to specific behaviour
and attitudes that are socially acceptable. This makes for the essential
components that influence order and coexistence and helps in managing
the general well-being of the society. Additionally, it is because of these
moral values that a society functions well and individuals develop
relationship with another.
Significance of moral values
Moral values form an essential part of the society and play a pivotal role in the
development of the individual. Often it is a complex to define moral values. For this
reason, valuing activities, people, ideas and objects are all dependent on the
significance they serve in one’s life. However, the criteria which assist the individual
in strictly adhering to these moral values vary from person to person. In simpler
terms, it is all about the individual interest and the priorities in his life. What serves as
Self-Instructional Material 57
Fostering Value Education the most important value in one’s life may not be so for another. For this reason, it is
essential to understand the significance of values in each context that it serves
whether it is classroom, home environment or society at large.
Following are some of the points that will help you understand more about the
NOTES
significance of values:
• When one imbibes values whether from classroom, home, organization or
another set-up, it helps him in creating a bond with that environment. As a
result, the individual is able to identify himself as an essential part of the
group.
• Values affect the development and character formation of individuals that
makes it easier to achieve goals. Without values, one would be falling
short of achieving his personal goals. Whether these goals are at the
individual level or at the societal level.
• In terms of community, values are defined as the necessary governing
rule of shared beliefs that are essential for guiding behaviour of the
individuals of the society. If these are lacking then it would be difficult for
the community to function in a cohesive group.
• When we talk about companies, schools, families or societies, the most
essential thing is having a framework for values that would help in their
proper functioning. Often collective group of individuals in different
scenarios are not able to function well due to missing shared values. This
happens due to inconsistency between what one listens and what one
needs to do. Inability to understand what is communicated and what should
be done often results in disharmony. For example, tolerance cannot be
taught to children if parents or the elders of the society are not able to
display the rightful behaviour.
• Teachers, parents, bosses and professors need to find the right way to
communicate to their students. Their authority to impart knowledge or
learning is not enough to inculcate values, standing up to the ideals is the
only way.
• When we look at things from a practical point of view, a community will
function well with shared principles that serve as a permanent guide that
will help them relate with each other.
• Sharing of values with collective set of group members in different
environments is what makes one function properly with comfort or ease.
• Organizational values are essential as they serve as the foundation for
employee attitudes, expectations and motivations. It is due to these values
that they identify with, which helps in defining their behaviour.
• If values are lacking in a working environment, one would not be able to
function properly and work would be more of a burden. Achieving common
goal would be difficult and each employee would feel directionless.

58 Self-Instructional Material
 • Values serve as a pillar towards the community; this should be properly Fostering Value Education
defined, disseminated and promoted. This requires beginning at an early
stage that would help young minds understand more about them.
In conclusion, it can be said that imparting moral values should begin at an
early age of the individual. While one might wonder the purpose of starting early, the NOTES
significance of it cannot be denied as it is at the beginning where things start shaping
up. The behaviour of children in the classroom, the teaching that they receive about
values —all assist in making them good citizens of tomorrow.
3.2.1 Values in the Classroom
The most essential thing for parents is to see their children becoming well-mannered
individuals and showing respect to others. For this reason, value education plays an
essential role in studies or at the school level as success is not just about academics,
but about values imparted to individuals.
The reason why one would enrol their children in a school is to teach them
various disciplines. However, it is essential to understand that children should nurture
values too. Academics alone is not responsible towards making of a successful
individual or towards helping achieving personal goals. Additionally, it is due to value
education which helps the students to evolve into responsible human beings.
When we talk about value education, it becomes an essential teaching method
that helps foster the development of responsible individuals. Students learn about
essential values that they should inculcate as adults. The students are able to
understand the values such as responsibility, care for others and honesty including
other important human traits that are essential in the making of a responsible citizen.
As a result, it is essential for parents as well as teachers to be concerned
about the development of children. The school and the community play a vital role in
imparting value education. Let us understand how this needs to be done at the
school level.
Values at the School Level
Even with numerous advancements in technology, the question about pedagogical
practices still remains unanswered. Even with the evolution in the learning
environment, still there are impediments to imbibing value education which is not
getting enough focus at the school level. For this reason, it is essential for teachers
to develop a framework of value education at the school level.
The first thing that one needs to understand is the context that should comprise
modulating the value education as per the latest trends. Another thing is to understand
about having proper means of coping with the present environment.
Following are some of the reasons that one needs to understand all about
teaching values at the school level:
• With rapid changes in the environment, the value education needs to change
with respect to the environment rapidly. The application of values should

Self-Instructional Material 59
Fostering Value Education change accordingly and they should be able to suit the changing needs of
the society.
• It is essential for the students to understand the importance of showing
respect to others, and caring for the natural environment. All this needs to
NOTES be taught at the school level.
• When it comes to including the modern teaching methodology, the first
step would be online behaviour and off-line behaviour. Students should be
taught the importance of maintaining responsible behaviour while using
social media and forums even with mobile devices.
• Applicability of good citizenship can now be translated to digital citizenship
that includes practicing good online behaviour. Helping them understand
about avoiding misuse of information and acknowledging respect for the
right to privacy and peace for another is essential.
• Respect for the environment can include fostering support and awareness
among students, especially when it is related to putting it into practice.
Encouraging the students for reducing screen-time and inspiring them to
appreciate knowledge would help them acquire good knowledge. They
should be able to understand about the importance of off-line world and
the acquisition of knowledge and stimulation of activities beyond the screen.
Why do we need value education?
Value education is considered significant as it helps in making responsible citizens.
Imparting moral education at the school level goes a long way in making morally
responsible citizens of tomorrow. At the school level where students spend majority
of their time, it becomes the perfect medium for teaching values.
Classroom teaching is where value education begins as it helps prepare the
students to face the society with all its implications in today’s world. It is more about
giving knowledge to the students related with the socially acceptable norms and the
ability to make the right decision wisely while dealing with the situation at hand.
It is essential to note that while schools are assisting in imparting value
education, value education on the other hand, helps children in coping with negative
influence. For instance, these days with the rapid advancement of information
technology, students are exposed to content available on social media and so forth.
Even with the given value education, it is not easy to counter such influence due to
the exposure that young people obtain through different means. This calls for a
framework that teaches the students about prioritizing things and handling pressure
that only value education can provide.
Value Education and Academics
Nurturing value education along with academics has a great influence on students
during their learning years. One cannot imagine academic achievement without
value education. Diligence combined with responsibility is recognized as one of the
values of moral education. These together helps a student develop the capability to

60 Self-Instructional Material
counter difficulties and pressure related not only with studies but also that of real- Fostering Value Education
life experiences. Additionally, the drive to achieve good marks or to excel academically
too will inspire them.
Value teaching in schools helps in building character of the students which
NOTES
enables them to interact in a proper manner with the fellow students and teachers.
This sure makes for a good learning environment.
Value Education at School
Inclusion of values in the classroom makes the environment positive which directly
impacts in increase attendance along with good academic performance. This clearly
states that when value is included in the curriculum, students are able to perform
better. Undoubtedly, values form a support structure towards achieving success on
the individual level. If this is included, then one would be able to see many positive
changes.
When children learn about value at the school level, it becomes useful for
them in facing real-life situations. Their engagement with others and their interaction
with people gets reflected in their behaviour. Value education is all about teaching
the students to become responsible towards the community as well. When all this is
taught at the school level, students are able to identify the rightful behaviour that
helps them become good citizens.
Why Teach Moral Values
Education in school is not only about learning various disciplines and languages as is
the general perception. It is beyond the definition of academic education that value
or moral education stands. Only few realize the importance of value education to be
an essential part of the curriculum. While the biggest hindrance that schools face is
that of ignorance of value teaching within the classroom. Think about a scenario
where individuals devoid of moral education are not able to differentiate between
right and wrong? For this reason, it is essential to know about the importance of
value in school curriculum that forms the essence of one’s character.
Let us now learn about the importance of moral values for students.
Educators and parents should together advocate about value teaching in schools
due to the following reasons:
• Preparation for society: The learning acquired by children in schools is
not primarily meant to excel only in academics. Schools should aim towards
inculcating moral values in children so that they grow up to become
responsible and successful citizens of the society.
• Parents and values: Often it is seen that parents are not keen on teaching
their children about morals at home. Thus, schools provide the second
ground after home where children learn about morals. This learning about
moral education is important as it enables the children to decipher the
difference between right and wrong. Moreover, it enables the children to
take correct decisions in their lives.

Self-Instructional Material 61
Fostering Value Education • Social influence: Nowadays, children are exposed to negative influence
which rampant around them. Social problems, dishonesty and violence
are prevalent, young minds are exposed to it. Other influences include
classroom troubles related to violence and bullying. All these problems
NOTES can be confronted only with a robust value education framework that
would help address and eliminate these issues.
• Countering bad influences: Unfortunately, with bad role models that
kids are exposed to these days, it is hard not to imagine the negative
influence on young minds. Condoning dishonesty for achieving success
too is a real time example. As a result, value teaching becomes more
essential to counter bad influences and help students understand why
something is wrong.
• A Lifetime teaching: The first thing to understand that academics are
just a part of an individual’s life. Often with the passage of time, the
knowledge of academics diminishes fast, in contrast to values taught at
school level that still remains afresh. What is taught at the school level
influences and impacts the character formation of students which remains
with them throughout their life.
Now it becomes essential to understand what kind of moral values one needs
to learn at the school level. Following are the seven moral values which influence
the character building of students.
1. Love and compassion: We all expect love from our loved ones;
however, this does not always happen. Unconditional love should be
taught at the school level. To be able to replace cruelty and eliminate
selfishness teaching to practice compassion is essential too.
2. Honesty: Students who learn that dishonesty and cheating are negative
influences are more likely to grow up as responsible citizens. Bad habits
nurtured at the school level are not only harmful at the individual level
but also at the societal level.
3. Hard work: Learning about the importance of hard work at the school
level helps one understand that this is the only way to achieve success.
Cheating in studies or elsewhere is not the right way to achieve success.
A well-earned success is backed up with hard work and honesty at the
core.
4. Respect: In a highly competitive environment, where people are willing
to do anything to get ahead is wrong. It is essential to respect the other
person which includes accepting them for their ethnicity, race, distinct
beliefs and religion. When respect is taught at the school level these
differences do not exist.
5. Cooperation: This is essential when it comes to achieving common
goal. Working together towards achieving unified goal is only possible
with cooperation.

62 Self-Instructional Material
 6. Compassion: It is essential to teach students about compassion that Fostering Value Education
makes them sensitive towards the needs of others. With increase in
compassion it would be easier to counter hunger, unhappiness and helping
the homeless.
7. Forgiveness: Several religions teach the quality of forgiveness. NOTES
Christianity, for instance, teaches individuals to forgive others who have
done wrong to them. In this manner, individuals are able to overcome
their anger as well. If this quality is inculcated in schools then children
will be able to handle their real-time experiences in a better manner.
In conclusion, it is essential that values should be inculcated in students while
learning in school. This will certainly influence the behaviour of children at a young
age where they observe and learn new things. This also helps in developing a strong
foundation of the students which makes them successful tomorrow.
3.2.2 Values from the Pupil’s Perspective
The primary concern is that of defining morality which is certainly complex. Most of
the people define it according to the philosophical concept. However, still there is no
clarity on the concept of morality or values.
Values as understood by people at large are all about rightful behaviour and a
sense of what is permitted by the society at large. For this reason, it seems that
people have a clear idea about morality at large. Now the question is if the perspective
is clear to everyone then why should we analyse it. Everyone knows that stealing is
a crime, then why would one resort to it? Is it due to pressure under special
circumstances or there is more to it? Individuals become aware of the fundamental
concepts right at the school level and the same is applied throughout their life.
What remains are perspectives of the framework that are essential to
understand.
To begin with the frameworks can be broadly categorized into three groups.
The first includes people who claim that focus should be on consequences of
any action that would deem your action as right or wrong. Egotism would define the
consequences for self while altruism defines that everyone would suffer. These are
consequentialist approaches.
The second group of theories is against the first school of thoughts. They
claim that consequences are often not the governing factor towards deciding the
action as right or wrong. The non-consequentialist is related to the theory of Kantian
ethics. Kant justifies and says that one should not take actions that are not in
accordance to universal law and there should be respect to right. This means that
one should not treat others as a means of their ends, rather value others. This
includes respecting autonomy.
The third group agrees with the consequences of actions that should be
considered, but their claim is that rights and justice too should be considered equally.
This approach relates to the Thomistic ethics of the Catholic Church that is more

Self-Instructional Material 63
Fostering Value Education likely to advocate the idea of how things should be in relation to value for the good of
masses.
Now that we have an idea about the ethical framework, let us now understand
about how morality works to know about value from pupil’s perspective that comprises
NOTES theological, biological and sociological perspectives. These perspectives are essential
to understand the implications of values in different set-ups and how they impact the
value at large when it comes to people’s perspective in each given situation that
varies according to external or the internal set of belief systems.
A Theological Perspective
Let us now study the perspective of religious persons who look for answers to right
or wrong, goodness and evil in religious scriptures or other texts. However, the
complexity of adhering to religious norms while considering the scriptures cannot
form a factual evidence of framework. It is not clear from where and how the
scriptures originated, another question is about the authenticity of scriptures.
Replication of scriptures numerous times over decades has led to the loss of primary
focus with a continuous process of copying the text. This has resulted in ambiguity
leading to re-interpretation of the text and its meaning.
Translating these texts from ancient languages and archaic texts may lead to
misconstructions and even misinterpretations. Translations vary as per the translator
or the interpreter as it constitutes personal notions, opinions, beliefs and preconceived
ideas that largely impact all.
It is multi-faceted and there are many conflicting interpretations when one is
dealing with the concept of evil and good. Numerous religions and scriptures are
trying to define it differently in their own way that causes conflict of ideas when it
comes to values.
Another biggest barrier is that of texts pertaining to different religions that
proclaim themselves as arbiter of morality. While one religion deems an act right,
another might go against it. Different religious writings talk about different acts of
morals that are difficult to follow uniformly or apply it on a larger level. All the
scriptures are contradictory in nature and for this reason it cannot be said which one
is true to be accommodated at the same level. One scripture cannot be said to be
correct or the only word of God, as many other Gods and scriptures exist for different
people that form varying perspectives.
A religious person is, therefore, confronted with the most difficult task of
selecting morally right actions as these are more complicated in nature due to varying
religious sects, cults and denominations that impact the psychology of the individual.
The theological approach faces a universal contradiction involving dilemma
related to values due to the existence of numerous religions. Taking into consideration
the ambivalent nature of scriptures, the unified approach can be the ultimate moral
code taught by every religion having supreme authoritative figure called God.
God being the central and supreme authority with ultimate controlling power
forms the backbone of every religion. This should mean that God is omnipotent; this

64 Self-Instructional Material
too has an implication for all religions having a different God. Attempting to inculcate Fostering Value Education
values from God is hard to be justified on practical terms.
Further the faith based doctrine of values is only confusing for an individual
who tends to be religious. It is regardless of what religious text one may follow or
adopt regarding value acquisition, these choices are purely individual. What one NOTES
decides to follow that becomes their vehicle of values pertaining to religious moralities.
This clearly states that one is to choose his own morality. One need not be accepting
or following universal morality, but out of the numerous systems which one decides
to choose should be accepted by masses at large.
When one chooses to go along with a said or written text upon morality they
are making a personal choice. This largely colours their perception and their thought
process related to value that should be universal instead of personal.
Biological Perspective
When we speak about morality, we refer to the human race at large, but why is this
so? Why are other species of animals kept out of this discussion? If torture inflicted
upon another animal by a human is inacceptable then why does this not apply to the
animal kingdom?
There are many variations to the teachings pertaining to values that should be
followed by humans as opposed to animals. For example, mistreatment is unacceptable
towards animals and is unlawful; however, man can still kill and eat animals. The
contrast, towards this dictum is an example of contradiction that raises many
questions.
Another thing to notice is that when it comes to values, it is applicable to
selected animals. All forms of life are not liable to follow this rule as universally
accepted phenomena. It is quite possible that extra-terrestrial life forms exist; they
are not subjected to our rules. It is possible they may form a distinct set of rules like
we do between human race and other animals. Now, if we look at the rule of human
eating animals or killing them, the same may apply to extra-terrestrial beings who
may justify killing or eating humans.
These varying distinctions of species point towards biological perspective of
values that are relative. The concept itself is made for the sole convenience of
humans. It is has little or nothing to do with the absolute dictum.
Sociological Perspective
Morality and its application are not subjected to people in solitude. A person living in
solitude or in an environment that does not comprise of others does not need to
follow or adhere to set standards of values. This is because the concept itself is
based on our interaction with others. If one is to live and interact in a society, then
they will need to follow the societal set of values.
For this reason, it is imperative to say that it is a social phenomenon as we all
live in a society with the concept that is created for its governance. Another thing to
remember is that value is relative to the environment and cannot apply to everyone
all the time. It is then subjective and relative, instead of being absolute.
Self-Instructional Material 65
Fostering Value Education Different systems of values are existing in the society depending on the
countries and continents where people are living. Each society has a distinct set of
system which is followed by its people.
While one group may oppose a conduct or human action as forbidden, another
NOTES might be tolerant towards it or even praise it. One such example is that of public
display of affection, this is permissible in many western countries; however,
conservative countries forbid mingling of opposites in public, some are even intolerant
to the idea of men and women talking to each other, let alone hand holding or even
kissing that is unimaginable. This is just one of the many examples of difference in
values in varying cultural, religious and social set-up.
Consequently, the sociological perspective is related to values. Another thing
to be noted is that values are more related with the code of conduct that is mutually
acceptable among people. This can be in their self-interest. Each society has its
own code, and values that drive humans to act in a specific manner when in a social
set-up. However, one may accept it in relation to their self-interest.
In conclusion, it can be said that the most important thing which surfaces is
that uniform values are difficult to be developed. With different perspectives and
varying belief systems, it is not easy to link them with something that would enable
to form a concrete set of rules. One cannot go by a singular governing authority
without the inclusion of personal or self-interests coming in the way of decision-
making. Similarly, all of us have the right to employ different belief systems including
religious or spiritual beliefs in different set of situations to come up with our version
of values.
Perspective is what makes things different and often contradicts the universal
values that are said to be singular in nature. However, with many elements and
different set of compositions of theories and existence of other systems, it is hard to
call values absolute. For this reason, one can only follow things that resonate to their
perspective and self-interest.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

1. Name the types of values.
2. Why is value education considered important?
3. List the seven moral values which influence the character building of
students.

3.3 APPROACHES TO VALUE EDUCATION

Studying and application of value education in curriculum and educational discussions

is getting greater importance day by day. A greater emphasis has been given by
National Policy of Education (NPE), 1986, on the issue of value education.
National Curriculum for Primary and Secondary Education (1985), is also in
sync with NPE, 1986 in terms of the agreement on crunch of values our society.
66 Self-Instructional Material
The National Commission on Teachers (1983) also stated that the foremost objective Fostering Value Education
of Indian education system should be ‘to lay down clear objectives for the teaching
profession with reference to the search for excellence, breadth of vision and cultivation
of values.’ In 1983, in order to fulfil this objective Government of India recommended
inclusion of value education as an essential module in the teacher education NOTES
programmes in addition to regular curriculum, methodology and teachers role.
Value education includes a wide range of learning and activities varying from
training in physical health, mental hygiene, etiquettes and manners, appropriate social
behaviour, civic rights and duties to aesthetic and even religious training.
In most general terms, value education is simply an issue of inculcating suitable
conduct and habits which is done by developing constructive qualities. In more specific
and broader terms, value education must have cognitive factor in its activities, which
is more permanent in nature than creating habits. The main viewpoint behind this
perspective is that the aptitude to make moral judgement must be based on sound
reasoning and it cannot be neglected in deliberate activities and learning processes
of value education.
It is believed that the moral development of a child is inevitable outcome of
schooling and its mini society. In this mini society a child develops the attitudes,
standards, values, ethics and general conduct in order to adjust himself according to
the norms of his social circle. Value education sustains the child in such adjustment.
But this view point is not widely excepted as morality is not about pointing out what
is there, rather it is about what should be there and what should be done.
There is another ideology about value education is that it is process of
humanization of feelings and emotions i.e. developing right feelings and emotions.
The cognitive ability of the child does not play any role in it. It is like talent, either one
is born with it or not at all have it. But morality can be achieved modelling one-self
by imitating after an ideal which requires a model atmosphere and learning by
example. This ideology is opposed on the grounds that morality and values are not
contagious in nature. It cannot be transferred from one person to another through
superficial imitation. Value development requires a personal thought process and
individual reasoning power. This individual reasoning enables the person to choose a
true action for true reason, rationally.
Objectives of Value Education
In the context of value education, the objectives are time-based. They have their
own age, and live and die according to the need of time and society. Earlier, religion
and idealism were the basis of objectives of value education. Then there was the
time of secular value education. In the modern context, there are varieties of demands
with respect to social, emotional, intellectual conduct of a person. A civilised person
is expected to be socially skilled in order to maintain a polite relationship with his
fellow beings. This in turn is expected to be paid back to him in similar fashion. The
civilized person must possess a conduct which aids functioning of his family, society,
state, country and world in the larger perspective. So value education in modern
times must prepare an individual to meet these demands. And this objective cannot
be achieved merely by enumerating some points on a chart or blackboard.
Self-Instructional Material 67
Fostering Value Education A most correct and suitable value education system must be balanced which
adequately connect its five dimensions viz. physical, emotional, cognitive, aesthetic
and spiritual.
• Physical dimension: It is well-known that ‘sound body has a sound
NOTES mind’, therefore physical education is must in order to prepare the body,
and get the brain ready for possessing a broader perspective on life.
• Emotional dimension: A student must feel connected to his teacher, his
fellows and to himself in order to be value oriented.
• Cognitive dimension: Selection of value and morals is individual process.
One must choose a right action for a right reason, which is possible only
through rational thinking process.
• Aesthetic dimension: Ability to admire the beauty of a creative idea is
essential part of value development. It develops the quality of acceptance
of other’s ideas.
• Spiritual dimension: It includes inculcating qualities of sincerity and
faithfulness to what one considers to be the highest, gratitude, honesty,
benevolence, generosity, cheerfulness, selflessness, freedom from ego,
equanimity in joy and suffering, honour in both success and failure, pursuit
of the deepest and the highest of the absolute and ultimate and the
progressive expression of this pursuit in thought, feeling and action.
• In many people’s viewpoint the modern values emphasise only socio-
economic factors. And conventional cultural values are being neglected.
But the modern value education in its true sense, must have its roots on
the firm ground of traditional culture and must shoot up to higher levels of
innovation.
Rationale Building Model
The rationale building model is primarily concerned with the realm of judging. Much
of the debate over moral education in recent decades has centred on the advantages
and disadvantages of two dominant educational models to the moral formation of
children, referred to as traditional character education and rationale building model.
Traditional character education focuses on the inculcation of virtuous traits of
character as the proper aim of education. In contrast, rationale building model seeks
to facilitate the development of autonomous moral judgment and the ability to resolve
disputes and reach consensus according to canons of fairness. The first model is
concerned with the educational requirements that contribute to the formation of
character. The second is concerned with the development of reasoning and autonomy.
Value Clarification Model
The value clarification strategies are modelled not only to teach specific values to
the students but also to inculcate in them an internal awareness, own personality,
character and temperament. These strategies also enable students to compare
themselves to their friends, elders, and other members of society. It is believed that
with the increased awareness students will be able to re-evaluate and will try to
68 Self-Instructional Material
adapt better values and also will be able to hold on own values more confidently Fostering Value Education
which they found to be good. The procedure followed in this model is as follows:
A fairly designed value clarification can take variety of forms, but all the
designs, activities and models must follow a basic route.
NOTES
• A low risk issue is taken as inaugural activity by the teacher in form of
lesson.
• Students are expected to portray their initial and clear positions on the
presented issue.
• The teacher must stay neutral and non-judgmental in the whole activity.
He should discourage mocking and challenges by students to each other’s
expressions.
• The student should be carefully encouraged to give explanation for their
given obvious reaction to the presented issue.
• The teacher must try to relate the activities to historical events, current
social and political concerns, whenever required.
The basic essence of value clarification strategy is that there should be no
assessment, until students themselves share their experience.
Social Action Model
The social action model is unique and idiosyncratic procedures by specific
distinguishable firm goals are achieved. These goals have specific stages which are
to be followed during the execution of the model.
There are two main models of social action as given by Britto (1984). They
are:
(1) Elitist social action
(2) Popular social action
As the name suggests, elitist social action is when a social act is conveyed
exclusively by the elite person or group of the society and only negligible participation
can be contributed to the masses or general population. Most of the time such social
actions are group actions. The underlying objective of the action is for the benefit of
the masses but the general public or the target group is not involved.
The second model, popular social action, is that in which the action take place
at larger levels with or without elite participation. These actions can be characterized
as confrontational/conflictive, most against prejudice and degrading structures, policies,
procedures agencies, and/or unfair representations.
Jurisprudential Inquiry Model
The literal meaning of jurisprudence is science or philosophy of law, or the knowledge
or skill to deal with issues in legal fashion. Oliver and Shaver (1974) designed this
method; they defined this method as the jury process of resolving complex
controversial issues within the context of a productive social order. In other words,
it is a process of inquiry done by Supreme Court judge for solving debatable issues.
Self-Instructional Material 69
Fostering Value Education The judge makes the best possible decision after carefully listening and analyzing
the positions of both sides of an issue, weighs these positions and evidences and
assesses the meaning and position of law.
In an educational setting, this role is played by the teacher in association with
NOTES students, and tries to analyze a social issue or public policy and is called Jurisprudential
way of teaching. This model is useful in understanding of the complexity of problems
and enabling students to establish their own position to reflect upon the complexity.
This method aims at enabling students to frame a simple position regarding a
complex social/public issues.
Students are helped to build three types of competence i.e.
(i) An understanding into framework of Indian values.
(ii) Mastery of the intellectual skills of legal reasoning.
(iii) Knowledge of current social/public issues.
This method involves conception of values and productive dialogue as well as
curriculum and pedagogical consideration. During the process of dialogue, student
takes a position and the teacher challenges the position with questions. The teacher’s
questions are designed to push students’ thinking about their stance and to help them
learn. The teacher orients the class to the case and students usually become
emotionally involved in the analysis, making the discussion intense and personal.
With more practice, it is hoped that their positions will become more complex and
well formulated. In a nutshell, the specific features of this model help the students to
develop competency in social dialogue and comprehend the values involved in a
particular social situation.
Living Values-An Educational Programme (LVEP)
Living Values-An Education Programme (LVEP) is an offshoot of Brahma Kumari’s
Religious Organization, named as ‘Sharing Our Values for a Better World’, which
started in 1995. It was formally founded by Brahma Kumari devotee Diane Tillman,
who is a licensed educational psychologist and marriage and family therapist in Seal
Beach, California, in association with co-authors Diana Hsu, Pilar Quera Colomina
and other Brahma Kumari followers. The roots of ‘Living Values’ lay in an early
Brahma Kumari international service programme called, ‘Global Cooperation for a
Better World’ started in 1988. It was formalized at the Brahma Kumaris’ United
Nations office, New York in 1996. In 1999, a USA-based non-profit corporation,
Living Values: An Educational Program, Inc. (LVEP, Inc.) was established to further
develop and disseminate the program worldwide. LVEP, Inc. provided initial support
to the formation of an international coordinating organization (ALIVE) in 2004. As
of March, 2011, LVEP was estimated to be in use in over sixty countries at thousands
of sites.
Objectives and activities
LVEP is designed in order to provide professional development courses and
educational resources to the educators who further help young people to explore

70 Self-Instructional Material
and develop universal values in accordance of their cultural background. There are Fostering Value Education
twelve universal values:
1. Freedom
2. Cooperation NOTES
3. Tolerance
4. Happiness
5. Honesty
6. Love
7. Peace
8. Humility
9. Respect
10. Responsibility
11. Simplicity
12. Unity
These values can be expressed in life through attitude, behaviour and
relationships. The educational program helps children, youth, educators and parents
to understand, develop and share values in daily life.
Living Values Education Programme (LVEP) is designed as a way of
conceptualizing education which lies in the foundation of value-based learning, which
aims at searching for meaning and purpose of life. Worth and reliability of each
individual involved in the scope of education and as of all the social agencies viz.
home, school and community is the fundamental principal of LVE. The LVE is a
supporter of quality education, which means all round and overall development of an
individual who lives as per positive values. Basically the belief that education is a
purposeful activity for human growth forms the crux of LVEP.
The application of Living Values Education is sponsored by the Association
for Living Values Education International (ALIVE), which is a non-profit-making
association of organizations around the world concerned with values education.
Drawing on a strong volunteer base, the advancement and implementation of Living
Values Education is supported by UNESCO and a host of other organizations,
agencies, governmental bodies, foundations, community groups and individuals. It is
part of the global movement for a culture of peace in the framework of the United
Nations International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the
Children of the World. ALIVE gathers together national bodies promoting Living
Values Education and is an independent organization that does not have any particular
or exclusive religious, political or national affiliation or interest.
In 2001, LVE’s series of five books won ‘The Teachers’ Choice Award’ by
‘Learning Magazine’, a national publication in the USA for teachers and educators.
Separate programmes exist for children at risk including refugees and Children
Affected by War (LVARCAW), street children, youth in need of drug rehabilitation
and young offenders. The Ministry of Labour in Vietnam noted in March 2008 that
Self-Instructional Material 71
Fostering Value Education LVE’s drug rehabilitation program was the most successful drug rehab program in
government rehabilitation clinics in the country.
3.3.1 Role of Teacher in Fostering Values among Students
NOTES The teachers must play an important role in such programmes. The most important
aspect is that they should set good examples of conduct and behaviour which the
students may imbibe in themselves.
It may be stressed that the teachers, the educational workers, the educators,
the supervisors, the administrators and above all the parents must try their best to
promote value-oriented education.
India is on the move again with the promise of new renaissance in the making.
The most powerful tool in the process of this renaissance and modernization is
education based on secular values on the one hand and on the other on science and
technology. In this context Pt Jawaharlal Nehru said, ‘Can we combine the progress
of science and technology with the progress of mind and spirit also? We cannot be
untrue to science because that represents the basic fact of life today. Still less can
we be untrue to those essential principles for which India has stood in the past
throughout the ages. Let us then pursue our path to industrial progress with our
strength and vigour and at the same time remember that material riches without
toleration, compassion and wisdom may well turn to dust and ashes’.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

4. Name the two main models of social action as given by Britto (1984).
5. Identify the twelve universal values recognized by LVEP.

3.4 SUMMARY

• Fostering values is not restricted to classroom teaching or home environment.

Values are imbibed through the community, work place, home environment,
classroom and even society.
• It is essential to focus upon values because of the society and the community
in which we live that requires established principles for proper governance
serving as guide for proper behaviour towards another.
• Moral values form an essential part of the society and play a pivotal role in
the development of the individual. Often it is a complex to define moral
values. For this reason, valuing activities, people, ideas and objects are all
dependent on the significance they serve in one’s life.
• Imparting moral values should begin at an early age of the individual. While
one might wonder the purpose of starting early, the significance of it cannot
be denied as it is at the beginning where things start shaping up.

72 Self-Instructional Material
• The most essential thing for parents is to see their children becoming well- Fostering Value Education
mannered individuals and showing respect to others. For this reason, value
education plays an essential role in studies or at the school level as success is
not just about academics, but about values imparted to individuals.
• When we talk about value education, it becomes an essential teaching method NOTES
that helps foster the development of responsible individuals.
• Value education is considered significant as it helps in making responsible
citizens. Imparting moral education at the school level goes a long way in
making morally responsible citizens of tomorrow.
• It is essential to note that while schools are assisting in imparting value
education, value education on the other hand, helps children in coping with
negative influence.
• Inclusion of values in the classroom makes the environment positive which
directly impacts in increase attendance along with good academic performance.
This clearly states that when value is included in the curriculum, students are
able to perform better.
• Education in school is not only about learning various disciplines and languages
as is the general perception. It is beyond the definition of academic education
that value or moral education stands.
• The learning acquired by children in schools is not primarily meant to excel
only in academics. Schools should aim towards inculcating moral values in
children so that they grow up to become responsible and successful citizens
of the society.
• Values as understood by people at large are all about rightful behaviour and a
sense of what is permitted by the society at large. For this reason, it seems
that people have a clear idea about morality at large.
• Studying and application of value education in curriculum and educational
discussions is getting greater importance day by day. A greater emphasis has
been given by National Policy of Education (NPE), 1986, on the issue of
value education.
• National Curriculum for Primary and Secondary Education (1985), is also in
sync with NPE, 1986 in terms of the agreement on crunch of values our
society.
• In most general terms, value education is simply an issue of inculcating suitable
conduct and habits which is done by developing constructive qualities.
• A most correct and suitable value education system must be balanced which
adequately connect its five dimensions viz. physical, emotional, cognitive,
aesthetic and spiritual.
• The value clarification strategies are modelled not only to teach specific values
to the students but also to inculcate in them an internal awareness, own
personality, character and temperament.

Self-Instructional Material 73
Fostering Value Education • The social action model is unique and idiosyncratic procedures by specific
distinguishable firm goals are achieved. These goals have specific stages
which are to be followed during the execution of the model.
• Living Values-An Education Programme (LVEP) is an offshoot of Brahma
NOTES Kumari’s Religious Organization, named as ‘Sharing Our Values for a Better
World’, which started in 1995.
• It may be stressed that the teachers, the educational workers, the educators,
the supervisors, the administrators and above all the parents must try their
best to promote value-oriented education.

3.5 KEY TERMS

• Jurisprudence: It is the theory or philosophy of law.

• Theological: It relates to the study of the nature of God and religious belief.
• Value: It is a concept that describes the beliefs of an individual or culture.
• Cognition: It is the act or process of knowing.

3.6 ANSWERS TO ‘CHECK YOUR PROGRESS’

1. The types of values are as follows:

• Personal values
• Family values
• Socio-cultural values
• Material values
• Spiritual values
• Moral values
2. Value education is considered significant as it helps in making responsible
citizens. Imparting moral education at the school level goes a long way in
making morally responsible citizens of tomorrow.
3. The seven moral values which influence the character building of students
are as follows:
• Love and compassion
• Honesty
• Hard work
• Respect
• Cooperation

74 Self-Instructional Material
 • Compassion Fostering Value Education

• Forgiveness
4. The two main models of social action as given by Britto (1984) are as follows:
• Elitist social action NOTES
• Popular social action
5. The twelve universal values recognized by LVEP are as follows:
(a) Freedom
(b) Cooperation
(c) Tolerance
(d Happiness
(e) Honesty
(f) Love
(g) Peace
(h) Humility
(i) Respect
(j) Responsibility
(k) Simplicity
(l) Unity

3.7 QUESTIONS AND EXERCISES

Short-Answer Questions
1. How are values inculcated in the classroom?
2. Define values from the perspective of students.
3. Write short notes on the following:
(a) Value Clarification Model
(b) Social Action Model
4. What are the various approaches to value education?
Long-Answer Questions
1. Discuss the types of values.
2. Analyse the significance of moral values.
3. Explain the objectives of value education.
4. Interpret the role of teacher in fostering values among students.

Self-Instructional Material 75
Fostering Value Education
3.8 FURTHER READING

Gandhi, K.K.1993. Value Education: A Study of Public Opinion. New Delhi:

NOTES Gyan Publishing House.
Mukerji, R.K. 1949. The Social Structures of Values. London: Macmillan & Co.
Brubacher, J.S. 1983. Modern Philosophies of Education. London: McGraw-Hill
Book Company.
Barash, David P. (ed.). 2000. Approaches to Peace: A Reader in Peace Studies.
New York & Oxford: Oxford University Press.

76 Self-Instructional Material
 Human Rights Education

UNIT 4 HUMAN RIGHTS

EDUCATION
NOTES
Structure
4.0 Introduction
4.1 Unit Objectives
4.2 Meaning of Human Rights Education
4.2.1 Human Rights and Education
4.3 United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004)
4.3.1 Plan of Action for the United Nations Decade for Human
Rights Education, 1995-2004
4.4 The Indian Constitution and Human Rights
4.5 Development of Curriculum of Human Right Education
4.5.1 Need for Human Rights Education in the School Curriculum
4.5.2 Curriculum Development
4.5.3 Context and Approaches to Curriculum Organization
4.5.4 Human Rights Education and Curriculum
4.6 Human Rights Education through Co-Scholastic Activities
4.7 Summary
4.8 Key Terms
4.9 Answers to ‘Check Your Progress’
4.10 Questions and Exercises
4.11 Further Reading

4.0 INTRODUCTION

In today’s world, education is a highly preferred aspect of human life or more

accurately, human quality life. Here, the quality refers to how well an individual
deals with his/her environment and makes the best out of it. It was born with human
race and will continue till the human race exists. Without it, human life is reasoning
savage. Man becomes ‘man’ through education. In biological terms, man is an animal
wherein its education fashions and models him for society.
Louis Henkin, an eminent scholar, described human rights as the idea of our
time, while author Jack Donnelly termed them, the new standard of civilization.
Famous legal philosopher Ronald Dworkin regarded rights as trumps which limit
state action whenever it encroached upon individual freedoms.
The notion of human rights can be witnessed in all major religious texts and
precepts. The presence of the notion of human rights is perceptible and notable
universally across different societies. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(UDHR) is preceded by an eventful historical development that culminated in the
proclamation of the Declaration. Some of the events that punctuate the history of
human rights include, notably, Magna Carta (1215), American Declaration (1776),
French Declaration of Human Rights (1789), and the UN Charter (1945). The
immediate events that impelled the proclamation of the Universal Declaration were
Self-Instructional Material 77
Human Rights Education the massive human rights violations in the Second World War, which convinced the
world community that there were certain rights that human beings around the world
were entitled to, and which must be safeguarded.
In less than seven decades, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
NOTES (UDHR) has come to be regarded as possibly the most important document created
in the 20th century and as the accepted world standard for human rights. The UDHR
draws life-preserving messages from the past, and is seen as an essential foundation
for building a world in which all human beings can, in the centuries to come, look
forward to living in dignity and peace.
With the end of the Second World War, the international political climate
displayed potential for a great leap forward in recognition and observance of human
rights. The representatives of the four major powers viz., the United States of
America, the United Kingdom, Russia and China, met in 1944 at Dumbarton Oaks,
a stately mansion in Georgetown, Washington DC, in the context of the two world
wars that had been fought in less than thirty years, and cruelty almost beyond belief
had been inflicted on members of the Jewish race in Europe as well as prisoners of
war who were in detention in Asia and Europe. An atomic bomb was about to be set
off that would show what enormous destructive power humankind could unleash in
targeting nations as well as individuals, merely attributed to the fact that they were
members of a particular race or religion.
The leaders felt there must be a better way for nations and people of the
world to live together and settle their differences and establish plans for promoting
peace and harmony to provide mankind with a better opportunity to live and develop.
Today, the UDHR, with its various agencies, is regularly working to maintain peace
and harmony in the world by securing good international relations among the countries
of the world and making them liable towards peace and security. Consequently, this
helped in preventing nuclear war, which is one of the main objectives for the creation
of the United Nations.
Education has a very important role to play in the promotion and protection of
human rights. Education makes us aware about our civil and political right often
called as the first generation rights and the social, economic and cultural rights as
the second generation rights. This unit will deal with the relationship between human
rights and education.

4.1 UNIT OBJECTIVES

After going through this unit, you will be able to:

• Describe the meaning and significance of human rights and duties
• Analyse the relation between human rights and education
• Explain the Plan of Action for the United Nations Decade for Human Rights
Education, 1995-2004
• Assess the role of the Constitution in human rights education
• Discuss the need for human rights education in the school curriculum
78 Self-Instructional Material
 • Evaluate the importance of co-scholastic activities in promoting human rights Human Rights Education
education in schools

4.2 MEANING OF HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION NOTES

Human rights are comprehensive, and applicable to every individual. Respect for
individual rights needs to be upheld at all times irrespective of circumstances and
political system. Human rights consist of minimum entitlement that a government
must provide and protect. They are fundamental in the sense that they cannot be
denied under any circumstances. Men and women are equal in maintaining a society.
Members of a society depend on each other to grow and live their lives. Around this
societal system, men and women, and activities big or small, revolve. As far as
rights and dignity are concerned, all men and women are equal in the eyes of the
law. Mankind’s conscience and reasoning are the foundations of human rights. The
term human rights in general, refers to the civil rights, civil liberties, political rights
and social and economic rights of a human being.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was implemented on 10 December,
1948 and is officially recognized by most countries. It includes individual’s rights,
which can be classified into the following:
• Civil rights: They refer to freedom from slavery and servitude, torture and
inhuman punishment, and arbitrary arrest and imprisonment: freedom of speech,
faith, opinion and expression: right to life, security, justice, ownership, and
assembly.
• Political rights: They refer to the right to vote and nominate for public
office: right to form and join political parties.
• Social and economic rights: These refer to the right to education, work,
food, shelter, and medical care. These rights establish the ‘new’ rights, which
range from the right to economic welfare and security to the right to share
and to live the life of a civilized being.
The concept of human rights implies that a human being is equal in the eyes
of the law irrespective of his or her caste, creed, colour, nationality, etc. Thus, ‘equality’
and ‘dignity’ are the fundamental principles of human rights. Human rights should
not be compromised on as these have been enshrined in the Constitution of India. As
members of society, we need to create a conducive environment, not only for normal
residents but also for the downtrodden and the needy. Every single individual should
be able to grow mentally, physically, and socially and should lead a happy life. This
can only be achieved if we respect each other’s individuality and self-respect and
treat others as we would like others to treat us.
Meaning and Significance of Human Rights and Duties
The concept of human rights is quite old. A general view of human rights considers
all human beings to be equal in the eyes of the law. Human rights are inherent,
individual and automatically exercised. At the international level, the legal standard
of human rights has been adopted since 1948 in the UN Universal Declaration of
Human Rights. Later on, in 1966 in the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Self-Instructional Material 79
Human Rights Education Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights were
codified.
The content and scope of human rights are still debated. Some limit them to
the traditional civil liberties and political freedoms whereas others extend to a broader
NOTES concept that includes social and economic rights. Human rights are important for all
individuals and an ideological starting point is respect for human dignity and a final
purpose is that it is a guarantee of basic rights. The international and national
community has initiated steps time and again to promote and protect human rights
by a number of ways.
Every human being is entitled to some basic rights, which are neither created
nor can be withdrawn from them. These rights are commonly known as human
rights. Human right is a generic term and embraces civil rights, civil liberties and
social, economic and cultural rights. Human rights are rights and freedoms to which
all humans are entitled. For the reason of being human beings, we are entitled to
certain rights. These rights are justified as moral norms and exist as shared norms of
humanity. These are natural rights based on reasons or legalese. No consensus,
however, no consensus is available for the precise nature of what should/should not
be regarded as a human right.
English philosopher John Locke (1632–1704) defined them as absolute moral
claims or entitlements to life, liberty, and property. One of the finest expressions of
human rights is in the US Declaration of Rights (1776) which proclaims that ‘all men
are by nature equally free and independent and have certain inherent natural rights of
which when they enter a society they cannot be deprived or divest their posterity.’
These are also called fundamental rights.
Ex-chief Justice of India, J. S. Verma, (1978) stated that ‘human dignity is
the quintessence of human rights’. All those rights, which are essential for the
protection and maintenance of dignity of individuals and create conditions in which
every human being can develop his personality to the fullest extent, may be termed
human rights. However, dignity has never been precisely defined on the basis of
consensus, but it accords roughly with justice and good society.
The World Conference on Human Rights (1993) held in Vienna stated in
that all human rights derive from the dignity and worth inherent in the human person,
and that the human person is the central subject of human rights and fundamental
freedoms.
Constitutional commentator D. D. Basu (2008) defines human rights as those
minimum rights, which every individual must have against the state or other public
authority by virtue of his being a member of human family, irrespective of any other
consideration.
Thus, it could be understood from these definitions that human rights are,
those rights that belong to an individual as a consequence of being human and are a
means to human dignity. They are provided to all men everywhere at all times.
Human beings should be protected against unjust and mortifying treatment by
fellow human beings. Arbitrary power cannot be operated on them. A State or any
other such organized community can realize human rights. In a state of anarchy,
80 Self-Instructional Material
where there is lawlessness and chaos, human rights cannot be expected to be invoked. Human Rights Education
These rights are required for the holistic development of human beings in society
and should be protected and available at all costs.
Human rights are indivisible and interdependent, and there is no differentiation
in the typology of human rights. All human rights are equally important, inherent in NOTES
all human beings. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has not categorized
human rights but simply enumerated them in different articles. The most common
categorization of human rights is as follows:
1. Civil and political rights, and
2. Economic, social and cultural rights
1. Civil and political rights: Civil and political rights are enshrined in Articles
3 to 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and in the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Civil rights or liberties are referred
to those rights, which are related to the protection of the right to life and personal
liberty. These are essential for living a dignified life. Right to life, liberty and security
of persons, right to privacy, home and correspondence, right to own property, freedom
from torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, freedom of thought, conscience and
religion and freedom of movement are inclusive of these rights. Political rights allow
a person to participate in the state governance. Right to vote, right to take part in the
conduct of public affairs, directly or through chosen representatives are instances of
political rights.
Civil and political rights can be protected by the State, are cost-free and could
be immediately provided if the state decides to. The provision of these rights is easy
to judge and measure. They are justifiable real legal rights.
2. Economic, social and cultural rights: Economic, social and cultural rights are
enshrined in Articles 22 to 28 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
and in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
Economic, social and cultural rights (also called ‘freedom to’) are related to the
guarantee of minimum necessities of the life to human beings. The existence of
human beings is likely to be endangered in the absence of these rights. Right to
adequate food, clothing, housing and adequate standard of living, freedom from
hunger, right to work, right to social security, right to physical and mental health and
right to education are included in this category of rights. These are positive rights;
which means that these require positive entitlements by the state. These rights are
massive investments and are by nature progressive. Social and economic rights are
cannot be measured quantitatively and it is difficult to determine if these have been
breached.
Karel Vasak (1977) the first secretary general of the International Institute of
Human Rights, has categorized human rights into three generations. The first comprise
of civil and political rights which have been derived from reformist theories associated
with the French, English and American Revolutions of the 17th and the 18th centuries.
They were first enshrined at the global level by Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, 1948, and given status in international law in Articles 3 to 21 of the Universal
Declaration. 
Self-Instructional Material 81
Human Rights Education The second generation of human rights was recognized by governments after
First World War. These are associated with equality and were fundamentally
economic, social and cultural in nature. Secondary second generation rights include
the right to be employed, right to housing, etc. They are also incorporated in the
NOTES Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and further embodied in Articles 22 to 27
of the Universal Declaration, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights.
Third generation of human rights go beyond the mere civil and social rights.
They have been expressed in many progressive documents of international law, like
the 1972 Stockholm Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human
Environment, the 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. The term
third-generation human rights are largely unofficial, and have not been enacted in
legally binding documents. These include an extremely broad spectrum of rights
such as:
• Group and collective rights
• Right to self determination
• Right to economic and social development
• Right to a healthy environment
• Right to natural resources
• Right to communicate and communication rights
• Right to participation in cultural heritage
• Rights to intergenerational equity and sustainability
In this categorization of human rights, the third generation is the most debated
and lacks both legal and political recognition. This is explained in Table 4.1.
Table 4.1 Three Generations of Human Rights
First generation Second generation Third generation
Name Civil and political Economic, social and Collective rights
rights cultural rights

Example Right to life, liberty and Right to adequate food, Right to self
security privacy, home clothing, housing and determination,
and correspondence, adequate standard of economic and social
own property, freedom living, freedom from development, healthy
from torture, freedom hunger, right to work, environment, natural
of thought, conscience right to social security, resources
and religion and right to physical and
freedom of movement mental health and right
to education

Despite different meanings and explanations, the basis of all the rights is that
they are derived from the inherent dignity of the human beings and are essential for
free and full development.
82 Self-Instructional Material
Characteristics of Human Rights Human Rights Education

As per United Nations System and Human Rights (2000), human rights are universal
legal guarantees protecting individuals and groups against actions that interfere with
fundamental freedoms and human dignity.
NOTES
Some of the most important characteristics of human rights are as follows:
• Guaranteed by international standards
• Legally protected
• Focus on the dignity of the human being
• Oblige states and state actors
• Cannot be waived or taken away
• Interdependent and interrelated
• Universal
Human rights are natural rights that stem from human dignity and have some
peculiar characteristics. These are described as follows:
1. Internationalism: United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights, and the Vienna Declaration of Human Rights
guarantee respect for human dignity and the right to pursue happiness.
These international efforts have been agreed on internationally making
human rights a subject of international concern. All the countries are
expected to observe these right equally and with sincerity. Consequently,
the guarantee of human rights is given not only by individual States but
by the international community as a whole. It is a vital and ever-increasing
issue. It has become the common ideology of the whole international
community that is beyond State borders.
2. Universality: Human rights go along with the progress of human society,
and have always been a universal concern of human beings in various
international documents. The dignity, worth and right to happiness of all
must be accepted without any condition or clause. Race, colour, sex,
language, religion, political opinion, nation, social position, property, origin
or other circumstance should not be used for discrimination and that
everybody is endowed with all rights and freedoms. Moreover, nobody
can be discriminated against because of membership in a particular
self-governed or dependent state, nor limited in his rights because of
political, legislative or international position. They are objectively accorded
regardless of anyone’s will.
3. Inheritance: Human rights guarantee human dignity and because they
were given originally to the people they are recognized as natural inherent
rights. Human rights are not granted in accordance with any law or by
any State.
4. Absoluteness: Human rights are inalienable rights. Hence, they are
recognized universally and are absolute rights. The essence of human

Self-Instructional Material 83
Human Rights Education personality, human dignity and worth, confirms them to be inviolable.
As such the State must guarantee the people’s dignity, respect and
happiness by preventing any law which would do otherwise.
5. Inviolability: Human rights cannot be violated as they are inherent
NOTES and are internationally enforced. In addition to this, the guarantee of
human rights is the duty of the State. The State should neither alienate
these rights nor, limit or violate them.
6. Permanence: Human rights are not to be guaranteed temporarily for a
certain period of time but should be permanently assured of which nobody
could be deprived. The dignity and worth of human beings does not
change over time by the status or position
7. Individuality: Human rights have their basis in people’s dignity, worth
and happiness. Every human being is independent and each person
possesses a right to be independent which cannot be taken away in lieu
of any other thing. Every person has a right to determine own destiny,
which is a prerequisite of personal right. In simple terms, human rights
are a subject of neither a nation nor of a collective body, but of the
individual.
8. Self-determination: All people have the right to self-determination on
the basis of inherent human dignity. It means that all people freely
determine their own political position and independence, seek their own
economic, social and cultural development. As human dignity, worth
and happiness are intrinsic to personal rights, personal rights become a
necessary prerequisite for the individuals to determine their own destiny.
The subject of human rights is natural human, so individuals have the
right to determine their lives.
9. Self-evidence: Men are born equal and with certain fixed, inherent,
inalienable rights, including the right to life, freedom and happiness.
This is accepted as a self-evident truth.
10. Fundamental: Human rights include the principle of obtaining a
guarantee of human dignity, worth and happiness. It is a fundamental
norm and produces a basic principle, which has become a standard for
analysing the essence of effectiveness of laws and ordinances. Thus, it
should be considered a standard of human dignity and worth as far as it
is included, both in establishing the laws and analysing them.
4.2.1 Human Rights and Education
Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place
of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other
status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These
rights are all interrelated, guaranteed by law, in the form of international law, general
principles and other sources of international law.

84 Self-Instructional Material
 International human rights law lays down obligations of governments to act in Human Rights Education
certain ways or to refrain from certain acts, in order to promote and protect human
rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals of groups. Human rights are commonly
understood as basic fundamental rights that a person cannot be denied by any
individual or any government simply because he or she is a human being. They are NOTES
universal and same for everyone. Human rights entail both right and obligation.
Education has a very important role to play in the promotion and protection of
human rights. Education makes us aware about our civil and political right often
called as the first generation rights and the social, economic and cultural rights as
the second generation rights. Without proper education one cannot be introduced to
these essential philosophies and there basic rights and obligations. The concept of
expanding human rights through education is now popularly present and travelled to
encompass as the third generation rights itself. So, it is very important that we know
what is the role of education in promotion and protection of human rights.
Being a tool to spread awareness and information and assimilating, creating
and disseminating knowledge amongst its recipients, education can play a crucial
role at each level for promotion and protection of human rights. But unfortunately
the education system, except for last few years after the establishment of Indian
Institute of Human Rights in 1990 which registered Universities for offering such
courses in 10 December 1999, has hardly shown any credible results with regard to
the evolvement of human rights and its protection.
A comprehensive education in human rights consists of two components:
knowledge and information on human rights and the mechanisms that protect these
inalienable rights. It is important that education also imparts the skills needed to
promote, defend, and apply human rights in daily life. Education about human rights
is distinct from other types of value education. For example, citizenship education or
education for democratic citizenship (EDC) is a set of practices and activities aimed
at making young people and adults better equipped to participate actively in democratic
life by assuming and exercising their rights and responsibilities in society.
Beyond the genesis of human rights, wherever they come from, lies a
fundamental challenge to their universality, regardless of their origin. With any
inception of human rights, one faced with having to acquire acceptance of their
authority. There is a problem in that not everyone will share the same motivation or
inspiration for human rights. Not everyone will agree that everything asserted as a
human right is indeed one.
At a very basic level, the proclamation and acceptance of human rights norms
inherently involves majoritarian morality.
Notwithstanding that it has been more than six decades since the concept of
spreading and protecting human rights as human right education (HRE) first entered
the lexicon of international law, it is readily apparent that HRE has not succeeded in
preventing widespread human rights abuses. Wards like Rwanda, Srebrenica and
Darfur immediately bring to mind examples of our failure to prevent catastrophic
human rights violations. This because of inadequacy of education in the society.

Self-Instructional Material 85
Human Rights Education Role of education in promotion and protection of human rights
Education is a tool for creating the real idea of human rights and making people
know its importance in their day-to-day life. It is also a tool for eliminating the
violations of human rights.
NOTES
Article 51A(1) of the Indian Constitution 1950 imposes a duty on all citizens
to develop scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform. The
effective discharge of this duty will require human right education (HRE) to give
people enhanced awareness and greater openness. Right to Education has also
been incorporated.
The Constitution mandates the state to direct its policy towards securing that
children are given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and in
conditions of freedom and dignity and that childhood and youth are protected against
exploitation and against moral and material abandonment. HRE of the children as
well as the other people is indispensable to the full realization of the responsibility
under this constitutional directive. Indian state has an obligation to foster respect for
international law and treaty obligations as laid down in Article 51 of the Constitution.
India is a signatory to the UDHR and has ratified Civil and Political Rights Convention,
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Convention, and CEDAWCRC.
HRE is inescapable and a legal obligation. Human rights is not treated as a
separate subject in the curricula. NCERT has felt that all contemporary concerns
and issues cannot be included in the curriculum as separate subjects of study. It has
called upon incorporation of certain emerging concerns including human rights in the
course content.
University Grants Commission appointed the Sikri Committee in 1980 to
consider and report on the different ways and means for promoting HRE in India.
The committee suggested inculcating values without giving much weightage to marks
in schools. At college levels it was felt that all disciplines should include human rights
topics, at least, which are directly relevant to their disciplines. But it is disappointing
to observe that the NCF 2005 has failed in identifying the content of the HRE in
schools.
Implementation of RTE 2009
A human rights-based approach of education assures every child a quality education
that respects and promotes her or his right to dignity and optimum development. The
right to education is marked priority on the agenda of the international community
since right to education is not only a human right in itself but also is quintessential for
the exercise of all other human rights.
A number of human rights treaties accepted development and social
transformation. The right to education flows directly from the right to life. The right
to life and the dignity of an individual cannot be assured unless it is accompanied by
the right to education. Victims of injustice and violations of human rights will have no
faith in justice and values. Right to education and HRE will fall through. The

86 Self-Instructional Material
government and the society should be prepared to foot the bill if concrete results are Human Rights Education
desired.
There is no doubt that education has a major role to play for protection and
promotion of human rights. HRE is considered as one of the major tools to stop the
violations against human rights. From the above discussion we saw the importance NOTES
and how education can play a vital role in this regard.
Education should be imparted to each and every one so that they understand
the importance of human rights. Equality shall be the primary consideration in actions
concerning children, respect for the views of the child are the general principals of
the Convention on the Rights of a child. Education in their own mother language
about human rights will make the learners more prompt about their values and ways
to use them in their day to day life. The values of cultural diversity and social diversity
should be inculcated as a basic teaching. For integration of human rights, the relevant
subjects at the primary stage are languages and environmental studies. Stories, poems
and songs concerning human rights values will have to be selected. Education should
impart gender equality, respect for human dignity and rights.
Human rights concepts of religious freedom and religious tolerance can be
inculcated while teaching history topics. Human rights concerns about self-
determination can be introduced to students while teaching them colonialism and
imperialism. While teaching about sati and widow remarriage, suppression of women
and the need for reverse discrimination can be taught. Democracy equality can
enhance human values in a person. Rule of law and social justice gives immense
opportunities to discuss and understand human rights and human duties.
Languages offer many gateways for HRE. Stories, poems, paragraphs can
be carefully selected. Themes on French Revolution, Nazism can be used to discuss
the evolution of human rights. A discussion on the omnibus violations of human
rights during world wars can sensitize the students. Dramatic clubs and literary
activities can be utilized effectively. Students can be motivated to write poetry, drama
and essays on human rights. Poster making competition, elocution or contests, debates
etc. can also be held on similar themes. The school can celebrate the World Human
Rights Day, which can go a long way to create wariness among students, parents
and the neighbourhood community. Initiatives should be taken to enrich the school
library and personal collection with books and materials on human rights.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

1. Name some of the events that punctuate the history of human rights.
2. When was the Universal Declaration of Human Rights implemented?
3. What are the two components that the comprehensive education in human
rights comprises?
4. What enhances human values in a person?

Self-Instructional Material 87
Human Rights Education
4.3 UNITED NATIONS DECADE FOR HUMAN
RIGHTS EDUCATION (1995-2004)

NOTES The World Conference on Human Rights in the Vienna Declaration and Programme
of Action (in particular, para. 33 of Section I ) stated that human rights education,
training and public information were essential for the promotion and achievement of
stable and harmonious relations among communities and for fostering mutual
understanding, tolerance and peace. The Conference recommended that States should
strive to eradicate illiteracy and should direct education towards the full development
of the human personality and the strengthening of respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms. It called on all States and institutions to include human rights,
humanitarian law, democracy and rule of law as subjects in the curricula of all
learning institutions in formal and non-formal settings. 
Pursuant to a suggestion of the World Conference, the United Nations General
Assembly, in its resolution 49/184 of 23 December 1994, proclaimed the 10-year
period beginning on 1 January 1995 the United Nations Decade for Human Rights
Education, and welcomed the Plan of Action for the Decade contained in the report
of the Secretary-General. 
4.3.1 Plan of Action for the United Nations Decade for Human
Rights Education, 1995-2004
‘The World Conference on Human Rights considers human rights education, training
and public information essential for the promotion and achievement of stable and
harmonious relations among communities and for fostering mutual understanding,
tolerance and peace’ (Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, Part II. D,
para. 78).
A. Context and definition of human rights education
1. The international community has increasingly expressed consensus on the
fundamental contribution of human rights education to the realization of human
rights. Human rights education aims at developing an understanding of our
common responsibility to make human rights a reality in every community
and in society at large. In this sense, it contributes to the long-term prevention
of human rights abuses and violent conflicts, the promotion of equality and
sustainable development and the enhancement of people’s participation in
decision-making processes within a democratic system, as stated in
Commission on Human Rights resolution 2004/71.
2. Provisions on human rights education have been incorporated in many
international instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(article 26), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights (article 13), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (article 29), the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
(article 10), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of

88 Self-Instructional Material
 Racial Discrimination (article 7), the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Human Rights Education
Action (Part I, paras. 33-34 and Part II, paras. 78-82) and the Declaration
and Programme of Action of the World Conference against Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, held in Durban, South
Africa, in 2001 (Declaration, paras. 95-97 and Programme of Action, paras. NOTES
129-139).
3. In accordance with these instruments, which provide elements of a definition
of human rights education as agreed upon by the international community,
human rights education can be defined as education, training and information
aiming at building a universal culture of human rights through the sharing of
knowledge, imparting of skills and moulding of attitudes directed to:
• The strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms
• The full development of the human personality and the sense of its dignity
• The promotion of understanding, tolerance, gender equality and friendship
among all nations, indigenous peoples and racial, national, ethnic, religious
and linguistic groups
• The enabling of all persons to participate effectively in a free and
democratic society governed by the rule of law
• The building and maintenance of peace
• The promotion of people-centred sustainable development and social justice
4. Human rights education encompasses:
• Knowledge and skills—learning about human rights and mechanisms for
their protection, as well as acquiring skills to apply them in daily life
• Values, attitudes and behaviour—developing values and reinforcing
attitudes and behaviour which uphold human rights
• Action—taking action to defend and promote human rights
5. With a view to encouraging human rights education initiatives, Member States
have adopted various specific international frameworks for action, such as
the World Public Information Campaign on Human Rights, focusing on the
development and dissemination of human rights information materials, the
United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education, 1995-2004 and its Plan
of Action, encouraging the elaboration and implementation of comprehensive,
effective and sustainable strategies for human rights education at the national
level, and the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence
for the Children of the World (2001-2010).
6. In 2004, the Economic and Social Council, welcoming Commission on Human
Rights resolution 2004/71, requested the General Assembly to proclaim, at its
fifty-ninth session, a world programme for human rights education, to begin
on 1 January 2005 and to be structured in consecutive phases, in order to
further focus national human rights education efforts on specific sectors/
issues periodically identified by the Commission on Human Rights.

Self-Instructional Material 89
Human Rights Education B. Objectives of the World Programme for Human Rights Education
7. The objectives of the World Programme for Human Rights Education are:
• To promote the development of a culture of human rights
NOTES • To promote a common understanding, based on international instruments,
of basic principles and methodologies for human rights education
• To ensure a focus on human rights education at the national, regional and
international levels
• To provide a common collective framework for action by all relevant
actors
• To enhance partnership and cooperation at all levels
• To take stock of and support existing human rights education programmes,
to highlight successful practices, and to provide an incentive to continue
and/or expand them and to develop new ones
C. Principles for human rights education activities
8. Educational activities within the World Programme shall:
• Promote the interdependence, indivisibility and universality of human rights,
including civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights and the right
to development
• Foster respect for and appreciation of differences, and opposition to
discrimination on the basis of race, sex, language, religion, political or
other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, physical or mental condition,
and on other bases
• Encourage analysis of chronic and emerging human rights problems
(including poverty, violent conflicts and discrimination), which would lead
to solutions consistent with human rights standards
• Empower communities and individuals to identify their human rights needs
and to ensure that they are met
• Build on the human rights principles embedded within the different cultural
contexts and take into account historical and social developments in each
country
• Foster knowledge of and skills to use local, national, regional and
international human rights instruments and mechanisms for the protection
of human rights
• Make use of participatory pedagogies that include knowledge, critical
analysis and skills for action furthering human rights
• Foster teaching and learning environments free from want and fear that
encourage participation, enjoyment of human rights and the full development
of the human personality

90 Self-Instructional Material
 • Be relevant to the daily life of the learners, engaging them in a dialogue Human Rights Education
about ways and means of transforming human rights from the expression
of abstract norms to the reality of their social, economic, cultural and
political conditions.
NOTES
CHECK YOUR PROGRESS
5. What did the World Conference on Human Rights in the Vienna Declaration
and Programme of Action state regarding human rights education?
6. What does human rights education aim at?
7. List any two objectives of the World Programme for Human Rights
Education.

4.4 THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION AND HUMAN

RIGHTS

Education being an important social activity, its meaning has been changing through
ages due to change in social and physical conditions. Different thinkers have
interpreted it differently. We will try to conceptualize this term with the help of ideas
of Indian and Western thinkers.
Education may be defined as a purposive, conscious or unconscious,
psychological, sociological, scientific and philosophical process, which brings about
the development of the individual to the fullest extent and also the maximum
development of society in such a way that both enjoy maximum happiness and
prosperity. In short, education is the development of individual according to his/her
needs and demands of society, of which he/she is an integral part.
The above remarks of different educators highlight the following special
features of education:
• Education is both unilateral and bi-polar in nature.
• It is a continuous process.
• It is knowledge or experience.
• It is development of particular aspects of human personality or a
harmonious integrated growth.
• It is conducive for the good of the individual or the welfare of the society.
• It is a liberal discipline or a vocational course.
• It acts as a stabilizer of social order, conservator of culture, an instrument
of change and social reconstruction.
The Constitution of India is the fundamental law of the country, reflecting the
underlying and unifying values of society. It spells out the basic rights of each person;
it serves as a framework for all other laws and policies, and cannot be easily changed.
Self-Instructional Material 91
Human Rights Education However, it can be changed and updated through a democratic process, and it is
important to keep it alive, by popularising and using it, and by campaigning for its
reform or amendment if necessary. The Preamble to the Constitution of India outlines
the social philosophy which should govern all the institutions, including education.
NOTES
The aim of education is not only to run the administration of the country, but
also to develop different aspects of national life. Education is one of the fundamentals
of the Constitution, and it is to run in accordance will the Articles of the Constitution.
Constitution gives a broader concept in accordance with which young
generation is to be educated. In the Constitution of India, emphasis is laid for the
development of ethics in people in accordance to the principles enshrined in the
Constitution.
The Constitution of India gives a few directions and suggestions for the
development of education in the country which is called the constitutional provisions.
The following provisions, as laid down by the Eighty-Sixth Amendment Act
of 2002, have a great bearing on the functioning of Indian education system:
• Art. 21A: The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all
children of the age of six to fourteen years in such manner as the State
may, by law, determine
• Art. 41: Right to work, to education and to public assistance in certain
cases.
The State shall, within the limits of its economic capacity and development,
make effective provision for securing the right to work, to education and
to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness and
disablement, and in other cases of undeserved want.
• Art. 45: Provision for free and compulsory education for children.
(1) The State shall endeavour to provide, within a period of ten years
from the commencement of this Constitution, for free and
compulsory education for all children until they complete the age
of fourteen years.
(2) The State shall endeavour to provide early childhood care and
education for all children until they complete the age of six years.

• Art. 46: Promotion of educational and economic interests of Scheduled Castes,

Scheduled Tribes and other weaker sections.
The State shall promote with special care the educational and economic
interests of the weaker sections of the people, and, in particular, of the
Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and shall protect them from
social injustice and all forms of exploitation.
• Art. 51A (k): ‘…who is a parent or guardian to provide opportunities for
education to his child or, as the case may be, ward between the age of six and
fourteen years’. (Eighty-Sixth Amendment Act, 2002).
92 Self-Instructional Material
Minorities Human Rights Education

• Art. 29: Protection of interests of minorities.

(1) Any section of the citizens residing in the territory of India or any part
thereof having a distinct language, script or culture of its own shall have NOTES
the right to conserve the same.
(2) No citizen shall be denied admission into any educational institution
maintained by the State or receiving aid out of State funds on grounds
only of religion, race, caste, language or any of them.
• Art. 30: Right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions.
(1) All minorities, whether based on religion or language, shall have the
right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.
(1A): In making any law providing for the compulsory acquisition of any
property of an educational institution established and administered by a
minority, referred to in clause (1), the State shall ensure that the amount
fixed by or determined under such law for the acquisition of such property
is such as would not restrict or abrogate the right guaranteed under that
clause.
(2) The State shall not, in granting aid to educational institutions, discriminate
against any educational institution on the ground that it is under the
management of a minority, whether based on religion or language.
• Art. 350A: Facilities for instruction in mother-tongue at primary stage.
It shall be the endeavour of every State and of every local authority within
the State to provide adequate facilities for instruction in the mother-tongue at
the primary stage of education to children belonging to linguistic minority
groups; and the President may issue such directions to any State as he
considers necessary or proper for securing the provision of such facilities.
• Art. 15 (5): Nothing in this article or in sub-clause (g) of clause (1) of article
19 shall prevent the State from making any special provision, by law, for the
advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens
or for the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes in so far as such special
provisions relate to their admission to educational institutions including private
educational institutions, whether aided or unaided by the State, other than the
minority educational institutions referred to in clause (1) of Article 30. (Ninety-
Third Amendment Act, 2005).
Equality
• Art. 14: Equality before law.
The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection
of the laws within the territory of India.
• Art. 15: Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or
place of birth.

Self-Instructional Material 93
Human Rights Education (1) The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion,
race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them.
(2) No citizen shall, on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or
any of them, be subject to any disability, liability, restriction or condition with
NOTES regard to:
(a) access to shops, public restaurants, hotels and places of public
entertainment; or
(b) the use of wells, tanks, bathing ghats, roads and places of public resort
maintained wholly or partly out of State funds or dedicated to the use of
the general public.
(3) Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from making any special provision
for women and children.
(4) Nothing in this article or in clause (2) of Article 29 shall prevent the State
from making any special provision for the advancement of any socially and
educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes and
the Scheduled Tribes.
• Art. 17: Abolition of Untouchability.
‘Untouchability’ is abolished and its practice in any form is forbidden. The enforcement
of any disability arising out of ‘Untouchability’ shall be an offence punishable in
accordance with law.
• Art. 24: Prohibition of employment of children in factories, etc.
No child below the age of fourteen years shall be employed to work in any factory
or mine or engaged in any other hazardous employment.
Gender and Vulnerable Groups
• Art. 39: Certain principles of policy to be followed by the State.
The State shall, in particular, direct its policy towards securing: (a) that the citizens,
men and women equally, have the right to an adequate means of livelihood;…(e)
that the health and strength of workers, men and women, and the tender age of
children are not abused and that citizens are not forced by economic necessity to
enter avocations unsuited to their age or strength; (f) that children are given
opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and in conditions of freedom
and dignity and that childhood and youth are protected against exploitation and against
moral and material abandonment.
Religion
• Art. 25: Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of
religion.
(1) Subject to public order, morality and health and to the other provisions of this
Part, all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right
freely to profess, practise and propagate religion.
(2) Nothing in this article shall affect the operation of any existing law or prevent
the State from making any law.
94 Self-Instructional Material
 (a) regulating or restricting any economic, financial, political or other secular Human Rights Education
activity which may be associated with religious practice; and
(b) providing for social welfare and reform or the throwing open of Hindu
religious institutions of a public character to all classes and sections of
Hindus. NOTES

Explanation I—The wearing and carrying of kirpans shall be deemed to be

included in the profession of the Sikh religion.
Explanation II—In sub-clause (b) of clause (2), the reference to Hindus shall
be construed as including a reference to persons professing the Sikh, Jaina or Buddhist
religion, and the reference to Hindu religious institutions shall be construed accordingly.
• Art. 26: Freedom to manage religious affairs.
Subject to public order, morality and health, every religious denomination or any
section thereof shall have the right to:
(a) establish and maintain institutions for religious and charitable purposes; and
(b) manage its own affairs in matters of religion.
• Art. 28: Freedom as to attendance at religious instruction or religious worship in
certain educational institutions.
(1) No religious instruction shall be provided in any educational institution wholly
maintained out of State funds.
(2) Nothing in clause (1) shall apply to an educational institution which is
administered by the State but has been established under any endowment or
trust which requires that religious instruction shall be imparted in such institution.
(3) No person attending any educational institution recognised by the State or
receiving aid out of State funds shall be required to take part in any religious
instruction that may be imparted in such institution or to attend any religious
worship that may be conducted in such institution or in any premises attached
thereto unless such person or, if such person is a minor, his guardian has given
his consent thereto.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

8. Define education.
9. What are constitutional provisions?

4.5 DEVELOPMENT OF CURRICULUM OF HUMAN

RIGHT EDUCATION

The World Conference on Human Rights considers human rights education, training
and public information essential for the promotion and achievement of stable and
harmonious relations among communities and for fostering mutual understanding,
tolerance and peace. States should strive to eradicate illiteracy and should direct
Self-Instructional Material 95
Human Rights Education education towards the full development of the human personality and to the
strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. The World
Conference on Human Rights also called on all states and institutions to include
human rights, humanitarian law, democracy and rule of law as subjects in the curricula
NOTES of all learning institutions in formal and non-formal settings.
Human rights education should include peace, democracy, development and
social justice, as set forth in international and regional human rights instruments, in
order to achieve common understanding and awareness with a view to strengthening
universal commitment to human rights. Taking into account the World Plan of Action
on Education for Human Rights and Democracy, adopted in March 1993 by the
International Congress on Education for Human Rights and Democracy of the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and other human rights
instruments, the World Conference on Human Rights recommends that states develop
specific programmes and strategies for ensuring the widest human rights education
and the dissemination of public information, taking particular account of the human
rights needs of women.
Pursuant to the Vienna Declaration, the UN declared 1995-2004 as the United
Nations Decade for Human Rights Education.
Human rights education is defined as training, dissemination, and information
efforts aimed at building a universal culture of human rights by imparting knowledge
and skills, and moulding attitudes. Human rights education has five dimensions:
• Strengthening respect for the human personality and its dignity
• Fully developing the human personality and its dignity
• Promoting understanding, tolerance, gender equality, and friendship among
all nations, indigenous peoples, and racial, national, ethnic, religious, and
linguistic groups
• Enabling all persons to participate effectively in a free society
• Furthering the activities of the United Nations to maintain peace
The Constitution assumes responsibility for forming the country’s perception
of human rights. The Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties, and
Directive Principles of the State Policy signify tangible action taken for the actualization
of human rights. The protection of human liberty and freedom is covered in
Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of the State Policy, while fundamental
goals have been outlined in the Preamble. The greatest priority has been given to the
rights of the child. It is impossible to separate rights from duties, therefore,
Fundamental Duties (Article 51) are also vital. These provisions exemplify the
combined spirit and desires of all Indians.
The following provisions in Constitution uphold human rights:
• Equality before the law (Article 14)
• Non-discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex and place of birth
(Article 15)
• Equality of opportunity (Article 16)
96 Self-Instructional Material
 • Freedom of speech, expression, assembly, association, movement, residence, Human Rights Education
acquisition, and disposition of property, practice of any profession, carrying
out any occupation, trade, or business (Article 19)
• Prohibition of traffic in human beings and forced labour (Article 23)
NOTES
• Prohibition of labour in case of children below fourteen years (Article 24)
• Freedom of religion (Article 25)
• No provision for religious instruction in any educational institution wholly
maintained out of state funds (Article 28)
• Conservation of language, scripts and culture (Article 29 [1])
• Right of minorities to administer educational institutions (Article 30)
• State guarantee of social order (Article 38 [1], Directive Principles of State
Policy);
• Adequate means of livelihood, equal pay for equal work for both men and
women, non-abuse of health of the worker, opportunity for children to develop
in a healthy manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity (Article 39,
Directive Principles of State Policy)
• Right to work, education, and public assistance in specific cases (Article 41,
Directive Principles of State Policy)
• Provision for free and compulsory education of children up to fourteen years
of age (Article 45, Directive Principles of State Policy)
• Ensuring education and economic development of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled
Tribes and other weaker sections of society (Article 46, Directive Principles
of State Policy).
Educational Policies and Human Rights
The discussions and summaries of the different Education Commissions and the
directives of educational policy have expressed the significance of the right to
education and education in human rights as integral to the ongoing efforts towards
reforming and developing education in the country. They allot special status to women,
Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities, and the handicapped in the national
educational system, and call attention to values education. They also identify the
fundamental elements of the main curriculum, which consists of the chief human
rights issues.
The National Curriculum Framework is covered in the 1986 National Education
Policy. It provides for the core elements that overlap narrow subject margins and is
intended to uphold values specific to an Indian citizen’s life.
Human rights education is significant as an instrument of raising awareness
of human rights. Of the world’s school children, about 77 per cent are in primary
school, and of these, 68 per cent are girls. It is lamentable that in the early 1990s,
more than one quarter of the 95 million school children in developing countries did
not reach the fifth grade. Most countries failed to achieve universal access to education
by year 2000. Human rights education is not a mere vision. It will become a way of
Self-Instructional Material 97
Human Rights Education life. It is necessary if non-formal education is to prepare millions of children to be
good world citizens. A framework to support non-formal human rights education has
to be developed.

NOTES 4.5.1 Need for Human Rights Education in the School Curriculum
The largest part of a child’s education, right from an early age, takes place through
schooling. In the school, the child not only gains bookish knowledge but also picks up
the social skills, and other moral and social values that determine his or her perspectives
about life in general. The child starts to explore the world outside home and family
through the school and also expresses his own self there. Therefore, it is important
that the foundation for learning the importance of human rights values and their
evolution should be laid in school. It is also important that the child develops a holistic
worldview regarding human rights, besides those of his own immediate environment.
The representation of human rights should be placed in the context of society’s
overall moral and social traditions, rather than as an abstract idea. If human rights
seem to the child like a distant concept that applies to other people and not himself or
herself, then the purpose will be defeated. If looked at carefully, the school is like a
microcosm of the society where children from all backgrounds and all cultures come
and are treated on an equal basis. There are also the usual politics and power games
at play. A school is like the ‘concept of citizenship, impersonal and formal. By
understanding the idea of school as a community, citizens will learn to understand
and feel included in the political nation’ (Osler and Starkey 1996).
The school is a ‘model of good society’ as John Dewey (1909) suggested. A
school is a place where a smaller community can be established that would practice
social justice and human rights, exactly as they should be practiced in the society at
large. The environment in a school should be conducive to democratic expression of
ideas and open communication among teachers and students. One of the goals of a
school’s education programme should be to build a stronger and healthier relationship
with the community it operates in. Human rights must be built into the very functioning
of the entire school—from philosophy and organization to the elements of its teaching
curriculum.
The first National Curriculum Framework formulated by the National Council
of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) in 1975 states: ‘The awakening of
social consciousness, the development of democratic values and of a feeling for
social injustice and national integration are extremely important.... All subjects should
be taught in such a manner so as to foster the spirit of scientific humanism.’ The
National Curriculum Framework for primary and secondary education (NCERT,
1988) identifies and addresses some of these concerns such as promoting values of
egalitarianism, democracy, secularism, equality, removal of social barriers and creating
a sense of common citizenship. It states that a school’s curriculum should address
some global concerns and thereby try to make children recognize and be appreciative
of the various cultures that exist in other parts of the world.
Emphasizing the need to boost national identity, the National Curriculum
Framework for School Education (NCERT, 2000) reinforces the ten core components
defined in the National Policy on Education (1986):
98 Self-Instructional Material
 • The history of India’s freedom movement Human Rights Education

• Constitutional obligations
• The content essential to nurture national identity
• India’s common cultural heritage NOTES
• Egalitarianism
• Democracy and secularism
• Equality of the sexes
• Protection of the environment
• Removal of social barriers
• Observance of small-family norms
• Inculcation of scientific temper
It further highlights the need to include the fundamental duties as laid down in
Article 51 A of Part IV A of the Constitution as common core components of the
curriculum:
These core components need to be integrated in school curriculum in a suitable
manner. It is envisaged that they would help in instilling a nationally shared
perception and values and creating an ethos and value system in which a common
Indian identity could be strengthened.

4.5.2 Curriculum Development

Curriculum development comprises curriculum planning, devising curriculum policy,
execution and assessment. Curriculum renewal, however, must be an ongoing process
because the curriculum must be updated as per the changes in various subjects
being taught. Curriculum development should be a systematic and well-planned
improvement approach that takes into account the standard foundational principles.
Human rights education should be incorporated into the whole curriculum,
and also the hidden curriculum (i.e., the culture of schooling and teacher training
institutions and programs) rather than only including it in the formal curriculum as a
single subject.
Human rights teaching materials should be produced in different forms. At
the base of human rights education is curriculum development for all phases of
school education. The curriculum should integrate important ideas from the Vienna
Declaration—human rights, humanitarian law, democracy, rule of law, peace,
development and social justice. More such values can be added to customize the
curriculum to local needs of the learners in the best way to make them cognizant of
human rights in their daily lives at different ages. While a few of these topics may
already be present in the curriculum, the main challenge now is to bring them to the
forefront of the educational programmes.
The blueprint of the curriculum needs to be based on the philosophical,
psychological, and sociological fundamentals of curriculum planning and development.
The school curriculum should aim to achieve all-round growth of the student.

Self-Instructional Material 99
Human Rights Education Objectives of Human Rights Education
Human rights education aims to do the following:
• Enhance the knowledge and understanding of human rights
NOTES • Foster attitudes of tolerance, respect, solidarity, and responsibility
• Develop awareness of how human rights can be translated into social and
political reality
• Develop skills for protecting human rights
4.5.3 Context and Approaches to Curriculum Organization
The framework of and strategies for including human rights education in the curriculum
are the following:
• Direct context: This refers to incorporating specific topics or subjects that
are about human rights education into literature, science, or history syllabi, for
example. Recently, the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
launched a certificate course in human rights education.
• Indirect context: This refers to the use of all school subjects as media for
human rights education. A few examples are: (i) creating ‘learning units in
human rights’ for the purpose of incorporating the content of various syllabi
toward resolving a specific problem, and (ii) integrating human rights
components in the syllabus of every subject.
• Implicit context: This refers to developing such a socio-cultural philosophy
in schools which will help to inculcate understanding of human rights in
students. The challenge here is the introduction of new curriculums at various
stages in schools. It is a known fact most curricula are already overloaded
with subjects and adding one more would be kind of a violation of human
rights.
When one considers integrating human rights education into existing
curriculums, the question that arises is ‘how much to integrate?’ There is no simple
answer and a number of issues must be considered. The study of human rights may
be included under the subject of ethics and at the secondary level, basic and other
rights may be included in the existing foundation courses.
Content and Core Values
The first question in curriculum building is in what way human rights issues can be
structured and elaborated upon at different levels. The curriculum, among other
things, stresses the following core values:
• Issues of human rights and democracy: (i) Dignity; (ii) equality; (iii) justice;
(iv) protection of rights; (v) freedom of participation; (vi) freedom of speech
and expression; and (vii) freedom of religious belief.

100 Self-Instructional Material

 • Values and attitudes: (i) Human rights and democracy; (ii) cooperation and Human Rights Education
solidarity; (iii) preservation of culture; (iv) self and others; (v) internationalism;
(vi) protection of the environment; and (vii) spirituality.
These values are deemed universally acceptable and desirable in such
documents as the Declaration, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the NOTES
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, etc.
Human rights education is interdisciplinary. The central area may be outlined
as follows: (i) education for tolerance; (ii) democracy and national understanding;
(iii) protection of human rights; (iv) violation of human rights and democratic freedom;
(v) economic rights; (vi) civil rights; (vii) critical thinking; (viii) scientific temper; (ix)
intellectual honesty; (x) justice and empathy; (xi) legal awareness; (xii) equality of
educational opportunity; (xiii) gender equality; (xiv) political economy and humanism;
(xv) minority rights; (xvi) local government and civic rights; (xvii) constitutionalism
and legitimacy; (xviii) history and philosophy of human rights; (xix) world citizenship;
(xx) role of the UN; (xxi) human rights and national and world histories; (xxii)
international understanding; and (xxiii) environmental protection.
Human rights education should focus on attitudes of tolerance, respect, and
solidarity, and develop individual awareness of how human rights can be translated
into social and political reality.
Basic approach
The basic approach to human rights education in schools is to integrate it into various
subjects and not treat it as a separate area of study. It also requires a multidisciplinary
approach. The issue of human rights is inextricably linked with other major curricular
issues. The National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCERT
2000) recommends the integration of various curricular concerns:
The curriculum development process is often influenced by a ‘panic approach’
in which the local, national or international developments with some socio-economic
and political bearing influence the decisions concerning the curriculum without prior,
careful and structured planning. This ‘panic approach’ of including new and temporal
curricular concerns may often lead to an overloading of the curriculum. At a time
when concerns such as ‘literacy’, ‘family system’, ‘neighbourhood education’,
‘environmental education’, ‘consumer education’, ‘tourism education’ ‘AIDS
education’, ‘human rights education’, ‘legal literacy’, ‘peace education’, ‘population
education’, ‘migration education’, ‘global education’ and ‘safety education’ are
making a case for separate place in the school curriculum, the best approach would
be to integrate these ideas and concepts, after a careful analysis in the existing
areas of learning. Appropriate strategies for this integration may be suitably worked
out in the detailed subject curricula.
It is vital to examine the learning opportunities available when designing new
curriculum or introducing specific changes so as to avoid a disparity between
expectation and reality. This should constitute a realistic approach—meaningful,
responsive, and result oriented. Human rights is itself an educational conception
involving human interaction inside and outside school.
Self-Instructional Material 101
Human Rights Education 4.5.4 Human Rights Education and Curriculum
Human rights education is not treated as a separate area of the curriculum but is
integrated into various subjects at different stages:
NOTES • The Indian political system and Constitution
• Problems and challenges of contemporary life—political, economic, social,
cultural, educational—that have direct or indirect bearing on human rights
• Diversity and variety of Indian culture, its composite and non-monolithic
character
• The Indian social system and dynamics of social change
• Major events in Indian and world history relating to the struggle for political
and civil rights as well as economic and social rights, and the role of the
people and outstanding leaders in these struggles
• The world human rights situation with regard to gross violations in the form of
colonialism, racism, and apartheid; and
• Literary works that reflect human rights concerns and the quest for freedom
and rights
Major historical documents such as the American Declaration of
Independence, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, the UN
Charter, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights should be discussed. It is
imperative to discuss the human rights curriculum as a cross-curricular approach at
the elementary and secondary levels.
Human rights education and the elementary-level curriculum
The major subject areas relevant to human rights at the lower-primary stage are
social studies, environmental studies, and languages.
• Human rights issues are integrated into environmental studies, starting with
the child’s immediate environment and gradually taking the child to the study
of the district, state, country, and the world.
• Narratives and biographies of men and women from the history of India and
of the world, India’s freedom struggle, and certain aspects of the Indian
Constitution should be included in this course.
• The language curriculum should focus on the development of compassion,
tolerance, and sympathy, through stories and poems.
• Environmental studies dealing with family, neighbourhood, relations, food,
clothing, shelter, religious festivals, and national heroes expand the knowledge
of and respect for diversity and human equality.
• Children also develop an understanding of independent India as it evolved
during the freedom struggle. Learning about the nation’s goals and the main
features of the Constitution—fundamental rights, directive principles of State
policy, and fundamental duties, as well as secularism and democracy—may
help promote human rights.
102 Self-Instructional Material
Upper-primary stage Human Rights Education

In the upper-primary stage, the major subject areas relevant to human rights education
are social studies, science, and languages.
• History courses deal mainly with Indian history and, in general, with the history NOTES
of world civilization, stressing an understanding and appreciation of India’s
cultural heritage and composite nature, its richness and variety. They focus
on understanding diversity and consideration for other’s rights.
• The human rights dimension lies in providing a critical understanding of Indian
society through the ages, with focus on the position of women and the
inequalities created by the caste system.
• Children should be made aware of legislative reforms and the role of
international organizations in uplifting women and children.
• The course in geography helps children develop an appreciation for different
ways of living, interdependence, and sharing of common values by diverse
cultures. Civics helps promote values of democracy, secularism, socialism,
and national integration. It also includes the study of issues relating the
environment, arms race, and human rights. Children develop a perspective of
these problems in an international context. It is possible to introduce the student
to a more comprehensive view of the concept of human rights and the
interconnection between the ideals of secularism and democracy.
• The thematic and ideational content in language help to promote awareness
of human rights, international understanding, and related issues of global
significance. The subject of language similarly lays the foundation for an
appreciation of the underlying humanistic values conveyed through folk tales,
legends, poems, essays, and dramas.
• Science is an undiversified subject. Stress is on inculcating a national outlook
and thereby helping to combat obscurantism and prejudice based on narrow
consideration of caste, sex, or religion. The course guidelines also emphasize
promoting understanding of the processes and problem areas related to
agriculture, health and nutrition, environmental protection, energy, material
resources, and, more important, developing a scientific attitude.
Human rights education and the secondary curriculum
Secondary schools offer a much wider and varied range of opportunities to teach
human rights and to practice and observe rights and duties.
• A literature course may offer the opportunity to study the rights of children
and young people. Literature and language classes can be used to promote
cultural exchanges with schools in other countries as well as to promote
social relations, peace, freedom, and justice.
• At this stage, ‘the global perspective’ and ‘major concerns’ are integrated
into the social sciences

Self-Instructional Material 103

Human Rights Education

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

10. What does the National Curriculum Framework provide and intend to
NOTES uphold?
11. What should be the main focus of human rights education?
12. What are the major subject areas relevant to human rights education in the
upper-primary stage?

4.6 HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION THROUGH CO-

SCHOLASTIC ACTIVITIES

Human rights education goes beyond subject teaching to organization of other

activities and should be considered as an integral part of the whole education process.
Activities that promote cooperation and group living can include human rights
content. Teachers can involve elementary-school children in creative tasks such as
paper cutting, drawing, collage, and work related to science, environmental studies,
and social studies. Exhibitions, displays, and debates on human rights issues should
be considered as core elements of human rights education. The activities themselves
lead to an understanding of human rights as the children learn to cooperate and
respect each other.
Theatre and literacy activities should be part of human rights education. Role
play is an important strategy for inculcating values in children. Even the study of
major literary and artistic works may promote human rights education, international
understanding, and peace.
International-relations clubs, art, music or drama circles, and UNESCO and
United Nations clubs promote international understanding. Activities such as putting
up wall newspapers and posters on current events, holding debates, writing essays
and poems, celebrating special days such as Human Rights Day and World Health
Day, and activities relating to population, apartheid, literacy, etc. inculcate human
rights values and generate awareness of human rights.
Human rights education projects can be taken up in any discipline—history,
geography, civics, literature, and science, etc. Since co-curricular activities complement
human rights teaching in the curriculum, appropriate materials such as references
and activity books are needed.
Methodology
Human rights teaching should permeate not only all school subjects but also every
aspect of school life. There is no denying the fact that human rights can be taught
more effectively through various co-curricular activities. The methodological issues
are relatively more important than the content as far as human rights education is
concerned.

104 Self-Instructional Material

 Teaching methods are crucial in sensitizing and changing attitudes and creating Human Rights Education
a human rights culture. As the current teaching methodology may reduce human
rights education to a mere academic exercise, it is important to bring field experiences
into the classroom and take students to the communities.
Teacher attitudes and assessment methods are important in conveying key NOTES
messages to students. It is also important that the practices adopted in schools and
the classroom reflects a climate and culture of human rights. The flesh and blood of
schooling—the relationship among students, teachers, and school administrators,
and teaching strategies—need to be rebuilt on the basic philosophy of human rights.
Central Importance of Teachers and Teacher Education
Teachers are clearly important in human rights education. Can they teach with
uniform proficiency? What about teachers who are not even aware of their rights
and duties in the classroom? Simply, they are to be trained in content as well as
pedagogy, material preparation, and curriculum development as they have to be role
models. It is the most effective way to improve the quality and effectiveness of
human rights education programs. They should be provided with the knowledge,
skills, and understanding to inculcate human rights as part of their teacher education
courses at both the pre- and in-service levels.
Empowerment of teachers and parents is also a key issue that should be
tackled and worked out at all levels of government. Education should be considered
a duty not a right. Otherwise, the Declaration will become a mere subject of academic
study.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

13. What promotes human rights education, international understanding, and
peace in children?
14. Why is it important to bring field experiences into the classroom and take
students to the communities?

4.7 SUMMARY

• In today’s world, education is a highly preferred aspect of human life or more

accurately, human quality life. Here, the quality refers to how well an individual
deals with his/her environment and makes the best out of it.
• The term ‘human rights’ in general, refers to the civil rights, civil liberties,
political rights and social and economic rights of a human being.
• The concept of human rights implies that a human being is equal in the eyes
of the law irrespective of his or her caste, creed, colour, nationality, etc. Thus,
‘equality’ and ‘dignity’ are the fundamental principles of human rights.

Self-Instructional Material 105

Human Rights Education • The most common categorization of human rights is as follows:
o Civil and political rights, and
o Economic, social and cultural rights
NOTES • Civil and political rights are enshrined in Articles 3 to 21 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and in the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
• Economic, social and cultural rights are enshrined in Articles 22 to 28 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and in the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
• As per United Nations System and Human Rights (2000), human rights are
universal legal guarantees protecting individuals and groups against actions
that interfere with fundamental freedoms and human dignity.
• Human rights cannot be violated as they are inherent and are internationally
enforced. In addition to this, the guarantee of human rights is the duty of the
State.
• Education has a very important role to play in the promotion and protection of
human rights. Education makes us aware about our civil and political right
often called as the first generation rights and the social, economic and cultural
rights as the second generation rights.
• A comprehensive education in human rights consists of two components:
knowledge and information on human rights and the mechanisms that protect
these inalienable rights.
• A human rights-based approach of education assures every child a quality
education that respects and promotes her or his right to dignity and optimum
development.
• The World Conference on Human Rights in the Vienna Declaration and
Programme of Action (in particular, para. 33 of Section I ) stated that human
rights education, training and public information were essential for the
promotion and achievement of stable and harmonious relations among
communities and for fostering mutual understanding, tolerance and peace.
• Pursuant to a suggestion of the World Conference, the United Nations General
Assembly, in its resolution 49/184 of 23 December 1994, proclaimed the 10-
year period beginning on 1 January 1995 the United Nations Decade for
Human Rights Education, and welcomed the Plan of Action for the Decade
contained in the report of the Secretary-General. 
• The international community has increasingly expressed consensus on the
fundamental contribution of human rights education to the realization of human
rights. Human rights education aims at developing an understanding of our
common responsibility to make human rights a reality in every community
and in society at large.

106 Self-Instructional Material

• The objectives of the World Programme for Human Rights Education are: Human Rights Education

o To promote the development of a culture of human rights

o To promote a common understanding, based on international instruments,
of basic principles and methodologies for human rights education NOTES
• The Constitution of India is the fundamental law of the country, reflecting the
underlying and unifying values of society. It spells out the basic rights of each
person; it serves as a framework for all other laws and policies, and cannot
be easily changed.
• The Preamble to the Constitution of India outlines the social philosophy which
should govern all the institutions, including education.
• The Constitution of India gives a few directions and suggestions for the
development of education in the country which is called the constitutional
provisions.
• The National Curriculum Framework is covered in the 1986 National Education
Policy. It provides for the core elements that overlap narrow subject margins
and is intended to uphold values specific to an Indian citizen’s life.
• The school is a ‘model of good society’ as John Dewey (1909) suggested. A
school is a place where a smaller community can be established that would
practice social justice and human rights, exactly as they should be practiced
in the society at large.
• Curriculum development comprises curriculum planning, devising curriculum
policy, execution and assessment.
• Human rights education should be incorporated into the whole curriculum,
and also the hidden curriculum (i.e., the culture of schooling and teacher
training institutions and programs) rather than only including it in the formal
curriculum as a single subject.
• Human rights education should focus on attitudes of tolerance, respect, and
solidarity, and develop individual awareness of how human rights can be
translated into social and political reality.
• The basic approach to human rights education in schools is to integrate it into
various subjects and not treat it as a separate area of study. It also requires a
multidisciplinary approach.
• Human rights education goes beyond subject teaching to organization of other
activities and should be considered as an integral part of the whole education
process.
• Theatre and literacy activities should be part of human rights education. Role
play is an important strategy for inculcating values in children. Even the study
of major literary and artistic works may promote human rights education,
international understanding, and peace.
• Human rights teaching should permeate not only all school subjects but also
every aspect of school life. There is no denying the fact that human rights

Self-Instructional Material 107

Human Rights Education can be taught more effectively through various co-curricular activities. The
methodological issues are relatively more important than the content as far as
human rights education is concerned.

NOTES
4.8 KEY TERMS

• Education: It may be defined as a purposive, conscious or unconscious,

psychological, sociological, scientific and philosophical process, which brings
about the development of the individual to the fullest extent and also the
maximum development of society in such a way that both enjoy maximum
happiness and prosperity.
• Human rights: In general, it refers to the civil rights, civil liberties, political
rights and social and economic rights of a human being.
• Civil rights: They refer to freedom from slavery and servitude, torture and
inhuman punishment, and arbitrary arrest and imprisonment
• Political rights: They refer to the right to vote and nominate for public
office
• Social and economic rights: These refer to the right to education, work,
food, shelter, and medical care.

4.9 ANSWERS TO ‘CHECK YOUR PROGRESS’

1. Some of the events that punctuate the history of human rights include, notably,
Magna Carta (1215), American Declaration (1776), French Declaration of
Human Rights (1789), and the UN Charter (1945).
2. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was implemented on 10 December
1948.
3. A comprehensive education in human rights consists of two components:
knowledge and information on human rights and the mechanisms that protect
these inalienable rights.
4. Democracy equality can enhance human values in a person.
5. The World Conference on Human Rights in the Vienna Declaration and
Programme of Action (in particular, para. 33 of Section I ) stated that human
rights education, training and public information were essential for the
promotion and achievement of stable and harmonious relations among
communities and for fostering mutual understanding, tolerance and peace.
6. Human rights education aims at developing an understanding of our common
responsibility to make human rights a reality in every community and in society
at large.
7. The objectives of the World Programme for Human Rights Education are:
• To promote the development of a culture of human rights

108 Self-Instructional Material

 • To promote a common understanding, based on international instruments, Human Rights Education
of basic principles and methodologies for human rights education
8. Education may be defined as a purposive, conscious or unconscious,
psychological, sociological, scientific and philosophical process, which brings
about the development of the individual to the fullest extent and also the NOTES
maximum development of society in such a way that both enjoy maximum
happiness and prosperity.
9. The Constitution of India gives a few directions and suggestions for the
development of education in the country which is called the constitutional
provisions.
10. The National Curriculum Framework is covered in the 1986 National Education
Policy. It provides for the core elements that overlap narrow subject margins
and is intended to uphold values specific to an Indian citizen’s life.
11. Human rights education should focus on attitudes of tolerance, respect, and
solidarity, and develop individual awareness of how human rights can be
translated into social and political reality.
12. In the upper-primary stage, the major subject areas relevant to human rights
education are social studies, science, and languages.
13. Theatre and literacy activities should be part of human rights education. Role
play is an important strategy for inculcating values in children. Even the study
of major literary and artistic works may promote human rights education,
international understanding, and peace.
14. Teaching methods are crucial in sensitizing and changing attitudes and creating
a human rights culture. As the current teaching methodology may reduce
human rights education to a mere academic exercise, it is important to bring
field experiences into the classroom and take students to the communities.

4.10 QUESTIONS AND EXERCISES

Short-Answer Questions
1. What are human rights? What are the fundamental principles of human rights?
2. How does the Universal Declaration of Human Rights classify individual’s
rights?
3. What is the role of education in promotion and protection of human rights?
4. List the principles for human rights education activities.
5. What provision does the Constitution of India provide with regard to gender
and vulnerable groups?
6. What are the ten core components defined in the National Policy on Education
(1986) and reinforced by the National Curriculum Framework for School
Education (NCERT 2000)?

Self-Instructional Material 109

Human Rights Education 7. What is the basic approach to human rights education?
8. What inculcates human rights values and generates awareness of human
rights in children?
NOTES Long-Answer Questions
1. Describe the meaning and significance of human rights and duties.
2. Critically analyse the relation between human rights and education.
3. Explain in detail the Plan of Action for the United Nations Decade for Human
Rights Education, 1995-2004.
4. What are the provisions laid down by the Eighty-Sixth Amendment Act of
2002 on the functioning of Indian education system?
5. Discuss the need for human rights education in the school curriculum.
6. How is human rights education treated in the curriculum?
7. Evaluate the importance of co-scholastic activities in promoting human rights
education in schools.

4.11 FURTHER READING

Pal, R. M. and Somen Chakraborty. 2000. Human Rights Education in India.

Indian Social Institute.
Bajaj, Monisha (ed.). 2017. Human Rights Education: Theory, Research, Praxis.
Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Talesra, Hemlata; Nalini Pancholy and Mangi Lal Nagda (ed.). 2002. Human Rights
Education: A Global Perspective. New Delhi: Regency Publications.
Selvan, A. 2010. Human Rights Education: Modern Approaches and Strategies.
New Delhi: Concept Publishing Private Limited.

110 Self-Instructional Material

 Peace Education

UNIT 5 PEACE EDUCATION

Structure NOTES
5.0 Introduction
5.1 Unit Objectives
5.2 Understanding Peace by Understanding Conflict
5.2.1 Aims of Peace Education
5.2.2 Basics of Peace Education
5.3 Peace Education and Teacher
5.3.1 Power of Silence
5.3.2 Yogic Meditation
5.4 Summary
5.5 Key Terms
5.6 Answers to ‘Check Your Progress’
5.7 Questions and Exercises
5.8 Further Reading

5.0 INTRODUCTION

Beyond the boundaries of our nation lies the rest of our world. With numerous
nations and limited resources, there is always a tug of war for power. Since, it is not
possible for all nations to agree on things, there arises issues of conflict. Additionally,
one can also witness the mushrooming of varied groups with different interests
choosing their own ‘right’ way to meet their demands. It is important to remember
that all of this is set in a world which has different power regimes in their territory.
So, while it is a given that there will be conflict, what is not known is what will be the
degree of difference of opinion. It is an acknowledged fact that for the benefit of the
entire mankind it is important that there is unity, peace and harmony. Peace pervades
our psychological, social, cultural and physical space and what better way to strive
for peace in the world, but through students, the children who will be the drivers of
the future of mankind. Peace education is therefore, a very important field of study
having varied aspects under its fold. In this unit, you will learn about the understanding
peace by understanding conflict, the aims of peace education, basics of peace
education, peace education and the role of teachers, power of silence and the concept
of yogic meditation.

5.1 UNIT OBJECTIVES

After going through this unit, you will be able to:

• Assess the concept of understanding peace by understanding conflict
• Explain the aims and basics of peace education
• Describe the role of teachers in peace education
• Discuss the power of silence and yogic meditation
Self-Instructional Material 111
Peace Education
5.2 UNDERSTANDING PEACE BY UNDERSTANDING
CONFLICT

NOTES In this section, we will learn why peace education is important and in what way it is
related to understanding conflict. We will begin by studying the aims of peace
education and then will more on to learn about the basics of peace education.
5.2.1 Aims of Peace Education
Having a culture of peace is crucial not only at a societal level but also at the world
stage for the development of both the individual and society, but how do we build it?
A probable answer to this question is found in the Preamble of the UNESCO
constitution which says: ‘Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of
men that the defences of peace must be constructed’. The UNESCO Culture of
Peace elucidates on the mechanism or means through which peace can be constructed
in the minds of human beings: ‘For peace and non-violence to prevail, we need to
foster a culture of peace through education by revising the educational curricula to
promote qualitative values, attitudes and behaviours of a culture of peace, including
peaceful conflict resolution, dialogue, consensus building and active non-violence’.
Fostering a culture of peace through education is the first of the eight action
areas laid out by the 1999 United Nations Declaration and Programme of Action on
a Culture of Peace [resolution A/53/243]. This action area highlights the crucial role
that institutions of formal education, i.e., the school, can play in fostering a culture of
peace. However, education in culture of peace is not only about formal education; it
includes non-formal education as well. Non-formal education is education that takes
place outside the classroom and the school. Education—both formal and non-
formal—needs to focus on building a culture of peace and non-violence. Education
must empower children to become active participants in their future. The UNESCO
stresses that the ‘culture of peace through education’ is the base upon which the
other seven action areas can be built.
Outlining the composition of education, Daniel Webster said, ‘Knowledge
does not comprise all which is contained in the large term of education. The feelings
are to be disciplined, the passions are to be restrained; true and worthy motives are
to be inspired; a profound religious feeling is to be instilled, and pure morality inculcated
under all circumstances. All this is comprised in education’. Gandhi viewed education
as that which is relevant and meaningful to the lives of human beings. He felt that
education should ‘make of us men’ and ‘enable us to do our duty’. For Gandhi,
education was not confined to the 3Rs as these were not practically relevant in day
to day lives of human beings. The real aim of education was to build characters.
Much of the education today assumes that violence and injustice are a fact of life.
Many even glorify wars leaving people with the assumption that we do not have
choices. But real education aims to help people to see that we do have choices.
Education can positively contribute to building a culture of peace. Education
includes not just higher education but also education at the primary and secondary
level. In fact, it is better to start early as far as constructing the defenses of peace in
112 Self-Instructional Material
the minds of men are concerned. ‘Peace Studies’ or ‘Peace and Conflict Studies’ Peace Education
has been established as an independent discipline worldwide and universities run
specialized courses on them. These courses concentrate on the analysis of conflicts
at different levels and also focus on how peace can be built.
Peace education in UNICEF refers to the process of promoting the knowledge, NOTES
skills, attitudes and values needed to bring about behaviour changes that will enable
children, youth and adults to prevent conflict and violence, both overt and structural;
to resolve conflict peacefully; and to create the conditions conducive to peace, whether
at an intrapersonal, interpersonal, intergroup, national or international level. Peace
education must address the prevention and resolution of all forms of conflict and
violence, whether overt or structural, from the interpersonal level to the societal and
global level.
Objectives and Dimensions of Peace Education
Peace education concentrates on changing attitudes and behaviour so as to achieve
cooperation and encourage nonviolent problem-solving. It makes people aware of
their biases, prejudices and stereotypes. Education has a normative component and
most definitions of peace education also touch on the normative aspect. Peace
education can take place in formal as well as non-formal relaxed settings (outside
the classroom). Efforts to introduce peace education in the school curriculum have
been undertaken in several parts of the world.
Johan Galtung compares peace to health and says that just wanting health is
not enough; one would need knowledge and skills as well. The same is the case with
peace. ‘Peace education should fill the gap between wanting and acting’. However,
the field of peace education is not free from controversies for there is disagreement
with regard to how to obtain peace and what would be its ultimate goal. It is thus a
‘contested concept’. Galtung opines that peace education can provide medium and
long-term perspectives. In the medium term, it can prepare the foundation wherein
the seeds for peace would be planted. In the long term, it can prevent violent conflicts
from taking place as people would have gained the capacity and the skills to deal
with conflicts non-violently and creatively.
Birgit Brock-Utne defines peace education as ‘the social process through
which peace...is achieved...includes the practicing of equality of rights and equal
power-sharing for every member of a given community...further includes the learning
of skills of non-violent conflict resolution...also includes respect for human rights.’
However, according to her it is very difficult to treat peace education ‘in a scholarly
manner because the term is open to so many different political interpretations. For
political reasons—to reach consensus on a definition of peace education to be used
in the international community or in the official school curriculum guidelines— the
term is intentionally made to be open to various interpretations and to accommodate
various viewpoints.’ Since the field is too wide open it is ‘unwieldy’ as well. That is
why there have been attempts to divide it into smaller manageable areas or ‘subfields’
like development education, human rights education, disarmament education, etc.
Brock-Utne sees peace education as ‘the generic umbrella’ for these other related
areas. However, there are debates on whether peace education is a broader concept
Self-Instructional Material 113
Peace Education that also includes human rights education or whether human rights education is the
‘approach’ through which peace education should be looked at. There are diverse
views on this debate.
Betty Reardon, an American peace education expert is of the view that what
NOTES would specifically go into peace education is neither clearly laid out nor is it defined
in terms of what it would be limited to. In her research, she found out that peace
education in the United States focused on nine areas all of which were either focused
on cognitive aspects or on building attitudes or behaviour: conflict resolution,
cooperation, global environment, human rights, multicultural understanding, non-
violence, social justice, global environment and world resources. For Reardon, the
objective of peace education is to ‘promote the development of authentic planetary
consciousness that will enable us to function as global citizens and to transform the
present human condition by changing social structures and the patterns of thought
that have created it.’
Its core is the ‘control, reduction and elimination’ of violence.
Birgit Brock-Utne distinguishes between education about peace and education
for peace. Education about peace is a formal approach to peace education while
education for peace is a broader approach. There is also a difference in the way the
two see ‘education’ – the former sees education as the ‘limited, formal learning of
matter, acquisition of knowledge’while the latter is about ‘informal learning of attitudes,
values and behaviour.’ Depending on one’s requirements, education for peace
programmes can be either narrow or wide. When it’s broad, it has the long-term aim
of promoting positive peace; when narrow, it focuses on addressing or preventing a
specific conflict. However, there is no dichotomy between the narrow and the wider
component; in practice they are closely inter-linked. Besides, both have a normative
approach. Education for peace can be undertaken in societies which are facing
violent conflicts as well as in societies where there is a likelihood of violent conflict
breaking out. Both adults and children can be a part of education for peace.
The goal of education for peace is the development of ‘the critical and
analytical mind’ and ‘cooperative way of working’. However, this is easier said than
done in the settings of a formal school system, for structurally it is geared towards
and promotes competition, achievements of the individual and getting grades.
Pedagogy is a very critical aspect of peace education. Paulo Freire’s work,
Pedagogy of the Oppressed, written in 1968, lays out the framework in this regard.
According to Freire, the modern education system is a hierarchical setup which
treats students like empty vessels, where teachers need to deposit knowledge. He
terms this as the ‘banking’ approach to education. This process ends up dehumanizing
both the teacher and the students. Here the teacher is the ‘subject’ and the students
are mere ‘objects’ and knowledge is devoid of reality. Freire contends that students
need to be seen as co-creator of knowledge and the aim of education should be
conscientization, where education is a medium of consciously shaping individuals
and the society. This is to be done through dialogue or the dialogical method.

114 Self-Instructional Material

Education for Peace in India Peace Education

In India, peace education programmes have traditionally been concerned with

promoting certain core values. Different commissions and committees recommended
the incorporation of value education at all levels. Consequently, the National Curriculum
NOTES
Frameworks of 1975, 1988 and 2000 adopted a value-oriented approach to integrate
peace concerns in education. A major shift in this approach was witnessed in the
National Curriculum Framework (NCF) of 2005 which felt that value education
gets subsumed in peace education. Moreover, peace education and value education
are not identical in nature and content. Peace education can help better understand
values and also help in their internalization. Without such a framework, values do not
get integrated with the learning process. Peace education can thus provide the context
for value education and also facilitate its operation. Moreover, there is a growing
realization in the world today that children should be educated in the art of peaceful
living in the wake of alarming increase in violence in school life. Gandhi too had said:
‘If we are to teach real peace in the world we shall have to begin with children.’ As
a result, the need for integrating peace concepts, attitudes, values and behavioural
skills into the school curriculum was felt. Thus, out of the twenty-one focus groups
constituted in the context of NCF 2005, Education for Peace emerged as one of the
thrust areas.
National Curriculum Framework of 2005 went beyond peace education to
emphasize on ‘education for peace’. Education for peace is a wider concept and
peace education is one part of it. In the former, peace is the vision through which
the process of education is shaped. Here the whole educational process is geared
towards the creation of a better world and the promotion of a culture of peace.
education for peace is education for life; it is not about training for a career or a
livelihood. In education for peace learning has to be a meaningful and joyful experience
and not a cumbersome and burdensome process.
Education for peace aims to train children to become responsible adults so
that they can live harmoniously with others as well as the environment. This would
entail orienting children towards peace, endowing them with non-violent attitudes,
behaviour and values. It also consists of developing attitudes of self-respect, tolerance,
empathy, justice and fairness. Besides, human rights education, environmental
education, conflict resolution education, development education, cooperation, social
responsibility, democracy and respect for cultural diversity will be a part of education
for peace. In the Indian context, education for peace could also include inculcation
of the idea and goal of social justice, propagation of a secular and democratic culture,
and promotion of national integration, eventually making these a part and parcel of
the lives of its citizens. It is pertinent to emphasize here that in several settings
peace education and education for peace are used interchangeably and they mean
one and the same thing.
Peace when taught in a formal setting like schools need not be confined
solely to one subject such as conflict resolution or conflict management or be taught
just as a part of social science and humanities like history or political science or
civics. It can be and should be in-built and integrated into different subjects. Education

Self-Instructional Material 115

Peace Education for peace, thus is not envisaged as a separate subject that would further augment
curriculum load but a perspective from which all subjects are to be taught.
The present state of educational affairs in the schools of India is far from
satisfactory. It promotes competition and rote learning and is based on hierarchical
NOTES transfer of knowledge. The child does not experience any joy in learning; education
thus becomes a burden. Besides, it hardly pays attention to nurturing the child into a
holistic being. Teachers are poorly trained. They pass their prejudices and biases on
to the students. As a result we see several forms of violence in schools today –
bullying, beating, ragging, killing (students committing violence on others); students
committing suicides (violence on self), corporal punishment (violence committed on
students by others such as teachers), etc. Schools which are meant to be nurseries
of peace end up becoming a transmission point for violence. Thus, a total paradigm
shift is required in the transaction of education – it should focus on learning and not
be confined to literal training.
Given the dismal scenario, implementation of education for peace would
require engaging with various issues and concerns and addressing them constructively
such as training of teachers, textbook writing, reducing the curriculum load, coming
up with evaluation methods that promote cooperation rather than competition, involving
the parents and the community at large in teaching-learning processes, etc.
The role of the teacher assumes significance in contextualizing education for
peace in schools. Teachers are role models for young impressionable minds. They
not only facilitate the teaching-learning process but also influence the psychological,
emotional and spiritual growth of the children by creating an enabling environment.
This requires proper training in the content and pedagogy of education for peace.
The NCF 2005 too emphasized on proper training and development of skills among
teachers so that they could contribute to building a culture of peace among their
students and the school and community at large.
5.2.2 Basics of Peace Education
Legal means of conflict resolution refers to the laws that could help resolve conflicts
non-violently. Laws aim to protect the society and its individuals, establish rules for
behaviour and governance, maintain social order and ensure justice. Most of all,
they are meant to guide relations between states as well as between citizens of
states by specifying what is permitted or legal and what is not allowed. Laws have
the potential to limit and prevent violent conflicts and wars and promote a peaceful
world. However, laws by themselves cannot do anything as firstly, no law is perfect
and secondly, because laws are not perfectly implemented or executed.
Law, both international and municipal, provide the legal means for conflict
resolution. International law or the ‘law of nations’ deals with interactions between
states and provides rules regarding how to conduct international interaction while
municipal law concerns the national and domestic law of a state.
International Law
The main idea behind the emergence of international law was to manage conflict
among states as it was felt that laws would bring in order and lessen violent conflict.
116 Self-Instructional Material
However, just the presence of laws does not necessarily mean that it would be easy Peace Education
to resolve conflicts. Laws can be a point of contention as well; the powerful developed
countries would not want to be constrained by them while the less powerful developing
and underdeveloped countries feel that they never had a voice in the process of
making these laws. In any case, all countries of the world hardly agree on all NOTES
international laws. Besides, several times municipal laws contradict international
laws. Cultural differences between countries make the interpretation and
implementation of international laws really difficult.
The beginning of international law can be traced to the Treaty of Westphalia,
1648 which stressed upon the sovereign equality of states. However, it was only in
1783 that the term ‘international law’ emerged for the first time in Jeremy Benthem’s
Principles of International Law. In the eighteenth and nineteenth century, the
rules of war (jus ad bellum and jus in bello) were codified in the Geneva
Conventions. After the end of the First World War, the League of Nations came into
being and made some unsuccessful attempts to prohibit war. The Kellogg-Briand
Pact of 1928 was the first crucial initiative which went beyond the laws of war. It
criticized ‘recourse to war for the solution of international controversies.’ In 1945,
the United Nations (UN) was set up which became the source of international law.
The UN Charter not only defined the legal use of force but its Chapter VI stressed
on peaceful settlement of disputes though a variety of mechanisms which include
negotiation, mediation, conciliation, inquiry, arbitration and judicial settlement. Besides,
the UN became the ‘negotiating venue’ for creating new international laws.
There are four major sources of international laws: classical writing, custom,
treaties and rulings of international courts. Apart from these, international legal scholars
also contribute to international laws. Their opinion on technical issues could lead to
the creation of new laws. Moreover, general legal principles which are part of the
municipal law of several states could also become a part of the body of international
law.
Various classical writings had sparks of international law in them. Francisco
de Victoria, a Spanish legal scholar of the sixteenth century, believed that war had to
be ‘morally justifiable, and could not simply be fought over differences of religion or
for the glory of a ruler.’ But among classical writings, it was Hugo Grotius’ work in
the year 1625, On the Law of War and Power that left its influence the most on
international law. Grotius opined that there was a ‘natural law’ which was beyond
nations as all humanity belonged to the same community. He strongly advocated
state sovereignty and therefore non-interference by states in the internal affairs of
other states. Thus ‘the Grotian tradition...derives the legitimacy of international law
from the legitimacy of states themselves. But it goes further in seeking to derive
principles whereby the behaviour of one state toward another can be regulated...’
Several customary practices that developed over a period of time have been
codified in international law. Yet, ‘custom is one of the most important and least
appreciated sources of international law.’ An example of customary law would be
diplomats enjoying immunity from getting arrested or detained when working in
another country.

Self-Instructional Material 117

Peace Education The third source of law is international agreements and treaties between
states. States have signed treaties and agreements with other states covering areas
like ending wars, putting restrictions on each other as to the actions permitted during
wars, settling boundary disputes, navigation rights, fishing rights, etc. These treaties
NOTES are a part of international law. In majority of cases, these treaties have been honoured
by states as violating agreements and not honouring treaty obligations would lead to
a loss of face. Moreover, a state that gets labelled as a ‘treaty-breaker’ may have
difficulty in establishing relationships with other states in the future. Most of these
international treaties and agreements laid the foundation for several intergovernmental
and multilateral organizations, which also in turn became a source of international
law.
International law also provides for a court to hear disputed cases. The legal
initiatives to change the world and make it a better place led to the establishment of
the Permanent Court of International Justice (PCIJ) in The Hague in 1920. It was
then a part of the League of Nations. PCIJ ‘epitomized...logic of world peace through
law.’ The PCIJ was reconstituted as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in
1946. ICJ will be dealt with separately slightly later in the chapter.
The main difference between international law and municipal law is that the
former cannot be enforced while in the latter there is a government to enforce the
laws. That is why several people go to the extent of not even considering international
law as ‘law’. Yet some others argue that why not translate international laws into
municipal laws where they can be better enforced as national governments have the
wherewithal to do so.
Lack of enforcement provisions is a major problem in international law as
‘individual states insist on a kind of latitude that they would never allow their own
citizens.’ The ‘latitude’ that is being referred to here is state sovereignty and the
state-centric system. Individuals take recourse to state sovereignty to escape the
provisions of international law. The protection of human rights which is one of the
important aims of international law also puts limitations on state sovereignty, for on
occasions force has been used to protect them. In the late 1990s, state sovereignty
and principles of human rights were in conflict with each other in the Balkans crisis
wherein Yugoslavia opposed Western threats by taking recourse to the former while
the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) countries undertook ‘humanitarian
intervention’ in 1999 on the pretext of protecting the latter. David P. Barash thus
concludes that ‘state sovereignty continues to reign, although a semblance of
international law is generally invoked as well. States have been especially hesitant...to
circumscribe their day-to-today authority.’
In spite of these challenges, international law is most often followed, largely
because a major part of the laws are based on customs and secondly because the
big powers back them. The latter however do so mainly because they see it in their
interest.
Conflict Resolution in International Law
Malcolm N. Shaw says, ‘International law has historically been regarded by the
international community primarily as a means to ensure the establishment and
118 Self-Instructional Material
preservation of world peace.’ Given this context, the procedures available within Peace Education
international law to resolve conflicts peacefully fall into two categories: diplomatic
procedures and adjudication. Diplomatic procedures refer to endeavours and efforts
made either by opposing parties or with the help of other entities, to resolve the
dispute by making use of the process of discussion and fact-finding such as NOTES
negotiation, good offices, mediation, inquiry and conciliation. Adjudication, on the
other hand, entails the involvement of a disinterested third party, who determines the
legal and factual issues of the dispute through the means of either arbitration or
through judicial decisions.
In the course of conflict resolution, a range of methods can be used by
contending states in a particular dispute; the process need not be limited to only one
method. Differences between states can either pertain to legal conflicts and/or political
disagreements that may be peripheral. It is important to point out here that states are
under no obligation to make efforts to resolve their disputes even though the
international law and the United Nations Charter instructs them to do so. Secondly,
the methods used to settle disputes can be operationalized only when the states give
their consent to that effect.
But what constitutes ‘dispute’? ‘Dispute’ as referred to by the PCJI in the
Mavrommatis Palestine Concessions (Jurisdiction) case constitutes ‘a
disagreement over a point of law or fact, a conflict of legal views or of interests
between two persons.’ Disputes are sometimes classified into justiciable and non-
justiciable or legal and political disputes. However, this sort of a distinction may not
be practically applicable as disputes generally tend to involve political considerations
and disagreements over political issues may get resolved through judicial decisions.
Moreover, categorization of a dispute into legal or political is a matter of perception
and would depend on how concerned states choose to term it. However, some
differences between the legal and political means to resolving conflicts can be
established. Legal means to conflict resolution refers to ‘the provisions of law as
they stand at that point, irrespective of any reforming tendencies the particular court
may have, while the political techniques of settlement are not so restricted.’ Besides,
it is also possible that political and legal organs deal with the facets of the ‘same
basic situation’. Political means of conflict resolution include the measures applied
by the United Nations. Here the focus will be on the legal means of conflict resolution
as established in International Law.
The legal means for conflict resolution have been elaborated upon in the 1970
Declaration on Principles of International Law Concerning Friendly Relations and
Cooperation among States in the following manner:
‘States shall accordingly seek early and just settlement of their international
disputes by negotiation, inquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial
settlement, resort to regional agencies or arrangements or other peaceful means
of their choice’.

The above methods have also been referred to in Article 33(1) of the UN
Charter. However, these have been mentioned in the context of the continuance of
such disputes that are likely to endanger international peace and security. The methods
can be used in any order but no force is to be used nor is any threat to be issued to
Self-Instructional Material 119
Peace Education that effect. Moreover, states can choose to use any method that they want to adopt
in a particular context. Regional instruments such as the American Treaty on Pacific
Settlement, 1948 (the Pact of Bogota); the European Convention for the Peaceful
Settlement of Disputes, 1957 also leave it to the states to decide on the means of
NOTES conflict resolution that they want to adopt. If one method fails to resolve a dispute,
states can take recourse to another. In spite of the best efforts, if the dispute does
not get resolved and it is likely to harm international peace and security, the parties
‘shall refer it to the Security Council.’
Negotiation
Negotiation is a simple, active and the ‘most utilized form’ of conflict resolution. In
negotiation, contending parties discuss their differences directly with each other,
without the involvement of a third party; the overall aim is reconciliation of differences.
If reconciliation does not happen due to various reasons, the idea is to at least
understand each other’s positions. Normally, negotiation becomes ‘the precursor’
for other settlement procedures such as mediation, as parties use it initially to clarify
disagreements. British academic Malcolm N. Shaw Q.C. says, ‘Negotiations are
the most satisfactory means to resolve disputes since the parties are so directly
engaged.’
Negotiations depend to a certain degree on opposing parties showing some
flexibility, sensitivity and mutual goodwill towards the other. As a result, they do not
always succeed. Lack of trust in each other is likely to complicate the negotiation
process, making resolution difficult.
Some bilateral and multilateral agreements instruct parties to enter into
negotiation as a matter of ‘duty’, for instance, Article 283(1) of the Convention on
the Law of the Sea, 1982 provides that in case of a dispute regarding ‘interpretation
or application’ of the Convention, ‘the parties to the dispute shall proceed expeditiously
to an exchange of views regarding its settlement by negotiation or other peaceful
means.’When negotiation is obligatory, it is likely to entail the pursuance of negotiation
with the aim of concluding an agreement. In the North Sea Continental Shelf
cases, the ICJ held that:
‘The parties are under an obligation to enter into negotiations with a view to
arriving at an agreement, and not merely go through a formal process of
negotiation...they are under an obligation so to conduct themselves that the
negotiations are meaningful, which will not be the case when either of them
insists upon its own position without contemplating any modification of it.’

However, in the German External Debts case, the ICJ held that when parties
agreed to negotiate with each other, they were under no obligation to reach an
agreement but they had to make ‘serious efforts’ to do so. In the Lax Lanoux
arbitration, it was stated that negotiations had to be conducted as per ‘the rules of
good faith’ and were not meant to be ‘mere formalities’. If discussions were broken
off unjustly or if there were ‘unusual delays’ or when parties systematically refused
to consider proposals – these were taken to be violation of ‘the rules of good faith’.
Article 33 of the UN Charter says that in cases where disputes by their
continuance are likely to imperil international peace and security, states should first
120 Self-Instructional Material
try to seek resolution of disputes via negotiation, mediation or inquiry and only when Peace Education
these mechanisms fail that they should take recourse to other forms.
Good offices and mediation
The mechanisms of good offices and mediation make use of a third party. This third NOTES
party could be either ‘an individual or individuals, a state or group of states or an
international organisation.’ The aim of the third parties is to ‘encourage’ the opposing
parties to reach some sort of an agreement and terminate the conflict. They are
persuaded to make decisions with regard to the agreement on their own without the
same being imposed by the third party which is generally the case in arbitration and
adjudication.
In good offices, the third party tries to ‘influence’ the contending parties to
negotiate with each other. Mediation on the other hand involves ‘active participation’
of the mediator in the process of negotiation. It is difficult to clearly distinguish
between good offices and mediation several times as the two ‘tend to merge’. The
good offices mechanism was utilized by the USSR in 1965 when it helped India and
Pakistan to resolve their dispute. France played a similar role between the US and
North Vietnamese while ‘encouraging’ them to start their negotiations early on in
the 1970s. On several occasions, the United Nations (UN) Secretary General makes
use of his good offices to help the opposing parties to come to an agreement. This
was specifically done in the case of Afghanistan. The Geneva Agreements of 1988,
pertaining to Afghanistan, ‘noted that a representative of the Secretary-General
would lend his good offices to the parties.’
The role of the mediator is much more dynamic. They try to ease the tension
between the parties, thereby improving the environment in which the negotiations
will take place; they try to ‘reconcile’ the diverse and opposing contentions between
the parties; they come up with their ‘own proposals’ and then coax and persuade the
contending parties into agreeing to them.
The Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907 enunciated the rules by which the
mechanisms of good offices and mediation would be governed. It ‘stipulated that
the signatories to the treaties had a right to offer good offices or mediation, even
during hostilities, and that the exercise of the right was never to be regarded by
either of the contending sides as an unfriendly act. It ...also explained that such
provisions were not binding...laid a duty upon the parties to a serious dispute or
conflict to resort to good offices or mediation as far as circumstances allow, before
having recourse to arms.’
Inquiry
Inquiry as a legal mechanism for conflict resolution is used when there are differences
between parties on fact-based issues. In such cases, a commission of inquiry is
instituted, wherein reputed observers conduct the enquiry and specifically ascertain
the facts of the dispute. The prerequisites of inquiries were first laid out in the
Hague Conference of 1899 ‘as a possible alternative to the use of arbitration.’
However, inquiries have been limited for they can only be applied to international
disputes where the parties ‘honour’ or ‘vital interests’ are not involved and the
Self-Instructional Material 121
Peace Education conflict is centred on a ‘genuine disagreement’ pertaining to ‘facts which can be
resolved by recourse to an impartial and conscientious investigation.’
Inquiry was successfully used in the Dogger Bank incident. In 1904, British
naval forces were fired upon by Russian naval ships thinking that they were Japanese
NOTES torpedoes, their enemy. An international inquiry commission was established and the
Hague provisions were enforced. The commission managed to settle the case
peacefully. As a result, an interest developed in this mechanism and the Hague
Convention of 1907 elaborated on its provisions. But examples of these provisions
being applied to commissions of inquiry have been few and far between. In the Red
Crusader inquiry of 1962, a fact-finding mission was established but it ‘incorporated
judicial aspects’ as well and its report too ‘reflected legal findings’.
In spite of its very limited application as a ‘separate mechanism’ as per the
provisions of the Hague Convention of 1907, the importance of inquiry cannot be
rejected outright as its usage within the UN and its specialized agencies has increased.
They have also been used as part of other legal mechanisms of conflict resolution
for ‘general fact-finding’.
Conciliation
According to Malcolm N. Shaw, ‘The process of conciliation involves a third-party
investigation of the basis of the dispute and the submission of a report embodying
suggestions for a settlement.’ It, thus includes the essentials of inquiry as well as
mediation. In fact, the treaties that provided for permanent inquiry commissions also
led to the origin of the process of conciliation. In contrast to arbitrated decisions,
conciliation reports are in the form of ‘proposals’ and thus not binding.
The rules pertaining to conciliation were laid out in the 1928 General Act on
the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes. These rules were revised in 1949.
The rules elaborated on the function, composition, the site of the proceedings and
time period of the commissions. They defined the purpose of the commissions which
included both inquiry and mediation techniques. The conciliation commission was to
comprise of five people – one member to be appointed by each of the contending
parties and the rest of the three members were to be citizens of third states who
were to be ‘appointed by agreement’. The conciliation proceedings could not be
held in public and had to be completed within a period of six months. Thus the
conciliation mechanism ‘was intended to deal with mixed legal-factual situations to
operate quickly and informally.’
Conciliation commissions were favoured as a mechanism during the period
between the two world wars ‘especially between 1920 and 1938’ as several treaties
provided for them. However, since then they have not been in much use. Still several
multilateral treaties have made provisions for the use of conciliation as a means of
conflict resolution such as the 1948 American Treaty of Pacific Settlement, the 1957
European Convention for the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes, the 1985 Vienna
Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer etc.
Conciliation mechanism was used in the dispute between Iceland and Norway.
The dispute pertained to the delimitation of a continental shelf between Iceland and
122 Self-Instructional Material
Jan Mayen island. The provisions of the agreement that established the Conciliation Peace Education
Commission contained key features of the conciliation method; they noted that the
dispute was a matter of ‘continuing negotiations’ and that the report of the Commission
would not be ‘binding’ on the parties. The Commission proposed the setting up of a
joint development zone—something that could not have possibly been done by a NOTES
judicial body—only a conciliation commission could come up with such an idea.
Thus as is evident, conciliation is still a valid and useful method as it is ‘extremely
flexible’. Moreover, the clarification of facts and the discussion of proposals could
encourage the parties to go in for negotiation. Lately, there have been efforts to
‘reactivate’ the conciliation mechanism but only the future will determine how it
fares.
Arbitration
Arbitration and judicial settlement are two adjudicated methods of dispute settlement
whose decisions are binding. Judicial bodies such as courts and tribunals have been
rendered ‘a special place’ in international law as they are ‘part of a larger process
of peaceful settlement.’ Jennings has written to this end, ‘The adjudicative process
can serve, not only to resolve classical legal disputes, but it can also serve as an
important tool of preventive diplomacy in complex situations.’
The 1794 Jay Treaty between Britain and America laid the foundation of the
modern form of arbitration as a mechanism. Mixed commissions were established
as part of the Treaty with the aim of resolving the legal disputes between the two
parties. Arbitration was successfully used in the Alabama Claims arbitration of
1872 and further towards the close of the nineteenth century in the Behring Sea,
British Guiana and Venezuela Boundary arbitrations. It is evident from these
cases that arbitration developed out of the ‘processes of diplomatic settlement’.
Shaw says, ‘International arbitration was held to be the most effective and equitable
manner of dispute settlement, where diplomacy had failed.’
The aim of arbitration as given under Article 15 of the 1899 Hague Convention
for the Pacific Settlement of Disputes was, ‘the settlement of differences between
states by judges of their own choice and on the basis of respect for law.’ This
became the acceptable definition of arbitration, which was further repeated in Article
37 of the 1907 Hague Conventions and was also taken on later by the PCIJ and the
ICJ.
A Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) was established in 1899 by the
Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes. Though referred to
as a ‘court’, it is not really a court as it does not comprise of ‘fixed body of judges’.
The PCA consists of a panel of people who are nominated by the contracting states.
Each state nominates maximum four people to the panel. Article 44 of the 1907
Hague Convention elaborated that the people who are to be nominated to the panel
must be individuals ‘of known competency in questions of international law, of the
highest moral reputation and disposed to accept the duties of an arbitrator.’ When
contracting states want to use arbitration, they can choose members from the panel
for the tribunal. Thus the PCA works more like a facilitator for establishing arbitration
tribunals. Besides, PCA also has an International Bureau which keeps all the records
Self-Instructional Material 123
Peace Education of the Court and thus acts like a ‘registry’. The Permanent Administrative Council
looks after the administrative issues of the Bureau. From 1920 to 1932, around
twenty disputes were arbitrated by the PCA but after that the numbers declined as
the PCIJ came up in the 1920s. Recently, however, the PCA has again begun to play
NOTES a crucial role.
There is no set pattern prescribed for the composition of arbitration tribunals;
it can range from ‘a single arbitrator’ to ‘a collegiate body’. When it’s a collegiate,
all parties appoint equal number of arbitrators; the chairman can be appointed by the
parties or the nominated arbitrators can appoint one. Sometimes, a head of state
may be appointed as a single arbitrator. The head of state in turn nominates an
expert or experts in international law or allied areas to act on his behalf. In the PCA,
two arbitrators are selected by each party and only one of these can be ‘a national
of the state’.
States are under no obligation ‘to submit a dispute to the procedure of arbitration,
in the absence of their consent. This consent may be expressed in arbitration treaties,
in which the contracting states agree to submit certain kinds of disputes that may
arise between them to arbitration, or in specific provisions of general treaties, which
provide for disputes with regard to the treaty itself to be submitted to arbitration...’
When states submit a dispute for arbitration, they sign a formal document or
treaty known as compromis or special agreement which defines and specifies all
the provisions pertaining to the arbitration: the issue, the rules of procedure of the
tribunal, the power of the tribunal and the principles by which the award will be
determined. Normally, it is international law that is applied to the proceedings of
arbitration but if the parties want and agree upon, they can put in certain specific
principles in the compromis. The tribunal then has to apply the specific rules. For
example, some agreements specify that the decisions of the tribunal must be in
accordance with ‘law and equity’. This then entails ‘that the general principles of
justice common to legal systems should be taken into account as well as the provisions
of international law.’ If no specific provisions are mentioned by the parties, the
principles contained in the Hague Convention I of 1899 (revised in 1907) would be
applied. A specific characteristic of arbitration is ‘that the tribunal is competent to
determine its own jurisdiction and therefore interpret the relevant instruments
determining that jurisdiction.’
When parties agree to go in for arbitration under Article 18 of the Hague
Convention, they were legally bound to accept the terms of its award. Thus once an
award has been made by an arbitration tribunal it is ‘final and binding’, the validity of
which cannot be challenged later. In some situations, parties may request a re-
opening or revision of the award, to rectify errors or make the tribunal consider
certain facts that were unknown at the time of the award.
In some situations, the award of an arbitration tribunal ‘may be regarded as a
nullity.’ There is no consensus among the legal fraternity with regard to the grounds
for nullity but it is normally accepted that when a tribunal goes beyond or exceeds
the power mentioned in the compromis, such as deciding on a question that was not
submitted originally or applying such rules that it is not empowered to apply, its
124 Self-Instructional Material
award can be regarded as a nullity. Other grounds for nullity could be: ‘invalidity of Peace Education
the compromis’, corruption of a tribunal member, grave deviation from a basic
procedural rule etc.
The number of inter-state arbitrations has risen up in the recent years. India
and Pakistan went in for arbitration in the Rann of Kutch case (1968) to settle the NOTES
boundary dispute and again in 2010 to settle the issue of the violation of the Indus
Water Treaty as a result of the Kishanganga Hydo-Electric Project are just few of
such cases.
Arbitration ‘combines elements of diplomatic and judicial procedures.’ Its
success however depends on goodwill between the parties in coming up with the
compromis, forming the tribunal and implementing the decision of the award once it
is made. The other important aspect is that the ‘arbitrators are required to base their
decision on law.’
Compared to ICJ, arbitration has several advantages. It is useful in cases
where some sort of a technical expertise is needed or where things need to be
decided sooner rather than later. Secondly, parties choose their own arbitrators, lay
down the laws that need to be applied, the rules to be followed during the procedure,
and the time table to be followed to arrive at an award. Additionally, states can
request that the proceedings of the arbitration be kept confidential. This is not possible
in ICJ where hearings are held in public and the proceedings are published. Moreover,
only states can appear in the ICJ proceedings, so arbitration is appropriate for those
disputes where the concerned parties are states and international institutions. But
the negative aspect is that parties have to bear all the costs of the arbitration process
while in the ICJ, costs are borne by the UN.
Judicial Settlement
The decisions of judicial settlement are binding but these are delivered by ‘established
and permanent’ bodies like that of the ICJ. Popularly referred to as the World Court,
the ICJ is the ‘principal judicial organ’ of the UN. The ICJ is composed of fifteen
judges who are elected for a term of nine years. The judges of the Court have
rotating membership. The judges are elected from a list of qualified persons which is
drawn by national groups who are part of the PCA or ‘by specially appointed national
groups’ where UN members are not part of the PCA. The procedure by which the
judges of the ICJ are appointed ‘is interesting in that it combines both legal and
political elements, while seeking to exclude as far as possible the influence of national
states over them.’ Elections are held every three years with five judges being elected
each time.
The ICJ delivers decisions pertaining to international law ‘as it exists at the
date of the decision.’ However, it does not make laws as it is not a legislative body.
Though Article 36(2) of the ICJ Statute requires that the disputes brought to it by the
parties should be ‘legal’ in nature, in reality these are entangled with political factors.
Distinguishing between a dispute and a circumstance which could possibly lead to
an ‘international friction’ or to the emergence of a dispute, the Court defined dispute
as ‘a disagreement over a point of law or fact, a conflict of legal views or of interests

Self-Instructional Material 125

Peace Education between two persons.’ The distinction is a ‘subtle’ one but no less important for if
the Court has to successfully settle an issue or issues between states, it should be
able to specifically identify them. What falls within the jurisdiction of the Court is a
matter that only the Court can decide.
NOTES Apart from deciding ‘disputes of a legal nature’ between states ‘in accordance
with international law’, the jurisdiction of the ICJ also includes giving advisory opinion
‘on legal questions’ to ‘particular qualified entities’ when there is a request to that
effect. These entities could be organs of the UN or its specialized agencies who
have the authority to make such a request. Thus the Court has a ‘dual jurisdiction’.
As per Article 34 of the Statute of the Court only states could be parties in
cases before it. This implies that individuals and international organizations cannot
approach the ICJ. Further, the Court’s Statute says that its jurisdiction ‘comprises all
cases which the parties refer to it and all matters specially provided for in the Charter
of the United Nations or in treaties or conventions in force’, apart from all the cases
that are referred to it by the parties. If one party files an application, the Court will
have jurisdiction only when the other state accedes to its jurisdiction. Thus the Court’s
jurisdiction is based on ‘the consent of the parties’.
Article 60 of the Statute of the Court declares that its judgement ‘is final and
without appeal’, although having no binding force. In any case, the ICJ itself is not
troubled ‘with compliance’ and took the following view in the Nuclear Tests case,
1974 ‘once the Court has found that a state has entered into a commitment concerning
its future conduct it is not the Court’s function to contemplate that it will not comply
with it.’
The ICJ was marginalized until the 1980s as it was rejected by the Soviet
bloc. The Third World states too became opposed to the ICJ when some rulings
went against them. But things changed for the better when in 1984 the ICJ ruled
against the United States in the Republic of Nicaragua v. The United States of
America case. This case was brought by Nicaragua against the United States and
pertained to the mining of Nicaraguan harbours. The ICJ not just ruled in favour of
Nicaragua but also awarded reparations to it. However, the United States never
really gave any compensation to Nicaragua as it blocked the UN Security Council
from implementing the judgement. Post this judgement, the ICJ got ‘flooded with
cases’.
As is evident from the above case, states have been selective in accepting
the adjudicated decisions of the ICJ. The ICJ has ‘effectively resolved potentially
troubling, long-festering, marginal disputes, especially involving disputed frontiers
and maritime boundaries...other technical matters’ but ‘has not been very successful
in relations to fundamental conflicts involving core interests of states.’ Thus, the
‘verdict on international courts is … mixed. On the one hand, states are gradually
becoming accustomed to letting go of enough sovereignty to settle disputes in court
instead of combat. On the other adherence to the dictates of the World Court is
entirely ‘consensual’—it is up to the consent of those involved—whereas adherence
to domestic law is obligatory.’

126 Self-Instructional Material

 It must be mentioned here that apart from international law and the United Peace Education
Nations, several regional organizations such as the African Union (Organisation of
African Unity) and the Arab League have also established mechanisms for the
peaceful settlement of disputes. However, these are outside the purview of this
book. NOTES
Education for Culture of Peace and Non-Violence
In a violent culture, the use of violence as an instrument or a tool is legitimized, e.g.
there are cultures where war is seen as aesthetically beautiful, even sacred (holy
war); and cultures where some kinds of killings are right and just. The world has
already witnessed two World Wars and numerous other small and big violent wars
resulting in huge losses of life and property and insurmountable misery. Besides, we
are witness to different kinds of conflicts at various levels—inter-state, intra-state,
ideological, ethnic and communal, factional, conflicts over resources etc.; interpersonal,
organizational, community, social, national and international level. Societies, nations
and countries thus seem to be embroiled in a ‘culture of violence’ where there is no
respect for the sanctity of life and violence is all pervasive. However, if war culture
is a reality of the human race, peace culture too is a fact of human lives.
According to sociologist Elise Boulding, peace culture ‘can be defined as a
mosaic of identities, attitudes, values, beliefs, and patterns that leads people to live
lovingly with one another and the earth itself without the aid of structured power
differentials, to deal creatively with their differences, and to share their resources’.
Conflicts are present in peace cultures but they are dealt with creatively. This ability
to deal with differences is at the heart of peace cultures. In peace cultures, there is
‘creative balance among bonding, community closeness, and the need for separate
spaces’. The term ‘peace’ in peace cultures refers to ‘positive relation between
parties, of union, togetherness’. Societies and cultures develop their own patterns of
balancing between peace and violence, between needs for bonding and separate
spaces or autonomy.
Peace and violent conflict/war need to be seen as a continuum wherein on
one end of the spectrum are different forms of war while on the other end there are
cooperation and integration and problem-solving activities like negotiation and
mediation. We thus have alternative choices. As human beings, we make the decision
of whether to go for violent activities or to side with peace activities, based on
various factors and circumstances.
Religious traditions usually comprise of two ‘contrasting themes – holy war
culture and holy peace culture’. The holy war culture is based on patriarchal notions
and exercises force and domination over the weak and the marginalized at various
levels – the family, the community, the national and the international. On the other
hand, in holy peace cultures, ‘love’ primarily guides all actions; it treats all persons
equally. Holy peace cultures based on nonviolence are present in some religious
traditions such as the Anabaptists in Christianity. All religions contribute to the building
of a peace culture in some way or the other.

Self-Instructional Material 127

Peace Education It may seem as if a culture of violence is all pervasive but it is not inherent in
human beings; human beings can accommodate both culture of war as well as
culture of peace. Peace as well as violent and aggressive elements is generally
present in all cultures. However, some cultures may have more of the former and
NOTES less of the latter as in some of the faith-based communities. The peace elements of
a culture may not be very visible but that does not mean that it does not have any;
we may just not be looking for it in the right place. These peace resources which are
found in all societies need to be harnessed to shift the balance from violence towards
peace. Such resources include but are not limited to ‘utopian longing for peace, both
secular and faith-based peace movements, environmental and alternative-development
movements, and women’s culture’.
There is a vision and longing for peace in communities and societies; idealistic
notions of ‘heaven’ and ‘paradise’ are part of this belief. Holy peace teachings have
led to the emergence of faith-based peace movements which aim to train people in
nonviolence, actively protest against militarism and collaborate with other communities
on peace issues. Secular peace movements have also become very visible in
contemporary times. International and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
have tried to bring together people from all walks of life and of different nationalities
on common platforms. They raise issues that touch human lives – social, economic,
political and cultural. These organizations work on various issues of peace (may be
not directly always) and contribute to the building of a peace culture, e.g., on
disarmament, development, human rights and non-violence.
The environmental movement is also contributing to the building of a peace
culture. This was evident in the Earth Charter initiative, Kyoto Protocol etc. Grassroots
organizations and local self-help groups have tried to creatively resolve local social,
economic and environmental issues as evidenced by the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh
and the Chipko movement in India to name a few. Women’s organizations are
increasingly visible all over the globe. They are not just raising daily bread and butter
issues but are also contributing to the cause of peace. Women’s movements are also
focusing on the various kinds of violence inflicted on women, both in the private
realm as well as in the public space and how violence affects women differently.
Youth and children too are seen to be actively contributing to the peace movement.
The organizations like Voice of Children and Rescue Mission: Planet Earth are also
devoted to this cause. All these movements are trying in their own small ways to
break the shackle of a global system based on domination, militarism and power.
The family is a source of peace culture as well as of violence. Women’s
culture of nurturing flourishes in the family. They bear and rear children and take
care of the needs of the rest of the family. This nurturing culture plays a critical part
in the development of peace behaviour. Besides, communities have developed their
own ways and means of resolving conflicts. These are passed on from generation to
generation through families and are also interwoven into stories, folklores, songs,
symbols, etc.
The Anabaptist culture which is prevalent in the religious communities of
Quakers, Mennonites and Brethren pay special attention to raising children so that

128 Self-Instructional Material

they grow up into peaceful nonviolent adults. They are trained in nonviolent ways of Peace Education
responding to conflict. These cultures also make active contribution to peace-building
such as the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), which works globally on peace
and justice issues.
The concept of ‘zones of peace’ has always been existent in human history. NOTES
Temples and holy sites have been seen as safe places. The Hebrew Bible declared
that farmlands and orchards and the women who tend them will be protected in war
times. This concept of safe place has carried forward in modern times as well.
Cities and towns or specific places within them are declared as safe zone. Also
there are a small number of countries presently who have no military forces, viz.,
Costa Rica. Besides, there are nuclear-weapon-free zones which have been
established by treaties facilitated by the United Nations, e.g., the Treaty for the
Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean, popularly
known as the Treaty of Tlatelolco, signed in 1967.
The culture of violence and war poses major obstacles to a culture of peace.
The culture of violence can be seen not just in overt forms of violence but it is visible
in the functioning of institutions as well (structural violence), for they deprive certain
rights and the ability to satisfy basic human needs to some groups. Besides, it is also
noticeable in the media, in our behaviours, attitudes and relations. However, as seen
above, sustained efforts are being made to shift from a culture of violence to a
culture of peace. The resources that will facilitate this shift are present in almost all
cultures, we just need to dig them out and start making use of them in our daily lives.
A culture of peace needs to be based or built on three elements – equality,
equity and mutual respect. Structures based on inequality and inequities are likely to
lead to conflict and violence, sooner or later. Thus structures should first and foremost
aim at fulfilling basic human needs which will ensure dignity to human lives. This
needs to be done at the local and national level. At the global level, trade and other
relations between states need to be based on equal exchange. This will take care of
equity issues. The peace elements of one’s own culture as well as that of other
cultures need to be respected and celebrated.       
UNESCO’s Culture of Peace Initiative
The concept of ‘culture of peace’ was formulated at the International Congress on
Peace in the Minds of Men, held in Cote d’Ivoire in 1989. The International Congress
recommended that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) ‘help construct a new vision of peace by developing a
peace culture based on the universal values of respect for life, liberty, justice, solidarity,
tolerance, human rights and equality between men and women’. The context in
which the International Congress took place and came up with such a far reaching
recommendation is also significant – the Berlin Wall had just fallen and the Cold
War had come to an end.
In 1994, the first International Forum on the Culture of Peace was held in San
Salvador, the capital city of El Salvador. In 1998, the United Nations General Assembly
[resolution A/52/13] defined Culture of Peace as consisting of values, attitudes and

Self-Instructional Material 129

Peace Education behaviours that reject violence and endeavour to prevent conflicts by addressing
their root causes with a view to solving problems through dialogue and negotiation
among individuals, groups and nations. So simply speaking, ‘a culture of peace is a
culture that promotes peace’.
NOTES In 1999, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration and
Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace. It came up with eight action areas that
are linked to culture of peace and non-violence:
• Fostering a culture of peace through education by promoting education
for all, focusing especially on girls, revising curricula to promote the
qualitative values, attitudes and behaviour inherent in a culture of peace,
training for conflict prevention and resolution, dialogue, consensus-building
and active non-violence.
• Promoting sustainable economic and social development by targeting
the eradication of poverty; focusing on the special needs of children and
women; working towards environmental sustainability; fostering national
and international co-operation to reduce economic and social inequalities.
• Promoting respect for all human rights by distributing the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights at all levels and fully implementing
international instruments on human rights.
• Ensuring equality between women and men by integrating perspective
and promoting equality in economic, social and political decision-making;
eliminating all forms of discrimination and violence against women;
supporting and aiding women in crisis situations resulting from war and all
other forms of violence.
• Fostering democratic participation by educating responsible citizens;
reinforcing actions to promote democratic principles and practices;
establishing and strengthening national institutions and processes that
promote and sustain democracy.
• Advancing understanding, tolerance and solidarity by promoting a
dialogue among civilizations; actions in favour of vulnerable groups,
migrants, refugees and displaced persons, indigenous people and traditional
groups; respect for difference and cultural diversity.
• Supporting participatory communication and the free flow of
information and knowledge by means of such actions as support for
independent media in the promotion of a culture of peace; effective use
of media and mass communications; measures to address the issue of
violence in the media; knowledge and information sharing through new
technologies.
• Promoting international peace and security through action such as the
promotion of general and complete disarmament; greater involvement of
women in prevention and resolution of conflicts and in promoting a culture
of peace in post-conflict situations; initiatives in conflict situations;

130 Self-Instructional Material

 encouraging confidence-building measures and efforts for negotiating Peace Education
peaceful settlements.
The term ‘culture of peace’ was inspired by an educational initiative in Peru
and the Seville Statement on Violence, both of which were developments in the year
1986. The Peru initiative was referred to as Cultura de paz. The Seville Statement NOTES
on Violence was written for the United Nations sponsored International Year of
Peace. It involved a team of international specialists who proved that peace is in
fact possible because ‘war is not a biological necessity’. The need for such a statement
arose as there was and there is a widespread notion that human beings are inherently
conflictual, that we are genetically programmed for violence. But the Seville
Statement based on scientific research and evidence proved otherwise. It made the
following conclusions:
1. It is scientifically incorrect to say that we have inherited a tendency to
make war from our animal ancestors.
Scientists conducted studies on animal behaviour including animal
aggression. Prof. John Paul Scott reviewed these studies at Seville and
concluded that warfare is unique to human beings.
2. It is scientifically incorrect to say that war or any other violent behaviour
is genetically programmed into our human nature.
The role of genes is to provide a developmental potential but that can be
realized only in combination with the ecological and social environment.
Genes neither produce individuals inclined towards violence nor do they
determine the opposite. Human beings have the capacity for violence and
selfishness but they also have the capacity for nonviolent action and
cooperation as well.
3. It is scientifically incorrect to say that in the course of human evolution
there has been a selection for aggressive behaviour more than for other
kinds of behaviour.
Among species, status within the group is attained by cooperating and
fulfilling socially relevant functions. The Seville Statement therefore argued
that violence is neither in the human evolutionary legacy nor in their genes.
Experts who claim that humans are violent and selfish by nature tend to
overemphasize the importance of aggression and under-emphasize the
importance of cooperation.
4. It is scientifically incorrect to say that humans have a ‘violent brain’.
The neurophysiology of human beings does not compel them to react
violently. Human acts are shaped by how they have been conditioned and
socialized. Culture and cultural factors play a role in this.
5. It is scientifically incorrect to say that war is caused by ‘instinct’ or any
single motivation.
Cognitive factors are more important in modern warfare than emotional and
motivational factors, sometimes referred to as ‘instincts’. Modern war involves the

Self-Instructional Material 131

Peace Education use of personal characteristics such as obedience, social skills such as language and
rational considerations such as cost-calculation, planning and information processing.
Thus war is not solely based on instincts.
The Seville Statement was endorsed by a wide range of scientific and
NOTES professional organizations around the world and was based on the latest scientific
evidence. It was adopted by the UNESCO in 1989. The Statement argued that
there is nothing in our biology which is an insurmountable obstacle to the abolition of
war and other institutional violence. It concluded that war is neither in our genes nor
is it inherent in human nature; it is actually a ‘social invention’. Therefore, there is
nothing that prevents human beings from creating peace; if they can create war,
they can also create peace. It is thus possible to replace the ‘culture of violence’
with a ‘culture of peace’.
The year 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of
Peace. A global movement representing an alliance of actors working towards a
culture of peace emerged during this year. 2001–2010 was designated by the General
Assembly as the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for
the Children of the World with the aim of creating a world free of violence for the
future generations.
The Preamble of the Charter of the United Nations states, ‘We the peoples
of United Nations (are) determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge
of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind’. If we are
to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, we need to build a culture
of peace. Fostering a culture of peace is needed today much more than ever as
conflicts are no longer being fought on battlefields but within and between societies
and communities.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

1. What is the medium term perspective which peace education provides as
per Johan Galtung?
2. List the four major source of international laws.
3. State the main point of difference between international law and municipal
law.
4. Name the two methods of dispute settlement whose decisions are binding.

5.3 PEACE EDUCATION AND TEACHER

Intolerance and discrimination happen when people see one another as objects, as
‘others’. As we frankly exchange ideas and get to know one another as people like
ourselves, we establish true world harmony.

132 Self-Instructional Material

 Peace Education
Box 5.1
‘If we are to reach real peace in this world and if we are to carry on a real war
against war, we shall have to begin with children.’ —Mohandas Gandhi
‘In this new century we must start with the understanding that peace belongs NOTES
not only to states or peoples but to each member of those communities. Peace
must be made real and tangible in the daily existence of every individual in need.
Peace must be sought above all because it is the condition of every member of
thehuman family to live a life of dignity and security.’ —Kofi Annan
‘Teaching our children to treat others as they wish to be treated is one of the
most fundamental values we adults can pass on. We would have a different
country and world if this lesson was learned and followed.’
—Marian Wright Edelman

One would wonder if it is necessary to teach peace in schools. Is the whole

of education not driven for peace? Is the curriculum not already doing this?
But the question is— Is adequate attention being given to the teaching of
peace in our schools? Is education doing that? Are our schools really interested in

Self-Instructional Material 133

Peace Education producing a peaceful young generation? Is it sufficient if there is peace education in
the curriculum? Is this really reaching the children?
We see that violence is on the increase in human society. Violence in the
forms of terrorism, war, crimes, injustice and oppression and exploitation is seen in
NOTES our midst today when outwardly we see growth, development and prosperity which
is being enjoyed by a few only. The majority of humankind lives in poverty and are
struggling for bare survival. There is so much disorder and confusion all around us.
Sadly, this is the society that the mankind has built for himself!
This state of disorder and confusion in the society affects the innocent minds
of children and will continue to do so. Children who naturally absorb the surrounding
and the spirit of violence from the atmosphere will only grow to be the next generation
of perpetuators of violence. There is therefore seen the need and necessity to nurture
peace in the hearts of children and this is an urgent issue that needs to be addressed.
There are a few countries which still remain unaffected by such forces but
the questions is—How long will they remain unaffected? Detailed research and
understanding show that not too many countries can remain aloof and unaffected by
globalization and its effects on human population. We see that education is today
narrowed down into the teaching of certain subjects which are seen as essential for
passing examinations. This exam-oriented and subject-centred knowledge in schools
destroys the beauty of peace education. Children lose the very joy of learning.
Instead of abolishing corruption and restoring peace, children are trained to cope
with it and join the rat race. The word ‘school’ no longer means leisure as it once did
and is viewed as far away from the notion of ‘peace’.
Teachers are no longer able to discipline their students and complain about
increasing acts of violence among them. The mentality of this generation of students
is very different from that of the teachers. They are insensitive to the problems of
the society and are brought up as selfish, shallow people with very low intellectual
capacity and who believe that the use of physical power is the solution to most of the
problems. Even if there are some students who still believe in peace and non-violent
activities, they are quite outnumbered by their more violent counterparts.
With the acts of violence spreading and people’s lives at stake, they are now
beginning to realize the importance of education and as a result children are being
taught the importance of peace. Peace banners, concepts and values are being
incorporated into everyday education. Children are being taught to change their
attitude and are undergoing behavioural modifications to accept peace as a part of
their lives rather than violence. Subjects that improve a person’s character and
outlook and imbibe peace in their system, such as value education, moral education,
global education, etc., are also being made part of the system.
Schools nowadays have come up with a new subject, called peace education.
It helps in negating the influences of violence from the children’s minds. It imbues in
their minds good moral and social values, and teaches them how to live a healthy
and peaceful life. This subject has been found to be effective worldwide, especially
in cases of mistrust among the people and the areas of war. Many people have

134 Self-Instructional Material

commented that ‘peace education’ has helped them tremendously and has changed Peace Education
the way they interact with others.
Peace Education
In the past, the notion of ‘peace’ was a part of everyday life. It was imbued in the NOTES
culture of all countries, and was regarded as a noble deal to attain. At the beginning
of the 20th century, Western secularism and moral values took a backseat and
human sentiments gave way to cold and hard approach of scientific rationalism.
Peace became slowly discouraged, scientific facts guided human approach, and
education became value-free and narrow in approach.
Even through the advent of modern technology and science and the numerous
wars, humanitarians like Rousseau, Henry Thoreau, Tolstoy and Maria Montessori
kept alive the sense of education and moral values. After the terrifying world wars
people woke up to the need for humanitarian aspects of education and the importance
of peace.
Maria Montessori preached loudly and tirelessly about the importance of peace
and the need to appreciate human rights and respect others. Only now, in the 21st
century are we able to understand the full implications of what she preached and
what a world without peace would be like.
Her preachings provide a strong foundation for modern peace education. She
saw education as the most useful tool to achieve our goal of world peace. She
viewed peace as the basic principle that guided man on the right path. It pulls him
away from taking to violence and allows him to lead a harmonious life. She saw to
it that her followers did not deviate from peace and bring about destruction to
themselves. Peace has both direct and indirect factors which should be studied
closely with the help of science. She also realized that man in his laziness always
looked for external support and never utilized his inner energies. Even if in the far
future, if peace is achieved in the external world, but a man is not peaceful within
himself, he will never be truly happy. Peace brings with it many positive qualities and
has no harmful effects. It rules out the need for violence and brings out the best
qualities in a person.
Rousseau and Maria believed and taught that man is by nature, pure and as a
child, innocent. It is only side tracked during the course of time to take to wrong
measures like the use of violence. Children are the future and they are bright as a
flame and are peaceful and should not be tainted by the corrupt society. Peace
education is constructive only if it includes the development of inner personality of
humans and makes them more conscious to the society around them. It develops a
man spiritually and takes him to higher levels of self-understanding. Only peace
education can protect the world from total destruction at the rate of violence with
which life is proceeding.
Children should be taught good moral values at school and they should engage
in active learning. Peace education must cater to the needs of the country and must
be taught in accordance with the cultural and social context. It must take into account
Self-Instructional Material 135
Peace Education spiritual and cultural values of the society along with universal human values. It
should also be globally accepted.
Peace education resolves conflicts and destroys violence at the global, national,
local and personal levels.
NOTES
Peace education is universal. It empowers the growth of children at the
physical, social, emotional and intellectual levels. It is based on a framework of
harmony and a trust of human rights. It teaches and follows love, trust, co-operation
and fairness. It teaches people to treat nature and family life with respect. It builds
up a person’s skill. It allows them to invent new and improved ways to defeat
violence and create ways to settle conflicts and bring about a harmonious end.
To sum it all up, peace is a means to protect the children from going down the
path of violence. It puts into their heads moral values and modifies their behaviour to
accept people’s differences and respect everyone. It teaches them social values
and how to live peacefully and reap the benefits.
The doctrines of the Dolor report say that two of the four pillars of education
namely learning to live together and learning to be are related to peaceful living.
What would matter at the end of the day would be integrating peaceful attitudes,
values and skills into the teaching and learning process in the schools. It will ensure
that apart from being part of the curriculum these are also understood and implemented
at the practical level in the society.
Role of schools, teachers and education in the promotion of peace
The schools can begin by developing a more humanistic management approach, and
aid in the improvement of human relations between teacher-student, teacher-teacher,
student-student and so on.
The teachers can play a vital role in:
(i) ensuring that there is development of good attitudes in students and
teachers alike
(ii) ensuring that there is mutual respect and co-operation
(iii) ensuring the proper emotional development of students
(iv) Facilitating socialization among the students by encouraging participation
in interactive and co-operative learning activities.
(v) Helping in the improvement of students’ discipline and moral behaviour
(vi) Develop students’ creativity
(vii) Improving the standard of teaching and learning.
These initiatives taken by the schools have been seen to have a major impact on the
students. In this regard, the results of an evaluation by Robin Motz on effective
learning techniques were found to give the following results:
1. Better learning of cognitive material.
2. Heightened motivation and response to learning situations

136 Self-Instructional Material

 3. Greater appreciation of self, nature, others, feelings, etc. Peace Education

4. Greater pupil responsibility

The other benefit of the effort by schools, as seen by Robin Motz, has been the
reduced and diminished desire for drug use by some students. To quote his words: NOTES
‘A significant number of students in the class had been experimenting
with drugs or other methods of escaping from their problems. Many used
drugs in the attempt to find a more meaningful reality to which they could
relate. The use of affective techniques in connection with conventional
curriculum showed them another and a better way to achieve normalcy
with the same result. Many of them discontinued the use of drugs. Other
students, ready to drop out of society, were able to find knowledge and
experience that was relevant to them. In general the use of affective
techniques has resulted in behavioural change on the part of students
that has made them better students, better able to relate to other human
beings and has shown other teachers that motivation, interest, awareness,
learning and so on, can be increased in students are tuned in.’
The word ‘peace’ has a broad meaning. In fact, it is an umbrella term covering
a wide range and shades of meanings. Therefore, in order to make it a clear and
unambiguous base for any educational purpose, it has to be interpreted as something
that students can learn. They can then change their ways of behaviour both as
individuals and groups for a better future. The outcome of such learning should be
observed and evaluated objectively.
Peace is essential to us in all its forms. It nourishes us and allows us to grow
in our own space to become great individuals who respect fellow human rights.
However, the true meaning of peace still evades us. There is confusion and peace is
often mistaken for something else entirely.
It is defined in many ways, ranging from the eradication of poverty to the
economic wellbeing of mankind. Politicians define peace as that which results from
the formation of a democracy. It is seen as something which will stop war and bring
about order. Peace, in the true form, is all the above definitions integrated in one.
Human rights and economic wellbeing must not be ignored while analysing peace
and it should be viewed from all human perspectives. Social, individual, external and
internal factors come into play while talking of peace.
Peace does not involve merely the absence of war. It is more holistic in
nature. Peace means the absence of violence and life-threatening situations. It further
connotes the elimination of oppression, discrimination, social degradation, conflict,
injustice, etc. Unfair systems of distribution, and in all, everything that can lead to
conflict, must be removed. Peace, as most believe, is not only an external factor, but
is also within us.
There are basically three kinds of peace:
(i) inner peace
(ii) social peace
(iii) peace with nature

Self-Instructional Material 137

Peace Education The absence of inner conflicts, being at peace with oneself, and living in
harmony come under the category of inner peace.
Peace with others and harmony arising from human relationships, love, unity
and friendship come under the category of social peace.
NOTES
Being at peace with nature involves being at harmony with your surroundings
and the environment.
The solution lies in designing a peace education programme for schools.
The Present Situation and the Future Strategies
The peace education programme in schools is a character-building intervention
programme based on a human, civic, moral and spiritual value system with stress on
developing peaceful living competencies in children. It is seen that all schools have
moral and value education programme in some form or the other. The peace education
programme is meant to incorporate all these efforts and further inculcate certain
character-building traits. The peace education should be evolutionary and build on
the existing efforts rather than be revolutionary in trying to defy or be different from
the existing efforts.
An interested teacher can easily design a peace education programme for her own
class. If there is a desire to take it beyond the classroom and into the rest of the
school this would require the consent of the principal. The Principal may then design
a programme with the help of the staff and introduce the programme to the school.
The following are the steps in designing a programme:
(i) Identification of needs
(ii) Selection of objectives
(iii) Identification of the various levels of needs
(iv) Preparation of the plan of action
(v) Running of the programme
(vi) Monitoring of the activities
(viii) Evaluation of the worth of the programme
Let us look at each step in detail now:
1. Identify Needs
It is appropriate to identify the existing needs. For example, you may notice
restlessness in students in the form of quarrelling, fighting, complaining, shouting,
etc., and other forms of disturbing behaviour. Later you may notice that the problem
is further aggravated by some of the students smoking which they could have
developed as a display of their masculinity, or to keep with the fashion trends,
There may also be seen disrespectful behaviour among the students and this
may include the teachers. The other complaint that you may get is that the children
are becoming bullies and their attitude towards their country and culture is becoming
nonchalant and callous. Consequently, you are driven to wonder as to how these

138 Self-Instructional Material

students are to change and how they would ever be good citizens. You may want to Peace Education
change things in your school.
2. Decide Objectives
At this stage, the needs have to be translated into objectives. It can be done in the NOTES
following ways.
(i) Reduce restlessness of students in the classroom and school.
(ii) Implement strategies to prevent and reduce student conflicts.
(iii) Develop an awareness project for students and parents on the harms of
smoking.
(iv) Organize a counselling service to prevent students from smoking.
(v) Identify preventive strategies that could be taken to stop smoking.
(vi) Initiate a ‘values education programme’ with emphasis on developing respect
and concern for others, healthy patriotism, and concern for the society and
citizenship.
While devising the objectives do bear in mind that what you see may be symptoms
of deeper causes and for these superficial remedies may not work in resolving
them. The deep causes may be that students’ true intellectual, social and spiritual
needs are not addressed by the school. There may be discontentment with the
present teaching process and lack of relationship with the teachers. The peace
education programme should help address all the deep psychological causes of the
seeming problems. Therefore, an analysis of the problem is required before arriving
at the objectives. Once the analysis is done restlessness in the classroom could be
addressed with one of the following methods:
• Set a period at least once a week in the class to voice and express students’
problems related to learning and other needs with the class teacher. Take
prompt action to address their problems and needs.
• Practise relaxation exercises, meditation or short energizing physical games
and activities when the teacher feels students are beginning to show restless
behaviour.
3. Identify the Levels of Needs
Expand your scope to include the various levels. The four levels of needs could be
defined as given below:
(i) Individual or self-development level
(ii) School level
(iii) National level
(iv) Global level
There are many important self-development needs in children and these may
be skills related to affirmation, positive thinking, empathetic listening and
communication, assertive behaviour, decision-making and critical thinking. The peace

Self-Instructional Material 139

Peace Education education effort should consider these aspects and the design of the program should
take these into consideration.
4. Prepare the Plan of Action
NOTES The programme will be a series of activities put in a particular order and these
would follow the objectives already set. The idea is to bring the children towards the
expected benchmarks. These should also be relevant to the specific objectives.
Such activities in a peace education programme come under six levels.
(i) The staff development level (e.g., school-based teacher development, model
lessons, reading)
(ii) School management level (preparation of peace education policies, supervision,
evaluation, facilitation)
(iii) Formal subject teaching and learning level (i.e., incorporation of peace values
into lesson development)
(iv) Classroom management level (e.g., classroom code of conduct)
(v) Co-curricular school activity level (e.g., peace week, organizing lectures, peace
committee)
(vi) Community level (e.g., raising community awareness about the harm and
negative effects of smoking)
5. Run the Programme
This is the most important aspect of the programme. It is implemented during the
delivery of the curriculum. This is invariably done with the assistance of all the
people involved in the pace programme.
6. Monitor the Activities
Monitoring as we all know is important at all stages of the programme. One needs to
remind, check the preparation, counsel and facilitate, and supervise the
implementation. A constant check to see how far things have progressed and if
everything is as per plan is important. This needs to be done at both the administrative
and professional levels. This could be in the form of supportive and friendly supervision.
7. Evaluate
You would finally need to evaluate and judge the worth of the programme. It can be
done in two phases: (i) during the implementation in order to correct and improve the
process then and there, and (ii) at the end of the programme to judge the effectiveness
and to learn from the experience with a view to enriching and planning the next
cycle of the programme. The evaluation is based on the objectives determined at the
beginning of the programme. The achievements of a peace education programme
are not that easy to measure because we cannot have an assessment of the nature
of the learning experiences received. Yet we need to have some basic assessment
done based on the emphasis and establishment of new patterns of conduct and
norms. It means that there has to be a discussion at the end of every peace education
programme as to the ways of implementing the teachings.

140 Self-Instructional Material

Pedagogies for Peace Peace Education

‘Good teaching cannot be reduced to technique; good teaching comes

from the identity and integrity of the teacher.’
—Parker J. Palmer
NOTES
‘Peace education, a nascent field, ever reaching beyond its grasp to engage
the mechanisms through which teaching and learning take place in order
to evolve a better world relies on the philosophies and processes of peace
to structure the formal and informal curricula of the classroom.’
—Harris and Morrison, 2003.
The concept of teaching peace, i.e., engaging pedagogy for peace, would
involve using and exploring the problem-solving skills. It further involves other
components of listening, introspecting and seeking mutually beneficial solutions in
the classroom and beyond.
The entire process of taking action for peace and the way the discourse
makes a pattern and pedagogical practices of critical pedagogy will empower students
‘in the development of higher levels of consciousness and the skills required to take
control of and even change their life experiences’. Therefore, the practice of
pedagogy for peace may seek the empowerment of students to look for and find
dynamic constructions of knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to build a
peaceful world.
Implementation of Pedagogies for Peace
Through the infusion of peace, pedagogy engages in moving us to a worldview of
unity and engagement with others—via the infusion of peace education in schools.
This calls for new and varied approaches to teaching. The implementation of
pedagogical approaches in the classroom involves moving students towards action
and human interaction that would lead to a consciousness that liberates the human
spirit. Such critical pedagogies are however not practised in the schools.
As Henry A. Giroux points out in his writings in ‘Theory and Resistance in
Education: A Pedagogy for the Opposition’, the historical purpose of American
schools, intended or unintended, has been simply to focus on the preparation of
students for the world of work.
According to Giroux (1983):
‘(What) schooling should provide for its students are opportunities to
construct and appropriate themselves as agents who can engage in the
task of social and political reconstruction. That is, teachers should be
assisting students to learn to speak with their own voices, draw from their
own experiences, and produce classroom ‘texts’ that reflect the social and
political issues important to their lives. … Even though schools are filled
with contradictions and struggles, it is in the schools, i.e., through
education, that a new society can emerge. Within our schools are the
possibilities for the transformation of educational practice and society
where an affirmative vision drives the development of a new society—a
democratic notion of sociability, and the development of social conditions
that maximize individual and social possibilities to expand the individuality
of all people.’
Self-Instructional Material 141
Peace Education Pedagogies for peace call for actions and interactions among students/teachers
in the classroom that maximize the learning of multi-cultural students. Thus,
pedagogies for peace hold students as the centre of the learning process.
According to a research based on the observations of the classroom, a critical
NOTES pedagogy:
1. Encourages reflective consciousness and the questioning of social practices
and arrangements that promote ruling interest;
2. Gives serious attention—whether implicitly or explicitly expressed—to
enlightening learners concerning life possibilities;
3. Focuses on the issues of power and the struggles that have historically
shaped the voices, meanings and experiences of marginalized others; and
4. Refers to the development and empowerment of the present and the
conscientization, as well as the empowerment of individuals through critical
reflection and the development of dialogue and voice concerning the
transformative power of cultural knowledge.
Therefore, we see that the tenets of critical pedagogy can assist us in the
advocation for the transformation of teacher education. We can henceforth with the
practice of critical pedagogy assist and prepare teachers who are skillful to consciously
create dialogic, multicultural sensitive classrooms where empowerment and dynamic
constructions of knowledge can become a reality for evolving a better world.
Albert Einstein is credited with the statement, ‘Nothing happens until something
moves.’
As the educators for peace we inspire students to move, take action and
create a better world—a world that is at peace. Thus, peace action for the teacher
educator finds its validity in the beliefs of the teacher educator. One who is on the
path of peace education finds meaning in the words of Lao Tsu’s words, ‘The
journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.’
We know therefore that a thousand year plan begins with the present moment,
and as Gandhi noted, ‘The change I want to see in the world must begin with me.’
‘Let peace begin with me.’ —Rosemarie Stallworth-Clark
Now that we’re seen the role of teacher’s in peace education. Let’s learn
about two techniques of peace education: power of silence and yogic meditation.
5.3.1 Power of Silence
The human species is such that with the power of speech and language we are
encouraged to share our thoughts and feelings. Our interaction with the environment
and people is essential for our existence and necessary part of our daily routine.
With this ongoing process of expressing oneself and interacting with others, we
forget to pause and reflect on our actions or words. This often happens when we
are busy living the emotion rather than living the moment itself.
The lack of reflection often leads to a superficial connection with oneself. In
contrast, when one chooses to pay attention to the power of silence, the conversations
142 Self-Instructional Material
and the spaces becomes a sanctuary that helps connect with the self on a deeper Peace Education
level. The deep connectivity with the self then leads to authentic and tranquil life
that is free of chaos whether internal or external.
Silence is the key that helps one develop spaces between the verbal exchanges
and gives a new meaning to these exchanges. The exchanges then are assimilated NOTES
on to the psyche and form a place of depth that gives rise to creative engagement
that flows naturally. The creative engagement helps one to discover more about the
self and understand more about the hidden aspects of the self. The process of
reconfiguring ourselves begins at this level by our choice. Connection with the self
and the creative process within helps one become authentic to the present moment.
Authenticity is all about helping one achieve self-actualization and this sure impacts
the life quality of the individual while empowering them to create a harmonious
environment.
Importance of Silence
When one achieves silence within the internal process, the verbal communication
transforms, there is a difference in the way one interacts with others and the
environment. The importance of verbal communication and being silent become
vital and are equally important. These are the two necessary parts of the whole that
we are comprised of.
Using verbal form of communication for expressing and interacting with the
world is one part. While another is the silence, the spaces that are created between
our chatter becomes vital. If these spaces are valued, it allows one to help deal with
the situation at large and helps discover the right form of communication with another
at the moment.
Another thing to understand is that communication then is smooth and it
becomes a means of expression that helps explore something new within self. The
person is able to pay attention to the verbal communication that becomes a tool for
better expression. It is more about discovering the truth of the words said and the
authentic feelings behind it that the individual is able to focus upon. These moments
then become reflective as the mind is able to get into a better mode generated by
silence. The centre from which one begins to communicate then comes from peace
within rather than the chaos. Slowly moving towards the process of self-discovery,
one is able to go through the continual process of growth.
Value of Silence
Valuing silence is all about going within no matter where one is at present. Listening
to self in a fine tuned manner and to what the other has to say becomes easier.
Understanding the subtleties of what causes chaos in communication and how to
manage it becomes easier. Another aspect is that valuing silence makes your
relationships better as the troubles smoothen out. You have a better understanding
of relationships and people involved in it and you are in a better frame of mind to
manage things.

Self-Instructional Material 143

Peace Education What needs to be done to achieve silence?
It is essential to understand that to practice silence one needs to consider pausing.
Any time when one is about to communicate to another or find oneself in the mid of
chaos, it is essential to hit the pause. Reflecting on what one should say or what one
NOTES
needs to say will resonate properly. Doing so will help you detach from the situation
and help you see what is true at the moment. This way you will be able to stay within
the moment rather than being overwhelmed by negative emotions or the chaos. This
will lead to another kind of self-discovery. This is what truly experiencing the power
of silence is.
The following quote by Rainer Maria Rilke defines it:
‘Let your beauty manifest itself without talking or calculation. You are
silent. It says for you: I am. And comes in meaning thousand fold, comes
at long last over everyone.’
The moment you are able to live in the moment, you will be able to rise above
it all. The moment you get up you will experience a different world rather than the
noise and chaos of the alarm clock, beep of coffee pot or blaring music. Living
amidst chaos you will be able to detach yourself from the situation and access the
situation better. Without learning the value of silence the woven thought that often
comes across your mind as a result of chaos is hard to manage. The external
commotion along with the internal chatter is often hard to manage, however, when
you are working with power of silence, these stop bothering you.
Wayne Dyer opines about silence and its impact on life: ‘It’s really the space
between the notes that makes the music you enjoy so much.’
Difficulty in achieving silence
It is a universally accepted phenomena that silence is a virtue. This adage is old and
people tend to ignore it rather than following it in their chaotic lifestyle. However,
once you are able to understand about the importance of silence and the importance
of tranquillity it would be easy to include it in your lifestyle. It is essential to take an
opportunity to unearth the lessons and mysteries that is only possible when you take
out the time to practice silence.
The stillness within cannot be achieved by moving to another tranquil
environment, it is a process and practice that needs to be done on daily basis. It is
not about moving out, rather moving within and finding it inside where it simply is.
You need not create it as it is all about eliminating the factors that are disturbing it.
Recognizing the negativity and the patterns that are causing chaos in your environment
external as well as internal will help you get started.
The biggest barrier in achieving silence is that often most of us are not able to
achieve it or practice it. This is due to the pressing demands of our daily chores and
chaotic lifestyle that one is not able to feel the power of silence. Another problem is
that even if the pause happens, it seems like something unnatural and it creates
uneasiness. It often seems unexpected due to the sudden stop in action and for this
reason it is unwelcomed.

144 Self-Instructional Material

 Trying to fill up the silence to avoid feeling uneasy using superficial talk becomes Peace Education
a habit. Avoiding the satiation where there is absence of noise is often yet another
difficulty one goes through. Even though this is an unknowing habit, it creates a
hindrance in achieving silence. It is due to fear, almost like an acquired taste against
silence. For this reason it is essential to learn to go against this nature which is NOTES
against silence. Missing out on the magic of achieving silence and experiencing its
power then becomes difficult.
For all these reasons one often faces a question: is silence impossible to
achieve in our modern time and technologically driven era.
The only thing that one needs to do is find time to meditate by learning to
detach from the chaotic situation. By making a conscious effort for creating silence
the feat becomes easier. A conscious effort will help eliminate anxiety and tension.
Creating inner tranquillity would be easier as it would be a gradual process. Recharging
yourself through the application of silence will help accomplish peace with surroundings
and within too.
It might be impossible at first; however, a small adjustment in routine life can
create a huge difference. Nonetheless, if you are willing towards achieving it, then
the following systematic step by step process would help you along the way.
Following are ten easy techniques that you can apply in your daily routine for
achieving silence:
• As you wake up every morning, the first thing that you should do is take
out five minutes to clear your head. This can be done by tuning into your
own breath along with setting good intentions and positive affirmations.
Being in a state of gratitude will help a lot.
• Find an undisturbed corner in your home or creating a space for meditation
that will serve as your personal sanctuary is the next step. This place can
be your refuge from the noise and chaos. Without any external intrusions
you can utilize this space for reading or reflection.
• While you are at sipping your morning coffee, find a place that is offline
or away from the TV set. Sit out on your patio or balcony or your garden
to experience and absorb nature. The calmness that the nature exudes
will have a great impact on your mind. The external stillness will give rise
to internal stillness that will be with you throughout the day.
• For once do not turn on the radio while driving. Let driving alone be your
full focus. Notice of things around you. If not this then listen to calming
music that will help you get through with traffic while driving to work.
• While communicating with another, take time to pause and collect your
thoughts before you ramble about anything that comes to your mind.
• Make it a habit to meditate for 10-15 minutes while concentrating on your
breath to clear your brain from clutter. You can increase your time of
meditation as you gradually improve with the practice.

Self-Instructional Material 145

Peace Education • Take a hike in nature without your iPod or your phone. Just let yourself
get absorbed into the sounds of nature and the spirit of natural environment.
• For once, let your evening be spent in silence when you deliberately choose
to disconnect your cell phone and laptop.
NOTES
• Set a daily routine for prayer or contemplation that will help you ease your
mind and erase any painful past or help avoid over-thinking about the
future.
• Just before you go to sleep, let the mind be silent to help promote blissful
state and achieve balance.
These steps are easy to apply and will help you achieve inner tranquillity and
peace. The power of silence will be experienced gradually as you dedicatedly work
towards it. Enjoy things like sounds of nature, the music of raindrops and other
natural sounds that surround you. These external noises helps in moving within that
will help you in getting closer to your own self and moving to your own centre.
In conclusion, it is to be understood that silence is a powerful tool towards
creating harmony, internal as well as external. When you are working towards
achieving it with dedicated efforts, it is possible to reap its benefits. It is up to you to
recognize and eliminate the barriers that come in the way of achieving it; the first
step has to be taken by you. When this is done, you will see a great transformation
within yourself and soon it will start reflecting upon the external environment as
well. Your interactions with others and with the environment will change and transform
from chaotic to harmonious. Positive developments will take place and you will
begin progressing internally as well as externally.
5.3.2 Yogic Meditation
Yogic meditation is a technique that involves relaxing the mind and achieving a level
of consciousness that is different from the waking state of mind. It is a spiritual
practice that helps in reaching out to the centre of your consciousness. Following
the specified order of meditation that involves discipline and principles, these produce
results that are measurable.
Meditation helps focus inward, relaxes the mind and one is able to gain clarity.
Meditation makes one fully alert and awake, even while one is participating in life
and events, there is a detachment. Meditation provides internal silence and as it
deepens one does not feels distracted.
Barriers in Yogic Meditation
The duality of mind is such that our waking mind receives formal education and the
unconscious mind that sleeps; dreams. The unconscious mind is where all the
experiences, feelings and thoughts are stored. This part is often undisciplined and
unknown and is hard to control. Meditation teaches us to go beyond the conscious
mind for the attainment of bliss, peace and happiness. It helps harness the power of
our unconscious mind to achieve awareness.

146 Self-Instructional Material

 Walking a disciplined path is often difficult due to the fact that the mind is Peace Education
hard to rule or even guide towards a particular path. This is due to the fact that the
mind cannot be controlled and it requires daily practice of meditation.
It is essential to note that we are naturally tuned to live and behave according
to the external environment. However, there is a lack of teaching related to reflection NOTES
examination of our internal process. This is where meditation steps in to help attain
highest level of internal joy. Being able to rise above the momentary joys offered by
the material world meditation becomes essential to achieve true joy.
Achieving Meditative Mode
Utilizing meditation as a practical means of calming the mind down, it helps in
overcoming the biases and helping seeing things in a different light. It is essential to
train the mind to overcome distraction and the endless chatter of the mind.
Including yogic meditation in your daily routine helps in creating a discipline
that becomes yourself commitment for achieving a better mindset. Exploring the
inner dimensions of the mind, one is able to walk in peace. It is essential that just like
routine tasks or chores are lined up for the day, including meditation in daily routine
should be done too. Beginning by including Pranayam and Dhyan the ancient yogic
techniques for controlling the mind and achieving stillness. Let us learn how this is
done.
Breathing Techniques and Meditation
Pranayam or the breathing technique with Dhyan is all about calming the body and
mind through controlled breathing. A proper practice of these techniques using
breathing technique along with observing the breath gives immense peace. It is all
about supplying ample oxygen to the brand and the blood, this helps in controlling the
Prana or the vital life force.
When we utilize the Pranayam technique with Dhyan, these purify the internal
being and bring about self-discipline. It prepares the individual for deeper meditation
and helps one in achieving tranquillity.
Cultivating Stillness
Dhyan or meditation is all about cultivating stillness. Through the process of meditation,
stillness can begin with the body. Yoga contains numerous techniques that can be
taught by an experienced yoga practitioner. One can begin by self practicing of this
technique by keeping the back, neck and head straight. Sit in dhyan mudra or
meditative posture and begin by relaxing the breath, then observing it. Doing it every
day at the same time and dedicating a place for it will help you include it in your
routine task. Then it becomes a discipline that is easy to follow that will start giving
you happiness.
Some of the simple techniques that you can apply are as follows:
• Find an uncluttered place that is undisturbed and quite.
• Sit on a mat or a firm chair, keep your back straight and close your eyes.

Self-Instructional Material 147

Peace Education • Move your awareness within your body.
• Let your muscles relax except the muscles of back and neck.
• Take time to let the tension or muscular stress disappear.
NOTES • Bring the awareness towards your breath and notice where it goes.
These steps are easy to apply, however, the difficulty in achieving smooth
breathing and observing without questioning may create hindrance. There might be
times when you start getting reminders about chores that you forgot to do, or things
that should be done, or questions like if you are doing it right or should it be over by
now; these thoughts are natural. This experience is new to the mind and the mind
will not stop creating barriers against it. All you need to do is overcome it gradually
through a regular practice.
This is the point where you are aware of the process even the thoughts that
are zipping past your mind. Observing how your mind is restless will make you
realize that this is what often keeps you up at nights when you are not able to fall
asleep. However, reacting to these thoughts will suck you in a never-ending cycle or
restlessness. You need to steer past these in order to achieve tranquillity. The thoughts
alone cannot disturb you, but your reaction against these thoughts can.
Paying Attention
Paying attention is yet another aspect of meditation that is more like going on a
mental vacation. It teaches how to attend to the inner world without reaction for
creating a transformation. Bringing freedom from the mental turmoil and creating a
distinct detached experience is what meditation teaches you. Experiencing
contentment and inner joy through this technique provides a great relief to the individual
practicing it. It is like a refuge that helps in getting rid of tumultuous life and you
experience inner vacation.
Paying attention to the calming experiences of yogic meditation sans reaction
to thoughts or disturbing habits will get you moving in the right direction. Allowing
yourself to choose the right response to the situation by letting spontaneous reactions
surface is yet another way of dealing with numerous thoughts. It is a therapy; a
holistic means of living that leads to the stability of mind and inner balance of emotions.
You become fully aware of your habits and unproductive reflexes.
How to know you are progressing?
Gently moving from one level to another is what meditation is all about. Being honest
with oneself will help a lot. Never attempt to compare your experiences with another,
it is essential to focus on your intent and goal: Working with your own mind to help
you achieve the expected level happens gradually.
The practice needs patience and it is a systematic process that gives results
gradually. The benefits do arrive, but in time, one needs to have patience and follow
the discipline. Forget about immediate benefits as it will happen slowly, the impressions
or sanskaras are gradually stored on the unconscious mind that will for sure help you
with your progress. It is almost like sowing a seed and seeing it sprout overtime.

148 Self-Instructional Material

 Following are some of the points that will help you map your progress: Peace Education

• The first sign of progress would be achieving physical relaxation.

• Your mind will start feeling calm and you will begin to notice other changes.
• Getting freedom from worries is yet another level of progress that you NOTES
will achieve.
• You will be able to observe your random thoughts without reacting to any
one of them.
• Gradually as you progress, your thoughts will begin disappearing.
Effects of practice
While practicing yoga the individual will start transforming from within from each
aspect. It will gradually increase the will power of the person and amplify the good
qualities. A process of achieving harmony with the external environment will begin.
Experiencing affection for the people in general will start taking roots in the heart of
the individual. Purity of thoughts and empowering the individual with intuition will
start happening.
A feeling of calmness from within will be felt with profound harmony that will
impact the environment of the individual.
Personal Achievement
Through the tool of yogic meditation the individual is able achieve energetic resonance.
It is a focus within the mental faculties of the mind that the practitioner is able to
manage and amplify the resonance process gradually. Resonance is the process
that acts as a bridge between the internal system or the Microcosm and the exterior
or the Macrocosm.
Macrocosm comprise of numerous benefic energies that may comprise of
universal love, vital energies, erotic energies, purity energies and harmonious energies.
When an individual chooses to meditate, then they are able to journey within and
between all the spheres. Additionally, these benefic energies increase with time and
bring a profound bliss in the life of the individual practicing meditation.
Awareness in Yoga
Awareness in yoga is the key to achieving success. Awareness is a bridge between
one self and the external environment. It is yet another way of getting closer to the
reality. Awareness will take time to arise and when it does you will begin observing
how much you need to increase your level.
It is all about the unity that one needs to achieve through continuous practice.
The state of fusion with the reality that is a part of internal as well as external reality
of the individual is what awareness in yogic meditation is all about.
The exterior differences create distractions within the individual as the
verbalization of the events mentally is what creates a divide between our conscious
levels. For this reason, learning yogic meditation is essential for creating awareness.

Self-Instructional Material 149

Peace Education Being open minded and cultivating patience is what you need to learn with each
session of meditation.
Yogic meditation is a spiritual practice that is efficient in creating awareness.
When the awareness is complete, the process becomes faster and the benefits are
NOTES visible to the individual.
When the awareness does arise?
When an individual is practicing meditation and Asanas, the immediate affect starts
happening within the first five minutes. During the course of the session, a complete
relaxation takes place wherein you are aware about various muscle groups and
physical body. When awareness rises you will be able to observe your daily life and
every happening that becomes your proof of evolution on the spiritual plane.
A detached witness is what one becomes with regular practice, one is cantered
within the consciousness. Being successful in yoga frees an individual of all the
worries and stress that the daily grind brings.
The techniques and wisdom that one gets through practice of yoga teaches
the individual to remain in a joyful and pure in their daily life. Restoring balance
thereby strengthening the body, calming the mind and regaining the focus helps in
enhancing self-confidence. A beginner as well as a regular practitioner is able to
reap benefits from it. The best part being that all age groups can practice it, no
matter whenever an individual chooses to begin, it is all about including this practice.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

5. Mention the only situation in which peace education is constructive.
6. Enlist the three kinds of peace.
7. Give examples of techniques that one can use when waking up every
morning for achieving the power of silence.
8. Which process acts as a bridge between the microcosm and macrocosm?

5.4 SUMMARY

• The UNESCO Culture of Peace elucidates on the mechanism or means

through which peace can be constructed in the minds of human beings: ‘For
peace and non-violence to prevail, we need to foster a culture of peace through
education by revising the educational curricula to promote qualitative values,
attitudes and behaviours of a culture of peace, including peaceful conflict
resolution, dialogue, consensus building and active non-violence’.
• Education—both formal and non-formal—needs to focus on building a culture
of peace and non-violence. Education must empower children to become
active participants in their future. The UNESCO stresses that the ‘culture of

150 Self-Instructional Material

 peace through education’ is the base upon which the other seven action areas Peace Education
can be built.
• Peace education in UNICEF refers to the process of promoting the knowledge,
skills, attitudes and values needed to bring about behavior changes that will
enable children, youth and adults to prevent conflict and violence, both overt NOTES
and structural; to resolve conflict peacefully; and to create the conditions
conducive to peace, whether at an intrapersonal, interpersonal, intergroup,
national or international level.
• The goal of education for peace is the development of ‘the critical and analytical
mind’ and ‘cooperative way of working’. However, this is easier said than
done in the settings of a formal school system, for structurally it is geared
towards and promotes competition, achievements of the individual and getting
grades. Pedagogy is a very critical aspect of peace education.
• Education for peace is a wider concept and peace education is one part of it.
In the former, peace is the vision through which the process of education is
shaped. Here the whole educational process is geared towards the creation
of a better world and the promotion of a culture of peace. Education for
Peace is education for life; it is not about training for a career or a livelihood.
In education for peace learning has to be a meaningful and joyful experience
and not a cumbersome and burdensome process.
• Legal means of conflict resolution refers to the laws that could help resolve
conflicts non-violently. Laws aim to protect the society and its individuals,
establish rules for behaviour and governance, maintain social order and ensure
justice.
• There are four major sources of international laws: classical writing, custom,
treaties and rulings of international courts. Apart from these, international
legal scholars also contribute to international laws.
• The procedures available within international law to resolve conflicts peacefully
fall into two categories: diplomatic procedures and adjudication. Diplomatic
procedures refer to endeavours and efforts made either by opposing parties
or with the help of other entities, to resolve the dispute by making use of the
process of discussion and fact-finding such as negotiation, good offices,
mediation, inquiry and conciliation. Adjudication, on the other hand, entails the
involvement of a disinterested third party, who determines the legal and factual
issues of the dispute through the means of either arbitration or through judicial
decisions.
• Negotiation is a simple, active and the ‘most utilized form’ of conflict resolution.
In negotiation, contending parties discuss their differences directly with each
other, without the involvement of a third party; the overall aim is reconciliation
of differences.
• The mechanisms of good offices and mediation make use of a third party.
This third party could be either ‘an individual or individuals, a state or group of
states or an international organisation.’

Self-Instructional Material 151

Peace Education • Inquiry as a legal mechanism for conflict resolution is used when there are
differences between parties on fact-based issues. In such cases, a commission
of inquiry is instituted, wherein reputed observers conduct the enquiry and
specifically ascertain the facts of the dispute.
NOTES • According to Malcolm N. Shaw, ‘The process of conciliation involves a third-
party investigation of the basis of the dispute and the submission of a report
embodying suggestions for a settlement.’
• Arbitration and judicial settlement are two adjudicated methods of dispute
settlement whose decisions are binding. Judicial bodies such as courts and
tribunals have been rendered ‘a special place’ in international law as they are
‘part of a larger process of peaceful settlement.’ Jennings has written to this
end, ‘The adjudicative process can serve, not only to resolve classical legal
disputes, but it can also serve as an important tool of preventive diplomacy in
complex situations.’
• The concept of ‘culture of peace’ was formulated at the International Congress
on Peace in the Minds of Men, held in Cote d’Ivoire in 1989. The International
Congress recommended that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) ‘help construct a new vision of peace by
developing a peace culture based on the universal values of respect for life,
liberty, justice, solidarity, tolerance, human rights and equality between men
and women’.
• Peace education resolves conflicts and destroys violence at the global, national,
local and personal levels.
• Peace education is universal. It empowers the growth of children at the
physical, social, emotional and intellectual levels. It is based on a framework
of harmony and a trust of human rights. It teaches and follows love, trust, co-
operation and fairness
• The peace education programme in schools is a character-building intervention
programme based on a human, civic, moral and spiritual value system with
stress on developing peaceful living competencies in children. It is seen that
all schools have moral and value education programme in some form or the
other.
• Silence is the key that helps one develop spaces between the verbal exchanges
and gives a new meaning to these exchanges. The exchanges then are
assimilated on to the psyche and form a place of depth that gives rise to
creative engagement that flows naturally.
• Valuing silence is all about going within no matter wherever one is at present.
Listening to self in a fine attuned manner to what the other has to say becomes
easier.
• Yogic meditation is a technique that involves relaxing the mind and helps in
achieve a level of consciousness that is different from the waking state of
mind. It is a spiritual practice that helps in reaching out the centre of your
consciousness.
152 Self-Instructional Material
 Peace Education
5.5 KEY TERMS

• Peace Education: It refers to the process of promoting the knowledge skills,

attitudes and values needed to bring about behaviour changes that will enable NOTES
children youth and adults to prevent conflict and violence, both overt and
structural; to resolves conflict peacefully; and to create the conditions conducive
to peace, whether at an intrapersonal, intergroup, national or international
level.
• Adjudication: It refers to the process of conflict resolution which involves a
disinterested third party, who determines the legal and factual issues of the
dispute through the means of either arbitration or through judicial decisions.
• Dispute: It is a disagreement over a point of law or fact, a conflict of legal
views or of interests between two persons.
• Arbitration: It is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), is a technique
for the resolution of disputes outside the courts.
• Yogic Meditation: It is a technique that involves relaxing the mind and
achieving a level of consciousness that is different from the waking state of
mind.
• Pranayam: It is the means towards achieving inner tranquil through the means
of proper control on breath.

5.6 ANSWERS TO ‘CHECK YOUR PROGRESS’

1. As per Johan Galtung, the medium term perspective that peace education
provides is that it can prepare the foundation wherein the seeds for peace
would be planted.
2. The four major sources of international laws are classical writing, custom,
treaties and rulings of international courts.
3. The main difference between international law and municipal law is that the
former cannot be enforced while in the latter there is a government to enforce
the laws.
4. The two methods of dispute settlement whose decisions are binding are
arbitration and judicial settlement.
5. Peace education is constructive only if its includes the development of inner
personality of humans and makes them more conscious to the society around
them.
6. The three kinds of peace are inner peace, social peace and peace with nature.
7. When waking up every morning, techniques like tuning of breath with good
intentions, positive affirmations and being in a sense of gratitude will help in
achieving the power of silence.

Self-Instructional Material 153

Peace Education 8. Resonance is the process which acts as a bridge between the internal system
and the exterior.

NOTES
5.7 QUESTIONS AND EXERCISES

Short-Answer Questions
1. What are the aims of peace education?
2. Explain the concept of negotiation as the ‘most utilized form’ of conflict
resolution.
3. Write a short note on the Seville Statement.
4. What is the role of schools, teachers and education in the promotion of peace?
5. What are the barriers in the process of yogic meditation?
6. How can one map their progress in yogic meditation?
Long-Answer Questions
1. Write a note on arbitration and judicial settlement as the two adjudicated
methods of dispute settlements.
2. Discuss the steps involved in designing a programme for peace education.
3. Describe the easy techniques which can be applied in our daily routines for
achieving the power of silence.
4. Explain the process of yogic meditation which can be utilized for controlling
and achieving stillness.
5. Discuss the concept of awareness and its attainment while practicing yoga.

5.8 FURTHER READING

Feuerstein, Georg. 2001. The Yoga Tradition: Its History, Literature, Philosophy
and Practice. Arizona, USA: Hohm Press.
Mohanty, J. 1986. School Education in Emerging Society. Meerut: Sterling
Publishers.
Jeong, Ho-Won. 2000. Peace and Conflict Studies: An Introduction. Burlington:
Ashgate Publications.
Reardon, Betty. 1988. Educating for Global Responsibility: Teacher Designed
Curricula for Peace Education. New York: Teacher College Press.
Chodosh, H. E., Bhatt, N. J., and Kassam. F. 2004. Mediation in India: A Toolkit.
New Delhi: United States Educational Foundation in India (USEFI).

154 Self-Instructional Material