Place education at the centre of peace building in Nigeria – UN

By: Michael Mike

The United Nations in Nigeria has urged the government of Nigeria to place education at the centre of all peacebuilding efforts in order to build an enduring culture of peace in the country.

In a joint statement by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) to mark the International Day of Education in Nigeria, the UN emphasized the urgent need to prioritize education as a tool for promoting human dignity tolerance and peace.

“If education is placed at the centre of our commitment to peace, it can help empower learners with the necessary knowledge, competencies and attitudes to become agents of peace in their immediate communities,” said the Head of UNESCO Abuja Office and UNESCO Representative to Nigeria, Abdourahamane Diallo.

Diallo while “encouraging government to prioritize education at the top of its political agenda, a strong call is being made to rally influencers and wider civil society to push forward the movement to bring education into the center of peacebuilding at all levels,” disclosed that UNESCO has set new standard instrument on education for lasting peace, where Education offers multiple opportunities to address the root causes of hate speech and sensitize learners of all ages of its forms and consequences online and offline.

UNICEF Nigeria Country Representative, Ms. Cristian Munduate, on her part noted that: “While Nigeria has shown a commitment to creating safe school environments through endorsing the Safe Schools Declaration and developing the Minimum Standards for Safe Schools, there is room for further progress. On this important day, we are reminded of the collective responsibility we share in safeguarding the educational environment for every child.”

She noted that: “Education is a key driver of gender equality, economic growth, and social development, sadly it remains inaccessible to many Nigerian children. Their educational journey is often disrupted by attacks on communities and schools, including the abduction of students. These challenges are particularly acute for adolescent girls, potentially stalling the progress made in girls’ education in Nigeria.”

In her message, the Director General of UNESCO, Ms Audrey Azoulay explained that: “Because if hatred starts with words, peace starts with education. What we learn changes how we view the world and influences how we treat others. Education must therefore be at the heart of our efforts to achieve and maintain world peace.”

According to her, this year’s International Day of Education on 24 January is dedicated to the crucial role of teaching and learning in promoting lasting peace – and the ways in which education must adapt in order to address current global challenges.

“The UNESCO Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable Development adopted by our 194 Member States in November 2023, is a major milestone in this regard. This global standard-setting instrument, the only one of its kind, is a roadmap for
 re-thinking and re-designing education systems to prepare learners to collectively shape more just, sustainable, healthy and peaceful futures for all. UNESCO looks forward to supporting education reforms based on this Recommendation across the world.” Azoulay said.

On 3rd December 2018, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24 January as International Day of Education, in celebration of the role of education for peace and development.

Place education at the centre of peace building in Nigeria – UN