Dr. Anamika:Sustainable Peace through Educational Media in Bhutan

Durch Bildung stellt eine Nation sicher, dass ihre Bürgerinnen und Bürger über kritische Haltungen, Werte, Fähigkeiten, Verständnis und Wissen verfügen, die zur Aufrechterhaltung des Friedens erforderlich sind. Im Bhutan Education Blueprint 2014–2020 heißt es: „Der Lehrplan muss den Erwerb von Kompetenzen des 21. Jahrhunderts fördern, darunter Innovation, Kreativität, Unternehmergeist sowie universelle menschliche Werte wie Frieden und Harmonie.“

It is through education a nation ensures that its citizens are equipped with critical dispositions, values, skills, understanding, and knowledge for sustaining peace. Bhutan Education Blueprint 2014-2020 states that “Curriculum must foster acquisition of 21st century skills of innovation, creativity, enterprise and universal human values of peace and harmony.” Bhutan is a high-ranking country from the global south on the Global Peace Index (GPI, 2024, p. 2). Bhutan is primarily a monarchical nation with some commitment and respect for democratic processes. In this political context, the social science textbooks of Bhutan reiterate the need for sustainable peace that is instrumental in creating harmony, respect for human dignity, tolerance, equitable access to resources, and freedom in laying down the democratic processes in Bhutanese society. The current research seeks to explore how the National School Curriculum Framework’s vision of “An educated and enlightened society guided by GNH (Gross National Happiness) principles” percolates down through educational media to inculcate dispositions, values, skills, understanding, and knowledge that are critical in preparing students to uphold and practice the principles of sustainable peace. A preliminary analysis of secondary school textbooks of history and civics suggests that substantial peace education content is present. However, the questions posed during and end of the lessons do not promote critical thinking. The questions are designed to seek explanations rather than alternative perspectives that are necessary for addressing conflicts and finding resolutions.