Jane Utomi’s scientific contributions

Final Synthesis Report of the ESRC/DFID Poverty Alleviation Fund Research Project This publication is a part of the ‘Engaging teachers in peacebuilding in post-conflict contexts: Evaluating education interventions in Rwanda and South Africa’ research project. The work was funded by the ESRC/DFID Joint Fund for Poverty Alleviation and led by Yusuf Sayed as PI, together with researchers at CIE, University of Sussex; the University of Bristol; Centre for International Teacher Education (CITE), Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa; and the College of Education, University of Rwanda. All our project publications are available at www.sussex.ac.uk/cie/projects/current/peacebuilding/outputs

School teachers play a central role in preparing the national and global citizens of tomorrow with the skills, knowledge and attitudes to contribute to peaceful democratic societies. Teachers promote social cohesion through engaging learners with an inclusive curriculum that addresses issues of social justice (See Policy Brief No. 3 (2017) Engaging Teachers in Peacebuilding in Post-conflict context: Curriculum and Textbooks in Rwanda and South Africa’, University of Sussex, UK). Their day-by-day interactions with children and young people are equally important, as they manage classroom behaviour or support students affected by violence. Yet, teachers are members of the same society as their students, themselves subject to direct and indirect (structural) violence. Initial teacher education, therefore, needs to encourage critical reflexivity and cultivate respect for diversity as well as develop pedagogical skills to promote peace. Continuing professional development programmes can spread, reinforce and deepen these values and skills amongst practicing teachers.