This paper examines the multifaceted impact of armed conflict on educational systems, with a specific focus on South Africa's experience during the late apartheid era. It analyses the direct physical destruction of school infrastructure and the profound systemic disruptions, including teacher displacement, curriculum politicisation, and learner trauma. The study employs a qualitative methodology, drawing on historical policy analysis and case studies of post-conflict educational reforms, such as Curriculum 2005 and the National School Building Programme. The results illustrate a complex legacy where physical reconstruction often outpaced the redress of pedagogical and psychosocial scars. The discussion critically evaluates the successes and limitations of South Africa's recovery, framing it within broader theories of transitional justice and peacebuilding. The conclusion offers policy-relevant insights for post-conflict educational recovery that prioritise equity, social cohesion, and sustainable peace.
Abraham Kuol Nyuon (Ph.D) (Sun,) studied this question.