Education for peace building in conflict hit regions in Africa: perspectives from Cameroon and Sudan

In a continent replete with conflicts of all types, creating hazardous consequences, the quest for lasting peace becomes a highly sought option. Cameroon (Anglophone Regions) and Sudan are two among many African countries that have been wrecked by conflict with untold suffering resulting in both internal and external displacements. Many children have dropped out of school in both countries and in worse cases recruited as fighters. Those in different educational establishments live with trauma and the strong desire to avenge the death of their loved ones when the opportunity shows up. Understanding that in such situations the parties concerned seek to transcend ephemeral to long lasting solutions, this perspective paper examines to what level peace education has been considered in the primary and secondary school programmes in Cameroon and Sudan as a tool both to prevent and ameliorate the effect of conflicts. This study examined the subjects taught in primary and secondary schools in both countries, highlighting the subjects related to peace education. The results indicated that in both countries, peace education is not intentional since there is no direct subject on peace education on the curriculum. The study recommends that the example of African countries, like Uganda, Ethiopia amongst others, where peace education is taught, should be emulated and adapted in Cameroon and Sudan, as well as all other African countries where peace education is not part of the school curriculum. Peace education, especially to children at a tender age may guarantee better communities.