Pedagogical Approaches, Implementation Factors, and Outcomes of Peace Education in Higher Education Institutions in Post-conflict Sierra Leone

Résumé fourni par la source

This study examined the pedagogical approaches, implementation factors, and perceived outcomes of peace education in higher education institutions (HEIs) in post-conflict Sierra Leone. Situated within the country's enduring peacebuilding project following the 1991–2002 civil war, the study is guided by three complementary theoretical frameworks: Galtung's Positive Peace Theory, Novelli, Lopes Cardozo, and Smith's 4Rs Framework (Reconciliation, Recognition, Redistribution, and Representation), and Lederach's Sustainable Peacebuilding Model. A mixed-methods descriptive survey design was employed, drawing on structured questionnaire data from 43 academic and administrative staff respondents drawn from five HEIs University of Makeni, Eastern Technical University, Njala University, University of Sierra Leone (Fourah Bay College), and Every Nation College supplemented by qualitative data from 30 Focus Group Discussions with 240 students and 16 Key Informant Interviews with university administrators and national peacebuilding practitioners. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Spearman rank-order correlation, while qualitative data were thematically analysed. The findings reveal that peace education is formally embedded in university curricula and that content substantially reflects local conflict dynamics (mean = 4.41; 90.2% agreement). However, pedagogical delivery remains predominantly lecture-based, with limited integration of participatory, experiential, and competency-based approaches. Assessment systems inadequately capture peace-related competencies (mean = 3.52; 61.9% agreement). Regarding implementation, political and social sensitivity arising from the civil war history constitutes the most significant barrier (mean = 3.59; 68.3%), followed by inadequate infrastructure, resource constraints, and instructional material shortages. Spearman correlations indicate that teaching materials, local curriculum relevance, monitoring frameworks, and institutional political will are closely interconnected. Peace education was perceived to produce meaningful outcomes, including fostering tolerance among diverse students (mean = 4.24; 85.7%), promoting peaceful coexistence (mean = 4.25; 85.0%), and influencing institutional policies toward inclusion (mean = 4.19; 85.7%). Correlational analysis confirms that impact dimensions are mutually reinforcing, with the strongest association between tolerance and policy influence (ρ = 0.874, p < 0.001). Qualitative findings substantiate these patterns while highlighting gaps in community engagement, institutional leadership commitment, and the depth of local contextualization in curricula. The study recommends transitioning peace education pedagogy from lecture-based delivery toward participatory and experiential approaches; strengthening institutional monitoring and evaluation systems; deepening curriculum contextualization around Sierra Leonean conflict history and transitional justice processes; and building structured partnerships between HEIs and national peacebuilding institutions.

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