Education, Society and Peace

Education and enlightenment are some of the greatest pillars of peace in whichever setting across the globe. Real Education shuns segregation, divisionism, corruption, unscrupulous behaviour, mention it. An enlightened society is expected to be free from illiterate prejudices of divisionism according to colour, race, ethnicity, gender, status, etc Societies that have attained a good level of enlightenment through education have better ways of settling their grievances and differences than war, rioting, genocide, conflict etc. Conflict will always spoil a lot than it saves but dialogue spoils nothing and mends hearts. It creates a good atmosphere for exploring all the possibilities to make peace and prosper together without picking up arms or whatever fighting tool. For the purpose of this article, I will use examples from the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Due to illiteracy, people were easily mobilised against their own neighbours, own society, own children, spouse, friends, in-laws, business partners, colleagues, acquaintances, contemporaries, the list is long and the eclipse of hatred befell upon our land in what came to be genocide. This was largely possible due to ignorance of those executing the genocide and unmatched greed by those perpetrating and planning the genocide. It was not only greed; it was also lack of real enlightenment. Enlightenment is not just obtaining a degree or diploma from school, college or university. It’s far more than that. No doubt, the perpetrators went to school and attained the white man’s learning but got less of the underlying benefit of education-understanding, value judgement, etc If one is really enlightened, they would not involve in such a hopeless hands staining spree that will be judged sometime on earth or in heaven. They have no escape door. When justice catches up with them, they (will) actually curse the day they were born. No wonder some killed their mothers or fathers (in the name of different ethnicity) for having begotten them. Unbelievable! Human kind is believed to be more understanding than any other creation but sometimes man behaves in a bizarre way that even animals would not do. It’s a result of greed and illiteracy. We need to get rid of this vice. We need to be enlightened. We need to get redeemed so we can make peace. God help us! While the government strives and may pay through the nose to offer free education up to 12 years (completion of a level that is enough to offer enlightenment) it is important that we understand that our role to attain enlightenment and real understanding is paramount. You can not shake hands with a clenched fist. We need to distinguish between evil and good, acts of humanity from acts of villain; morality from immorality …… and by this we will have a good and quality society. When you understand what it means to relate well with others, then you find meaning in relationship. Married couples who understand each other find more meaning in the institution and the reverse is true. The distinction between man and other creatures should be distinct and very clear. But when it is a man-eat-man society, to live and not to live all become the same. Life is meaningful when lived well. Education is not only formal but also informal. Every knowledge that we interact with whether in a formal setting (school system) or informal setting (home, church, society…) should help us realise our potential to make society a better place to live in. There should be a distinction between the educated and the uneducated especially in the interpretation of circumstances. We should endeavour for quality, quality in our dealings with fellow man. When each of us minds their own business, and stop meddling in other people’s business, learn from history, take the good counsel from the brilliant brains that we interact with…then we will be considered enlightened and free from the cuffs of illiteracy, prejudice, discrimination, tribalism, malice, sin, and other forms of injustice that we perform against human race that we did not create. Sometimes greed overruns literacy and gets the better of man and this is the worst form of illiteracy. This is due to lack of redemption and deliverance from sin. Only God has the power to deliver us if we allow Him to take control of our lives and follow his guidelines. Societies or even families that have less greedy characters have prospered. They have achieved as a team not as individuals. Individualism is not in their vocabulary but selflessness is their daily practice. They have scarcely had fatal conflicts but rather settled any conflicts amicably and peace prevails with them. Each member of such a society or family is a champion of peace and harmonious living with everybody in the society and even beyond. Let’s all strive to understand, be flexible, and make life easy for all around us to enjoy it. By that we satisfy our creator in one way or another. The writer is a social critic