Multicultural education as a strategy for peace in schools

Abstract

This study addresses the urgent need for multicultural education in South African schools, considering the challenges posed by a diverse demographic landscape and the prevalence of violence, xenophobia, and tribalism. The study is prompted by the limited focus on issues beyond race, particularly concerning the experiences of migrant learners facing difficulties related to language, cultural differences, and social integration. The absence of explicit multicultural education in the school curriculum exacerbates these challenges, contributing to violence and exclusion. This study was aimed at exploring the potential of multicultural education in fostering a worldview that promotes peace, cultural competency, and positive socialisation within South African schools. By employing the integrative theory of peace as a theoretical framework, the research aimed to conceptualise how multicultural education can be strategically integrated into the education curriculum to address violence, promote tolerance, and empower learners and teachers. The research methodology involved a qualitative approach, utilising interviews, focus groups, and direct observation in an action research setting. The study was conducted in an independent school in Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal, with a diverse population of learners and educators. Triangulation was employed to ensure the validity, reliability and trustworthiness of the findings, and ethical considerations prioritised participant well-being and informed consent. The research objectives included exploring the overall role of multicultural education, investigating perceptions of different cultures, forming an action research team to suggest multicultural education components, and testing the outcomes of the intervention strategy. The central research question examined whether multicultural education could contribute to developing and maintaining peace while fostering a worldview that embraces diversity in schools. The findings reveal the potential of multicultural education to bring about a paradigm shift, empower learners, and contribute to positive social dynamics, contribute to teaching respect and regard for other culture and thus lead to peaceful existence in different cultural groups. The study concludes by emphasizing the importance of integrating multicultural education into the South African school curriculum as a crucial strategy for promoting peace, understanding, and embracing the nation's cultural diversity.