This master’s thesis examines the obstacles to peace education in schools. The purpose of the study was to investigate how school staff and elementary school students understand, implement, and perceive peace education, what obstacles they perceive, and where they see potential for improvement. The purpose of this research is to contribute to a better understanding of the role of teachers in implementing peace education, and to identify which systemic, organizational, and personal barriers limit the effective prevention of peer violence and the development of peaceful coexistence among students. The research question I examined in my master’s thesis was: “What are the perceived barriers to peace education in elementary school?”
In the theoretical section, I discuss the educational role of the school, the work and foundations of the school counseling service, which I link to the field of social work. I then present the concept of an inclusive school and the international and Slovenian legal documents that regulate inclusive education within the Slovenian education system. I also briefly discuss school culture, climate, and teacher attitudes in relation to the school’s inclusive practices. I continue with a chapter on schools and peer violence, in which I analyze its characteristic elements and forms, as well as the identification, handling, and prevention or reduction of peer violence. Finally, I address the topic of peace education, describing its theoretical foundations, principles, and goals. I conclude the theoretical overview with methods and strategies for implementing peace education.
In the methodological section, I defined the study as qualitative and exploratory, and designed it as a case study. The research topics were understanding, implementation, obstacles, and improvements in peace education. The study population included all elementary schools in Slovenia during the 2025–2026 school year. I also conducted two-stage sampling (the first stage involved selecting schools, and the second stage involved selecting respondents from three groups—students, teachers, and school counseling services). The sample was non-random, convenience-based, and comprised 11 units. The data collection method was oral questioning, which took the form of individual interviews with school staff and a focus group with students. Two measurement instruments were used: guidelines for a semi-structured questionnaire for interviews with school staff and semi-structured guidelines for the focus group with students. Data collection took place in person at one of Ljubljana’s elementary schools. I processed and analyzed the collected data using qualitative methods, including open, axial, and relational coding.
I found that teachers and students understand peace education, on the one hand, as the absence of conflict and violence, and on the other hand, as a promotion of respect, cooperation, and good interpersonal relationships. The results confirmed that teachers implement peace education through daily interactions, conversations, social games, and class sessions where they develop social and communication skills. The greatest obstacles identified were a lack of time, bureaucratic burdens, insufficient training in response strategies, the influence of personal values, and difficulties in cooperation between professionals and parents. Students identified their own lack of trust in teachers’ decisions and actions as the greatest obstacle. In this regard, I found that there is a gap between the ideal understanding of peace education and its actual implementation in the school setting. Opportunities for improvement lie primarily in greater systemic support for peace education, additional professional development for teachers, greater attention from school staff in responding to and addressing conflicts and peer violence, fostering safe, trusting, and respectful relationships, and further strengthening students’ social-emotional competencies.
|
