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The Role Of Education For Peace And Development Amidst COVID-19 -By Rabiu A. Rahaman

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I start in the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. May the peace and blessing of Allah be on noble prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), his household, his companion and the generality of Muslims that follow the right path. We pray Allah shower His mercy and forgiveness on us, free us from Coronavirus, grant healing to those affected, and comfort families of the bereaved (Aameen).

Keywords: Education, Peace, Development, and Corona Virus (Covid-19).

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Education
Babs in Ali (2018)  defined education as “the aggregate of all the processes by which a child or young adult develops abilities, attitudes and other forms of behaviours which are of positive value to the society in which he lives”.

The first verses of the Quran began with the word:

“Read. Read in the name of thy Lord who created; [He] created the human being from blood clot. Read in the name of thy Lord who taught by the pen: [He] taught the human being what he did not know.” (96: 1-5).

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Peace
The word Islam means ‘peace and submission’. Muslims greet each other by saying ‘Salaam Alaykum’ meaning ‘peace be upon you’. The first verse of the Quran breathes the spirit of peace, it reads: “bi-smi llāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīm” (In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate). The ideal society, according to the Quran is Dar As-Salaam, that is, the house of peace (Quran: 10:25).

In the Hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) teaches that maintaining peace and good relations is very important and that Muslims should not get carried away with feelings of hatred towards others:

Do you know what is better than charity and fasting and prayer? It is keeping peace and good relations between people, as quarrels and bad feelings destroy mankind. (Al Adabul Mufrad, Hadith: 391, Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith: 2509, Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 4883, Sahih Ibn Hibban; Al Ihsan, Hadith: 5092).

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According to Islam, peace is not simply an absence of war. Peace opens doors to all kinds of opportunities that are present in any given situation. It is only in a peaceful situation that planned activities are possible. It is for this reason that the Quran says: “…And settlement is best…” (Quran: 4:128).

Development
NEEDS, (2004) defined development as a conscious process of change intended to improve the overall enjoyment of human rights…When it contributes to a reduction in conflict, development can build peace and promote social integration.

Covid – 19
The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 also known as Covid-19) has been a disaster worldwide, started in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Till now more than 153 countries have reported cases of infection caused by this virus. It is a global public health emergency and causes devastating health issues. This virus appears to be mainly spread through person to person contact.

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After familiarizing with the concept of peace and the allied terms, this section will focus critically on the role of Education as a catalyst for peace and development. In reality, education has failed somewhere to do the same. Keeping in view the growing discontent and violence in the system, it seems appropriate to mould entire education as a powerful means of peacebuilding because it is the only channel through which mass impact can be created through curriculum, pedagogies, and evaluation.
The Role of Education for Peace and Development amidst Covid-19.

One of the most important, crucial, and urgent issues which concern not just one nation or one religion or ideology, but is a concern of all peoples of the world, is education for peace and development amidst Covid-19. The destiny and future of a harmonious society depend on these two concepts: peace and development.
I’m sure this is our first time being an active participant in a pandemic beyond what we read in history books. COVID-19 has caused major disruption across the world to the way we live and work, including our religious activities.
Role of Education in Building Peace and Development.

Education is the social institution through which society equipped its member with the right knowledge, including basic facts, job skills, and cultural norms values.

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One of the most important roles of education is that it improves personal lives and helps society to run peacefully. By providing education, poverty can be removed and every person can provide their contributions to the development of the country.

Education Helps in the creation of a better society.

An educated person is more likely to develop better moral and ethical values as compared to an uneducated person. Inadequate education creates problems like superstition, domestic violence, poor health, and poor living standards. Education brings equal opportunity for both men and women and educated people will be able to create a better society. Without a good education, a better society can’t be formed. A very good example is this gathering, it’s possible because an educated leader was able to identify the latest trends and the possible role education could play in building peace and development amid the pandemic.
Education act as the backbone of a society.
Education is an integral part of human society. Its importance in life can’t be ignored as lack of education gives birth to numerous social problems like poor health, internal conflict, poor living standards, and many more. It helps people to find a better solution to their problems. Education allows people to realize the true value of contribution and help become the backbone of society.

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Education encourages Innovation and Creativity.
Education means innovation. Innovation and creativity can only occur when people are skilled enough to know how to operate with different technologies. Educated people always find a solution to their problems with the help of better techniques.

Education Can Create Better Human Beings.
Education is the most powerful weapon which we can use to change the perspective of the world. An educated person knows how to deal with different types of problems. Through the right education, a person can develop good moral values. It helps us to become a good human being.

Make This World A Better Place To Live In
Without educated people, this world can’t become a better place. That is why proper education is needed to turn this world into a better place. Hence, we can conclude that for peace and development to evolve there is a need for proper education.

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Conclusion
The growing cases of violence, corruption, and erosion of ethical values in the educational system demand to explore the barriers which are responsible for mitigating the role of education as a tool for ensuring peace and development.

PS: What should be people’s attitude when faced with a pandemic like the COVID-19?
Covid – 19 is REAL!

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The general Islamic rule during insecure times such as a pandemic is to protect oneself, as stated in the Qu’ran: “Believers, take precautions.” (An-Nisa verse 71).

According to the Hadith of Abdulrahman Ibn ‘Awf, the Prophet (PBUH) said: “When an epidemic breaks out in the land where you are, do not leave and flee from it. When you hear of an epidemic outbreak in another land, do not go there.” Ma Salam!

Rabiu Rahaman A.
07064986629

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