ISSN 2360-7998
Abstract
The study investigated the roles of Christian schools in conflict resolution and peacebuilding in conflict areas in Imo State. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The area of this study was Imo State. The population for this study consisted of approximately 10,000 students in senior secondary schools (SSS) in 50 mission schools in Imo State, Nigeria. A sample of 450 participants was selected from the population. The instrument that was used for data collection was a well-structured questionnaire titled “Role of Christian schools in promoting reconciliation and peacebuilding in conflict-affected areas.” Questionnaire. The validity of the instruments was determined by 3 experts from the Department of Religious Studies, Paul University Awka. The reliability of the questionnaire instrument was determined using the Cronbach Alpha method of reliability, and a reliability index of 0.72 was obtained, making the instrument reliable. The research questions were answered using simple descriptive statistics such as the mean and standard deviation. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 levels of significance with appropriate degrees of freedom using ANOVA analysis. Results revealed that religion is significant in enhancing conflict reconciliation in Imo State, among others. The study therefore recommended that schools should integrate art therapy and counselling sessions to provide a safe space for students to express their emotions and experiences, promoting emotional healing and well-being, and policymakers of Christian schools should develop a comprehensive peace education curriculum that incorporates local case studies and real-life examples to make learning more relatable, among others.
Keywords: Conflict Resolution, Christion Schools. Reconciliation, peace Education