Langues

(UNESCO / Japan Young Researchers' fellowships programme)

An evaluation of Students’ Quality Circles and World Council Total Quality and Excellence in Education (WCTQEE)

Summary of research carried out: 
An evaluation of Students’ Quality Circles and World Council Total Quality and Excellence in Education (WCTQEE)

This report has been sponsored by the Government of Japan through the UNESCO/ Japan Research Fellowships Programme to promote culture of peace ideals through peace education. Conducted at Kingston University, United Kingdom, from September 2010 to January 2011, it was facilitated by the Mauritius National Commission for UNESCO and the Ministry of Education and Human Resources.

The present report has coincided with the end of the Decade for the Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World as proclaimed by the United Nations (2001-2010), the celebration of the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day and the 10th anniversary of the National Productivity and Competitiveness Council (NPCC), which has implemented the philosophy of Students’ Quality Circles (SQCs) in schools in Mauritius under the name Civic Action Team (CATs). Meanwhile, the world has witnessed an outburst of violence in the Middle East. Individuals who have long tolerated a culture of domination and violence have been manifesting their discontent.

What happened in Egypt has revealed that none should underestimate the power of the people. It has been an inspiration for many individuals around the world to initiate collaborative action for social transformation. However, there is the fear that such groupings will cause violent confrontation and affect the global economy which is already in crisis. Major cuts are being experienced in developed, developing and underdeveloped countries. Natural calamities such as just occurred in Japan can hit other countries as well. It is important for girls and boys, men and women to be empowered in solving problems in a peaceful manner.

Moreover, it is imperative that institutions lay emphasis on innovation and partnerships to tap individuals’ hidden potentials and bring people together to work for peace and progress. If globalization has to a certain extent facilitated free trade and the flow of information, it has also shown the difficulties of managing cultural diversity. In the global village, people from different ethnic origins are now connecting with each other. Clash of cultures, values, religious beliefs and opinions can easily degenerate into violence if individuals are not able to resolve conflicts through non-violent means.

The importance of dialogue and intercultural learning is being emphasized, but they need to be practised from an early age. When individuals reach maturity it is difficult to change the mindset of violence and domination to which they have been accustomed. Similarly, they need to be initiated into a methodology where they can identify problems, tackle root causes and bring positive transformation at a personal and societal level. Can SQCs which have their roots in ‘Quality Circles’ from industry empower young individuals to develop problem-solving skills? How sustainable are they? At a time when ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ (CSR) is cautious about investment and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals are a priority for many countries , can SQCs help bridge the gap between Corporate and Social Responsibility? How far can they empower boys and girls, men and women to work together for peace and security? Can they, for example, help reinforce the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network (ASPnet) in promoting culture of peace ideals? Do they lead to peaceful conflict resolution? In any attempt to further the culture of peace, it is important to provide information about non-violent practices, hence the report on SQCs and WCTQEE.

 

29 March 2011