A THREE-YEAR sample curriculum introduced in public schools to promote peaceful coexistence and combating radicalism has helped thousands of students become more tolerant and say no to extremism.
The new course of study was launched in 2021 as part of the Interior Ministry’s Ma’an (Together) programme which is primarily aimed at countering violent tendencies and addiction among schoolchildren.
The Ma’an programme works within the approach of the US-based Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) International programme that seeks to prevent drug use, gang membership and violent behaviour among school students.
Since the inception of the programme in 2011, 196 out of 211 public schools have been covered, with a yearly average of more than 120,000 students from kindergarten, primary, intermediate and secondary benefiting, by attending classes led by a trained community policeman or policewoman.
“We launched a special curriculum for peaceful co-existence and combating extremism that was taught in 20 public schools (intermediate and secondary) as part of a sample group covering 3,830 students over a period of three years,” Ma’an programme director Ali Ameeni told the GDN.
“This was the first time the methodology of the research was used out of the US to help us gain valuable feedback from the Bahraini students.”
Mr Ameeni said a total of 175 classes were held during which trainers spoke about resistance and decision-making skills, prejudice and discrimination, among other topics.
He said at the end of these special lessons they found it helped change the mindsets of the youth.
“We definitely noticed a positive change in the behaviour of the students who have a preventive and proactive approach to deal with the new challenges.
“The positive indicators includes skills to combat extremism and be more tolerant which also reflects in Bahraini society.”
Post the success of the sample study, Mr Ameeni said they would now add the curriculum for peaceful coexistence and combating extremism in their programme for the new academic year that starts next month.
“This will complement the existing programme we run that covers different topics such as countering violence, addiction and Internet safety.
“We constantly update our curricula by adding or cancelling topics to today’s evolving environment and societal challenges.”
The Ma’an project was launched in 2011 by Bahrain Ambassador to the US Shaikh Abdulla bin Rashid Al Khalifa, who had overseen the original programme as former Southern Governor.
“We have been instrumental in protecting and guiding young minds in the right direction, and our next plan is to expand this project to private schools in the country so they too can be part of our success story.”
Last month, North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore and MP John Hardister hailed the efforts of the Ma’an programme in promoting community security, and further teaching peaceful coexistence and anti-extremism to intermediate and secondary school students in Bahrain.
Furthermore, during the North Carolina House of Representatives session, the Ma’an programme was recognised by the members who lauded Bahrain’s efforts to educate students and change their behaviour over the years.
Mr Ameeni led the ministry’s presentation delegation and attended the session during which joint projects were announced between Ma’an and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro to combat future challenges.
In June this year, Interior Minister General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa attended a ceremony hosted by D.A.R.E. marking its 40th anniversary during which the curriculum for peaceful coexistence and combating extremism was launched within the framework of the existing Ma’an programme.
The minister said they launched the programme to combat violence and extremism adding that it had helped reduce child misbehaviour in schools by 56 per cent since its inception in 2011.
The Ma’an programme has obtained the ISO 37000:2021 – Governance of Organisations accreditation certificate – the first entity in Bahrain to do so.
D.A.R.E was launched in 1983 and is the largest K-12 prevention education programme in the world taught in thousands of schools throughout America and other countries.
For more information about the Ma’an programme, contact 17750597.
sandy@gdnmedia.bh
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