Can the ‘Learn in peace, educate without violence’ intervention in Cote d’Ivoire reduce teacher violence? Development of a theory of change and formative evaluation results

• Published in: BMJ open Vol. 11; no. 11; p. e044645
• Main Authors: Devries, Karen, Balliet, Manuela, Thornhill, Kerrie, Knight, Louise, Procureur, Fanny, N’Djoré, Yah Ariane Bernadette, N’Guessan, Dedou Gruzshca Ferrand, Merrill, Katherine G, Dally, Mustapha, Allen, Elizabeth, Hossain, Mazeda, Cislaghi, Beniamino, Tanton, Clare, Quintero, Lucia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England British Medical Journal Publishing Group 10.11.2021; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Publishing Group
• Series: Original research
• Subjects: child protection; Classrooms; Collaboration; Cote d'Ivoire; Education; Formative evaluation; Global Health; Humans; Intervention; Learning; non-accidental injury; Peace; Public health; Qualitative research; School Teachers; Schools; Students; Teachers; Violence; Violence - prevention & control; Cote d'Ivoire; Uganda; Tanzania; qualitative research; child protection; public health; non-accidental injury
• ISSN: 2044-6055; 2044-6055
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044645

ObjectivesTo gather evidence on whether a brief intervention (Apprendre en paix et éduquer sans violence, developed by the Ivorian Ministry of Education and Graines de Paix) to promote peace in primary schools by reducing teacher violence perpetration and improving pedagogical techniques was acceptable to teachers and affected change in intermediate outcomes.DesignMixed-methods formative research.SettingPrimary schools in Tonkpi region, Cote d’Ivoire.Participants160 teachers participating in the peace training, surveyed three times during implementation; qualitative in-depth interviews with 19 teachers and teacher-counsellors.InterventionsLearn in peace, educate without violence–a brief intervention with primary school teachers designed to promote peace in primary schools.OutcomesFor survey data, we generated composite measures of intermediate outcomes (teachers’ awareness of consequences of violence, self-efficacy in applying positive classroom management methods, acceptance of physical discipline practices in school) and used random intercept linear mixed-effects models to compare responses over time. Qualitative research included open-ended questions about acceptability and perceived need for such an intervention. A framework analysis was undertaken.ResultsFour-months post-training (vs pretraining), teachers had higher self-efficacy in applying positive classroom management methods (pre-mean=26.1; post-mean=27.5; p<0.001) and borderline lower acceptance of physical discipline practices (premean=4.2; postmean=3.6; p=0.10). We found no change in teacher awareness of the consequences of violence. Qualitatively, teachers found the intervention acceptable and understandable, perceiving it as useful because it provided methods for non-violent discipline. Teachers had mixed views about whether the techniques improved classroom dynamics.ConclusionsData suggest that the intervention is acceptable and leads to change in intermediate outcomes for teachers. Further evaluation in a randomised controlled trial is warranted.