Going past the community: the schooling of formerly abducted youth

This study investigates the discourse of forming an integrated education system in the wake of civil conflict. The main question posed is about the role of schools in helping formerly abducted youth overcome their traumatic experiences and re-enter their communities as full citizens. Through an exploratory approach, the study situates formerly abducted youth in Northern Uganda within their delicate history of captivity and life upon return. It goes ahead to explore how schools can bridge the gap between their violent and traumatic past and prepare them for the future. In investigating the challenges with abduction and schooling, the research also does explore into specific girl experiences that provides a sensitive gendered dimension. While schooling presents functions of correcting societal inequalities, the experiences of abduction and the violent nature of schools reveal challenges in reforming life for these young people.