Promoting Human Rights in Classrooms: A Pre-Service Teachers’ Perspective at the Bahrain Teachers College

Illiteracy caused by political and economic inequalities and exclusion from education opportunities has left millions of vulnerable people across the globe in a disadvantaged position. Education, however, throughout human history has been a means and an end for human growth. The international community has come to realize the importance of Human Rights Education in contributing to the recognition of Human Rights and consequently international stability of the world. For this reason Human Rights Education has been incorporated in a number of international human rights instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Right (HR), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), The International Covenant on Civil, Cultural and Political Rights (ICCPR), The Covenant on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Covenant on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). This study investigates the perspectives of pre-service teachers at Bahrain Teachers College (BTC) in promoting HR in classrooms. The study uses document analysis research methodology through analyzing students’ (pre-service teachers) written reflections on promoting HR in classrooms. The result of the study indicated not only that pre-service teachers exhibited clear understanding of the importance of human rights, but also showed commitment to promote them in their classrooms. The study recommended a number of steps that need to be taken to promote Human Rights Education in Bahrain’s classrooms.