The place, role, and task of religion in education: Human rights considerations and challenges

Abstract

This article departs from the standpoint that the place, role, and task of religion in public schools need reconsideration. Present policies rooted in secularism or the accommodation of a variety of confessional religions in schools are deficient in several respects, among others that the essence of religion, its presence in contemporary societies, and its role in the lived experiences of people have not been sufficiently recognised. Furthermore, the purpose and role of education are not adequately considered, and non-Western contexts are not sufficiently reckoned with. Attention should also be given to the current fixation of the scholarly discourse on the role of religion as an instrument for establishing and maintaining state hegemony. Human rights considerations demand, instead, a greater focus on religion in education as an instrument for strengthening the moral fibre of society and for creating social cohesion. To this end, the dynamic nature of religion and the increasing religious diversity in modern society and public schools need to be reconsidered. This has to be done within the framework of what is referred to as the current widely recognised creed of human rights.