Johannesburg — Churches object to aspects of draft policy on religion

RELIGIOUS groups and churches are to take the Department of Education to task over a draft religious policy that bans public schools from practising a single religion - in particular during assembly.

The representatives of various religious groups also criticised the document for its "insulting" tone that suggests local religious leaders are "unworthy" of contributing to religious literacy in schools.

Bishop Peter Lee, education spokesman for the Anglican Church, said: "There has been widespread reaction to the dismissive reference to clergy . . .

who are seen to be incapable of neutrality and motivated by a desire to proselytise and nothing else."

Shaikh Faadil Latief of the Islamic Judicial Council for Education said religion was a sensitive and emotional matter. Much more time was needed for communities to debate the policy.

"There must be input from across the board," he said.

In response, the department extended the deadline for comment on its Religion in Education policy from tomorrow to April 22.

But Duncan Hindle, a deputy director-general in the department, said that consultation on the document had been "a hugely long process" that began while Professor Sibusiso Bengu was still the education minister.

Hindle said the policy was likely to go to the Council of Education Ministers, which consists of the nine provincial MECs and the national minister, next week and then it would be promulgated.

However, most of the religious groups believed the document was an early working draft.

Hindle said the most contentious point remained assemblies in which pupils worship or pray.

The law could not prevent schools from having assembly, but "the challenge would be to ensure that there was no discrimination", said Hindle.

According to the policy, pupils might be excused from assembly under a "conscience clause", but "the fact that they have to invoke such a clause shows that the school has violated their constitutionally protected freedom of conscience".

The document states: "Recognising that weekly assembly is a long-standing tradition in many of our schools, we nevertheless find that assembly shall not be compulsory.

"If school governing bodies do allocate time for assembly . . . it shall not be an occasion for religious instruction."

Instead the policy proposes religion education - an academic programme that places Allah, Buddha, Jesus and Krishna on an equal footing and teaches about the various religions' rituals, festivals and philosophies.

The policy says "neutral" religion education would slot into the teaching of life orientation and human and social sciences.

In the Foundation Phase (Grade 1 to 3), for example, pupils could learn about the differences and similarities in symbols, diet, clothing, sacred space and ways of worship of a range of belief systems.

In the Intermediate Phase (Grade 4 to 7) pupils could learn about festivals, rituals and customs; and in the Senior Phase (Grade 10 to 12) they could learn about, and be examined on, for example, spiritual philosophies.

The policy requires teachers to be knowledgeable about South African and world religions, but it states that there is a "serious backlog" of trained teachers so training programmes have to be developed as a priority.

The policy also states that:

Religious education is the responsibility of the family, but religion education entails learning about the world and South Africa's major religions;

Religion education may not be "outsourced" to clergy; and

Independent (private) schools may be established on the basis of religion, as long as they do not practise racial discrimination.