Facing the religious dilemma in education<\/p>\n
Simon Marcus Gower
\nDirector
\nResearch and Development
\nHarapan Bangsa School
\nBanten, Tangerang<\/p>\n
Moral issues always have the potential to degenerate into a
\nhazardous quagmire. The likelihood for disagreements to arise,
\nand even the potential for conflict to rear its ugly head, is
\nconsiderable. What one man deems to be his morality may be
\nconstrued as immoral by the next man. The only way for conflicts
\nto be averted is for compromises to be made, and shared values
\nand norms to be understood and agreed upon.<\/p>\n
Morality, then, can be a dilemma for us all. But should
\nreligion and religiosity be thrown into the mix with morality
\nthen inevitably you are brewing something that is extremely
\nvolatile in nature. This volatility is increased under the
\nmicroscope of education.<\/p>\n
The issues of morals and moral values have been brought to the
\nfore recently with the House of Representatives' deliberations on
\nthe bill for national education. Within these deliberations the
\nquestion of religion as part of schooling and moral education has
\nbeen considered and by some it has been seen as an imperative, a
\n\"must\" that has to be implemented and maintained. For others,
\nthough, linkage between morality, religions and education is an
\nuncomfortable topic of discussion.<\/p>\n
But like or loath them, the links between religions, morality
\nand education are significant and undeniable and it is right and
\nappropriate that the nation's lawmakers should be dwelling upon
\nthem. However, it has to be hoped that having dwelled upon them
\nthe lawmakers manage to bring forward workable proposals.<\/p>\n
There is perhaps, though, a process of blame going on here.
\nPeople have seen a breakdown in moral fortitude and rectitude in
\nIndonesia recently and they are searching for answers as to why
\nthis could happen. It has been easy for people to lay the blame
\nat the doorsteps of schools, where students often brawl and
\noffensive and even criminal behavior, such as drugs use and
\npushing, is on the increase.<\/p>\n
Add to the laying of blame the complaint of tardiness in
\nteaching of religions and education has clearly been singled out
\nas a primary culprit and so too a primary target.<\/p>\n
But it is possible that the search for a scapegoat is
\ndistorting the picture and distracting from the broader reality
\nof the problem. In this way the problem is being accentuated to
\nthe extent that it has been compounded to become a real dilemma.
\nEducators and legislators alike are being forced into a
\npredicament in which restraint in addressing the problem will be
\nseen as not truly rising to the challenge and if action is taken
\nthe danger and accusation may arise that efforts are merely
\ncompounding the problem.<\/p>\n
In essence the debate, (not to say argument) over the teaching
\nof religion in schools revolves around the notion that the
\nteaching of religion will provide some guarantee of moral
\ncorrectness and instill within the student the values that
\nsociety hopes and expects of its citizens. But can it really be
\nclaimed that religious education offers any degree of a guarantee
\nof producing a moral and upstanding member of society? There can
\nsurely be no such guarantee. It is rather a reasonable hope that
\nthe exploration of religion will increase the likelihood of good
\nmoral attitudes and behavior.<\/p>\n
A white supremacist in a southern state of America might claim
\nto have had a fine Christian education but still hold morally
\nappalling views. Likewise a Muslim may have attended an Islamic
\nschool only to retain hatreds that many would find morally wrong.<\/p>\n
There is clearly a strong divide between religious education
\nand religious instruction but there are those that would claim
\nthat the two are one in and of the same thing. That is clearly
\nnot true but those that believe that it is are probably those
\nthat would claim that religiosity in schools will offer some
\nguarantee of morally correct students.<\/p>\n
Religious instruction in schools could leave room for abuses
\nand manipulations in which the development of moral character is
\nno longer the aim of the education but instead control and
\ncoercion take over so that the student is merely required to
\nobey. This type of \"education\" is surely the seed-bed of
\nfanaticism and in turn morally wrong behavior.<\/p>\n
Religious instruction alone may preclude understanding and
\ntrue moral values. Religious education should offer the students
\nthe opportunities to explore and understand moral issues and
\nquestions from within the framework of the chosen religion. To
\nphilosophically, and with the stimulation of the intellect,
\nconsider our humanity from religious perspectives.<\/p>\n
Religious education should not, also, be about religious
\nisolation, and again solely contemplating religious instruction
\nas part of education leaves the risk of religious isolationism.
\nOf course, when studying religion at school one religion is the
\nframework from within which study takes place but that religious
\neducation should not close the door on knowledge of other
\nreligions.<\/p>\n
Education should inform and guide towards morally acceptable
\nbehavior. To inform students of other religions is to guide them
\nto understanding our world, beginning to appreciate its
\ncomplexities which includes its diverse religions.<\/p>\n
As in schools in the United Kingdom, for example, it should be
\npossible for a student at a Christian school to have as the
\ncenter of his religious education study of the Bible and yet
\nstill learn of Islam and Buddhism and so on. Likewise a Muslim
\nstudent's religious education would center on the Koran but could
\nalso appreciate other religions. This kind of education is not
\ntrying to convert the student from one religion to another but is
\nrightly trying to educate of other faiths in our world.<\/p>\n
Religious education is not, by definition, moral education.
\nStudents' morality develops from the home, and general society
\ntoo. School is but a part of the moral network for young people.
\nIndeed, it is an important part of young people's developing
\nmorality but morality cannot be imposed, dictated or forced
\nthrough obedience. Morality is nurtured through experience and
\nencountering moral behavior whether in the home, at work, at
\nstudy or at play.<\/p>",
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