Corruption-fighting party wants God back in schools

The National Empowerment Fighting Corruption (NEFC) party wants Bible studies reintroduced in schools.

The party said this while launching its manifesto at Havana informal settlement yesterday.

Party president Kenneth Iilonga said the party is consulting to amend the constitutional clause which makes Namibia a secular state.

This is causing Namibia to lose direction, he said.

“The NEFC wants to tackle the issue of morality in the country by advocating the reintroduction of the Bible in schools so people can respect women’s dignity and everyone,” Iilonga said.

Political analysts, however, say the party’s proposal could exclude certain groups and foster division.

Henning Melber says this ambition discriminates against those with other beliefs.

Melber says: “The NEFC emphasises reintroducing religious education until tertiary level, while Christian religious education in other countries have not protected these societies from moral decay.”

He says the Bible has been abused for all sorts of crimes against humanity in the name of Christianity.

“Those old enough should remember what values were instilled by the Christian-national education system under apartheid based on the Bible.”

Melber says if human rights are respected, a subject like ethics enshrined in the Constitution would be appropriate in schools.
Political analyst Ben Mulongeni says the party should be inclusive.

“You cannot force people to subscribe to one religion, it is against the Constitution of a secular state that accommodates all political parties and religions.

“That is dictatorship. You who get to enjoy the political freedom to form all these parties should not push the idea of one religion,” he says.

Pastor Lyndon van Wyk of a Khomasdal church says: “Pastoral care and counselling classes would do a better job at deradicalising pupils in understanding their worth while steering them in building their own identity and self-esteem.”

Rui Tyitende says the party should re-evaluate its course on the Namibian Constitution on matters that state Namibia should be neutral on religious issues.

“What if tomorrow there is someone who believes in the devil and wants Satanism to be part of the school curriculum?” he asks.

Political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah says morality should be taught through value-based education.

“This approach ensures that students from various religious backgrounds, as well as those who do not subscribe to any religion, are respected and included,” he says.

Kamwanyah adds that factors such as poverty, inequality and a lack of quality education could be blamed for moral decay.