Historical Context of Religious Conflict and Religious Education Curriculum

Type Journal Article - Alternation Special Edition
Title Historical Context of Religious Conflict and Religious Education Curriculum
Author(s)
Volume 3
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2009
Page numbers 55-67
URL http://alternation.ukzn.ac.za/Files/docs/Alternation 16.3 (2009).pdf#page=59
Abstract
The main intention of this paper is to examine the multi-religious nature of Ugandan society, the un-healthy relationship between members of the different religions, the limitations of the current religious education curriculum to promote unity and harmony, Uganda’s cherished educational and political goal and finally the requisite need for curriculum review. The paper begins by tracing the failure to have a multi-religious ‘conscious’ Religious Education curriculum to the historical-political and religious conflicts that gave birth to a denominational and ‘divisive’ educational system. The paper probes the religious landscape of Uganda and identifies and discusses key theoretical concepts that underpin the religious education debate in Uganda. Through this exploration, it will be established that Uganda is a multi-religious country that is dogged by religious discrimination and intolerance. Against this background, a critique of promoting a confessional CRE and IRE curriculum in religiously founded public schools will be given by illustrating the limitation of CRE and IRE text-books in promoting unity and harmony. Finally the paper will recommend that curriculum review is the way to go and the main objective of such curriculum should be to promote respect and tolerance and/ or understanding of other people’s religious traditions.

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