Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 28-06-2017
The Department of Basic Education has welcomed the judgement handed down in the South Gauteng High Court ruling on religion that public schools can’t promote one religion.
The case was brought by the Organisation for Religious Education and Democracy (OGOD) against Solidarity who represented the six schools in question.
OGOD argued that there’s religious bias in South African public schools while the trade union Solidarity – which represents the six schools the case was brought against – urged that the Constitution allows public schools to identify with one religion and promote it.
Handing down the judgment Judge Van der Linde said: “Religious observances may be conducted at state or state-aided institutions, provided that A) Those observances follow rules made by the appropriate public authorities; B). They are conducted on an equitable basis; and C). Attendance at them is free and voluntary”.
The department says it will study the judgment in detail.
“This ruling is consistent with the department’s own policy informed by South African Schools Act and the Constitution that no one religion should be promoted above another.”
The department has reiterated that the aim of the ruling is not to ban religious practices in schools but about protecting children and emphasizing that schools should engage in religion education rather than religious instruction and not promote one religion over another.
The department has reminded School Governing Bodies to review their rules to ensure that they are in compliance with the legislation.
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