For decades there have been a few subjects that have struggled to maintain their place in the curriculum of schools and the teachers’ colleges in Jamaica.

Following the utterances of former Education Minister Ronald Thwaites in 2013-2014 that the Government was unable to employ graduates in that year, specific subjects which had an oversupply of teachers were named, these included religious education (RE), social studies, history, and geography. Consequently, students in teachers’ colleges were encouraged to pursue other disciplines, such as social work.

This unfortunate piece of advice had implications on two levels. It plunged the intake at the teachers’ colleges, and it cast a shadow on the subjects mentioned as unattractive and unviable.

I am one such teacher affected as I am a trained RE specialist; however, I am no longer teaching the subject due to the decline in intake of applicants at the college level. Consequently, I was redeployed to serve in other areas. The change from teaching RE has been very heartbreaking for me as it is a subject that I am passionate about. Additionally, I see the need for its inclusion in the curriculum to teach wholesome values and attitudes and to aid in students’ awareness of existing religions and how they have impacted our culture and lifestyles.

Dr Garth Anderson declared that, “Religious education is dead,” when he addressed teacher educators at their annual professional development seminar in August 2022. How did we get here? What are we doing to address this issue?

There was an oversupply of RE teachers prior to 2013, in that we had student teachers leaving college and, for over five years, were unsuccessful in acquiring jobs. There was a graduate who was employed in August 2022 in an RE post for the first time, despite having graduated in 2017. However, we now have a drastic turn of the tables, whereby we now have RE posts not being filled in many schools. I got a call as recently as October 18 from a teacher who resigned and was seeking a replacement RE teacher. Obviously these teachers are now scarce and there is an urgent need to fill this demand.

Though there has been a massive decline among the history, social studies, and geography applicants, unlike RE, there has not been a halt of those programmes. I, therefore, call on the MOEY, the JBTE, and the TCJ to critically examine this issue, as it is of grave concern. We need to start training RE teachers once again. We may need to offer the subject as a minor at the teachers’ college level to aid in the deficit which now exists with the potential of it getting worse, even in the short term. If we do not act now, the subject will likely become extinct in the high schools that offer it currently.

Long gone are the days when RE was only Bible knowledge. For decades the subject has struggled to maintain its place in the curriculum as it has an unfortunate history of seeking to indoctrinate, especially in the days of slavery when religious knowledge was introduced to keep the slaves in line.

The days following the abolition of slavery saw the subject primarily focused on Bible knowledge and inculcating Christian values. Many felt there needed to be a more inclusive approach to the teaching of the subject, given that we aim to develop the ideal Caribbean person, and there are other religious groups with which Caribbean students will meet and interact. This led to the inclusion of the four major religions and selected indigenous religions at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) level. Considering this, RE moved beyond teaching solely Bible knowledge to adopting a more phenomenological approach, which is more inclusive and objective. Notwithstanding, some people still believe that RE is simply Christian education.

While RE seeks to foster an understanding of and develop an appreciation for various religious beliefs, it also aids in cultivating positive morals and values in students. One of the main challenges we have in our Jamaican schools today is violence. I want to propose that teaching RE within our schools will aid in combating this challenge as it seeks to help students in clarifying their own belief systems, dealing with issues, and resolving conflicts. The content helps students to grapple with real-life issues, such as crime and violence, poverty, abortion, and it brings to the fore how religious groups deal with these issues, which students may apply to their lives. The content taught in RE will help in building strong moral codes and engendering positive values among students.

Additionally, RE will help children to become less self-serving and more selfless, develop a moral code which guides them to conduct themselves in a principled way, and stand for what is right, noble, and just. It aids in developing positive skills in students, such as problem solving, critical thinking, tolerance, and empathy. In Hinduism, for example, the principle of non-violence posited by Indian spiritual and political leader Mahatma Gandhi is taught. This principle exposes students to a new way of thinking. Not all may accept, but with discussion they may see merit in it. It also teaches students the importance of being sensitive to others’ feelings and treating others as they would want to be treated. In addition, it helps in developing good character as it examines the qualities and contribution of positive role models from various religions and appeals to students to find and emulate the positive attributes of notable people who contribute meaningfully to society.

Furthermore, RE will aid in changing students’ mindset as many have cultivated distorted values. What values do we need our children to adopt as a nation which will take us out of this moral rut? When did we get to a place where our children see right as wrong and wrong as right? The nation is in a crisis, and we need concerted, collaborative efforts to combat this moral decay. Students are killing each other while some stand aside and watch, others prod it on, while some record the happenings for social media. What has happened to the nation’s children? For the past few weeks the news has been laced with violent acts in schools. The situation has got “worsa”.

I want to propose that the effective teaching of RE is one way we can combat this issue of moral degradation. If we allow RE to die, we deny students an avenue through which they can explore ethical principles and grapple with ultimate questions and issues within society to form their own ethical code. We need to conquer this beast because, if we do not, the Jamaica of tomorrow will be a more bitter place.

By no means am I saying that the teaching of RE alone will stop all our ills within the schools. Certainly, there is the need for peace initiatives as well; for example, some years ago there was the Peace and Love in Schools (PALS) programme, which was tremendously useful in teaching students how to resolve conflicts.

The level of violence being propagated in our schools is very concerning. Schooling must offer students an alternative. The subjects we teach must be applicable to life and the activities they engage in must challenge them to think and make rational decisions. Consider social studies, for example, it aids in developing students’ social skills and brings to the fore the functions of the family, groups and communities, and the need to live harmoniously. It has a place in the curriculum. A subject of this nature helps students to develop a sense of community and calls on them to be active, noble citizens who contribute positively to the society.

We may need to adjust the way in which we teach RE, geography, and social studies, and that would need to be considered, considering our present reality. It is not just about imparting knowledge, it is also about inculcating the values and morals necessary for harmonious living. Placing emphasis on the affective domain in teaching lessons across the curriculum will also yield fruit in appealing to the conscience. This will require students to make application to their lives and will slowly transform their thinking, actions, and lifestyles.

Nattalie McKenzie is a senior lecturer at Shortwood Teachers’ College and a PhD candidate in educational leadership and management, University of Technology, Jamaica. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or nattsmckenzie@yahoo.com.