For decades, education in public schools was controlled by Christian National Education (CNE) — an apartheid-era ideology that placed Christianity at the centre of learning.
It aimed to promote a worldview rooted in religious principles and national identity through the teachings of Christian values and Afrikaner nationalism.
For learners from other religious and cultural backgrounds, this system felt exclusionary, rigid and alienating.
The education system evolved after the first democratic elections in 1994 and many public schools have endeavoured to create an inclusive environment. But the effects of CNE’s ideologies linger.
Learners may enter culturally diverse classrooms, but questions remain about how inclusive these spaces truly are, and whether religion should have a place in secular education at all.
The end of apartheid prompted a need for reform, and the entire educational framework was reconceptualised to align with the values of the Constitution — equality, freedom and diversity.
Public schools are led by that framework, prioritising secularism in education. This differs from what is expected at independent religious schools, where religion is taught openly and is central to the institution’s identity.
Section 15(2) of the Constitution provides that religious observances may be conducted at state or state-aided institutions if they follow the rules made by the appropriate public authorities, are conducted on an equitable basis and their attendance is voluntary.
But such was the ubiquity of Christian National Education that its influence has persisted in practice. Many teachers who were trained under the CNE system continued to teach according to its values, and some schools resumed Christian prayers and traditions.
In an interview with educator Annelie du Toit*, she reflected on her years spent at a public primary school in Johannesburg during the mid-1990s.
Annelie explained that, along with Bible lessons and mandatory hymn-singing, she was exposed to fear, moral panic and misinformation: “At that point, [it] was kind of towards the tail-end of the whole Satanic panic thing.”
This was a time when sensationalised fears about satanic cults, youth rebellion and the occult resulted in widespread paranoia, triggered by the uncertainty of navigating a more secular, open society during the decline of apartheid.
“There used to be a shop down the road from the school, and they didn’t want us to go there. My mom later told me it was because they sold porn magazines, but they used to tell us it was run by satanists, and that they put LSD in the bubble gum.”
In addition, it was common for teachers to instil fear and hostility toward non-Christian beliefs. She said: “It was also quite disrespectful sometimes, like there was a teacher who told kids that Buddha was a big, fat, smiling idiot.”
Now working as a teacher at a public high school in Johannesburg, Annelie said religious inclusivity has improved since she was a learner, but things are not ideal. It is still common for some teachers to assume that the moral frameworks of Christianity apply to everyone else.
“I don’t think [religion] belongs in a public school at all.”
She believes it is important to be accepting of people who are religious, but in an official capacity, religion has no place.
Before assembly, the principal reads a prayer to the school. It is not drawn from a specific religious scripture, and the prayer is delivered with the assumption that learners will interpret it based on their own faith or belief system.
Annelie said she does not find the prayers offensive but would prefer if they were eliminated from assembly proceedings.
“I think even that form of prayer is from a Christian framework. There are a lot of Muslim girls in the school now, and the way that you pray in Islam is completely different. I can imagine that it is kind of alienating.”
She suggested that schools could promote inclusivity by giving learners the opportunity to talk about their beliefs through presentations or speeches. This would enable learners to understand different religions without feeling compelled to participate in religious practices or ceremonies.
“Kids today are a lot more assertive with saying when they think something’s not right,” Annelie said.
In the past, most children and teenagers were reluctant to speak up against injustice or inequality. “You had no leg to stand on, you just had to deal with it.”
Annelie’s recollection of being exposed to traditional Christian practices in primary school is an experience shared by many, including recent matriculants who attended a public primary school more than two decades after the implementation of the Constitution.
University students Tinyiko Mlaba and Tsepang Pesa recall being required to recite the Lord’s Prayer, a foundational Christian prayer, before assemblies at their respective primary schools.
Tsepang, who matriculated in 2022, added: “In primary school, we did have little assemblies [where] we would have to practise hymns and sing.”
It was also compulsory for learners to audition for the annual Christmas carols.
Tsepang said her primary school was not inclusive of other religious beliefs. Although she did not realise it at the time, her primary school’s practices were centred on the Christian faith, excluding people of other religions or those who had no belief system.
While Annelie offered a critical view of religion in schools, another teacher at the same school provided a more reflective opinion. Throughout the interview, Sarah Thompson* emphasised her belief that religion can provide learners with a sense of community and purpose.
Asked how her workplace approaches religion in its policies and practices, Sarah said: “I think they stick to the GDE [Gauteng department of education] brief, that you’re supposed to be fairly neutral.”
The only religious practice present is beginning assemblies with a general prayer. “When the headmistress speaks in assembly and when she opens with a prayer, they just assume that everybody believes in God. There is that assumption.”
Despite this, the staff members are not all religious, and Sarah does not believe a single religion is forced upon anyone at the school, or that they will be discriminated against for not having a religious affiliation.
The school has not always been inclusive of other cultures and faiths, but noticeable progress has been made, she said. This improvement is driven by a growing awareness of the need to adapt and be more sensitive about cultural practices. The student body is diverse, consisting of learners from a range of religious and cultural backgrounds. The learners are encouraged to express their religious views if they choose to, and discussions about holidays such as Diwali have been incorporated into past assemblies.
If learners wish to wear religious symbols or observe religious holidays such as Eid, they are required to submit a letter from a parent or guardian. These requests are typically granted, allowing learners to wear items of religious significance or take time off from school.
There has been ongoing debate about whether South Africa’s current holiday system is inclusive, because it reflects Christian observances only. Stemming from the country’s colonial and apartheid-era past, these holidays remain because most of the population identifies as Christian.
“I think it’s embedded in the way our society operates, and I think that people know that they’ve got Christmas and Easter as the times when they can go home to their families.”
Sarah is suggesting that although these holidays are derived from Christianity, they are breaks for those of other faiths and the non-religious.
“I think the role of school is to be as neutral as possible,” she said.
“The religion comes from [learner’s] homes, and you should support that, and you mustn’t undermine that. I don’t feel like I should undermine their community structures and their beliefs.”
In South Africa, 85% of the population is Christian. This is followed by traditional African belief systems (8%) and the remaining 7% are Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Buddhists and people with no affiliation to any religion. The country’s diverse religious affiliations are acknowledged in the National Policy on Religion and Education.
Here, it is stated that religion can play a significant role in preserving the country’s heritage, respecting diversity and building a future based on progressive values.
For this to be achieved, public institutions have a responsibility to teach about religions in ways that reflect an appreciation of the spiritual, non-material aspects of life. This education should differ from the religious education, religious instruction or religious nurture provided by the home, family or religious community.
School policies have progressed far beyond what was expected years ago, and numerous schools now aim to create inclusive spaces to honour the country’s religious and cultural make-up.
Some argue that religion has no place in secular institutions, but for many learners, faith is woven into their identities. It forms an integral part of their daily lives and inevitably finds its way into their school environment.
The ongoing challenge is creating an environment that welcomes all. The goal should extend beyond simply accommodating diversity. Schools should embrace and celebrate it. In doing so, South Africa’s diversity will not be a point of division, but rather a source of unity and shared identity.
* Names are pseudonyms.
Eva Haahjem-Gill is a media studies student who is interested in telling stories that reflect the diverse realities of South Africans.
