International Journal of Law, Humanities & Social Science Volume 1, Issue 6 (October 2017), P.P. 1-4 ISSN (ONLINE):2521-0793; ISSN (PRINT):2521-0785 www.ijlhss.com 1 | Page Transitioning from a Religious to a Secular State: The teaching of Religious and Moral Education in Namibian schools Ananias Iita 1 , Suama P. Nantanga 2 , Eveline O. Anyolo 3 (Department of Education in Languages, Humanities and Commerce, University of Namibia, Namibia) 1,2,3 Abstract: This paper discusses the importance of teaching Religious and Moral Education (RME) in the Namibia education system while honoring the Namibia Constitution. RME introduces learners to different religious beliefs and traditions, as well as to the moral values of those religions. It provides opportunities for learners to become aware of their own responses to the current moral, social and religious issues, as well as to reflect on their own beliefs and moral values. At the same time, RME challenges learners and helps them to be more receptive to other religions and to culturally diverse societies (Iita, 2012), as provided by the Namibian democratic Constitution. This position paper reviews literature on the importance of teaching RME in Namibia schools while taking into consideration the Namibia Constitution which allows the teaching of different religions in school. The authors of this paper believe that RME sets high moral standards and values and encourages a society where learners’ lived experiences must be measured against commonly accepted religious norms and values. Knowledge gained from studying RME enables learners to view issues in different ways. Since this is a position paper, findings might not represent the feelings of all the Namibian people about the teaching of RME in Namibian schools. However, as people have different views regarding the teaching of RME in schools, this study will contribute toward people understands of other religions, to accept and to tolerate religious diversity. Keywords - Religious and Moral Education (RME), Curriculum, Constitution, Morality Research Area: Social Science Paper Type: Literature Review 1. INTRODUCTION The introduction of RME into the Namibian school curriculum after Namibia’s independence in 1990 has become a topic of great debate in Namibia society. Over the past 25 years, some members of society feel that there was no need for the introduction of RME in the Namibian curriculum. However, Article 1.1 of the Namibian Constitution stated that: “The Republic of Namibia is hereby established as a sovereign, secular, and unitary State” (p. 2), not connected with spiritual or religious matters. Further, Fundamental freedoms, under Article 21, stated that all persons shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and beliefs. Thus, the Constitution safeguards the rights of individuals and their respective religions (Constitution of The Republic of Namibia, 1989). With the new Constitution, the state adopted a policy of teaching a multi-cultural religious and moral education (Lubbe, 1997, p. 17; Constitution of The Republic of Namibia, 1989), and with this Constitution, the teaching of RME was introduced, replacing Biblical Studies in the Namibian curriculum. Teachers are now required to teach and make their learners aware of multiple religious faiths and moral values of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, African traditional religions, Bahai and others (Schultz, 2001, p. 4).