Uprooting religious bigotry in Indonesian schools
Ending intolerance in education can only be truly achieved by stamping out such ills in society as a whole
Indonesian high school students attend a class at a state senior high school in Jakarta. (Photo: AFP)
Indonesia’s constitutions have laid the foundation for education to give citizens not only civic knowledge but also instill in them mutual respect and the need for cooperation and participation in community life.
Official religions, including Catholicism, also impart values through academic institutions. However, trouble comes when religious conservatism is allowed to shape the educational system.
Though intolerance in schools is not uniquely an Indonesian phenomenon, it is dangerous here as it breeds disrespect, discrimination and violence, endangering a secular and democratic society.