First it was the school pledge, then Education Minister Naledi Pandor drew fire for introducing a Bill of Responsibilities.
The Bill was drawn up by the national education department in collaboration with the National Religious Leaders’ Forum (NRLF), which represents a broad spectrum of religious faiths in the country.
Speaking on behalf of NRLF at the launch of the document last month, Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein said the Bill aims to nurture a culture of responsibility among schoolchildren.
“We want to nurture a culture of giving, care, compassion, duty and responsibility in our youths. This Bill complements a culture of human rights, which is part of our Constitution. What we have done is reformulated these rights into a vocabulary of responsibilities,” said Goldstein.
Pandor says the Bill will soon be sent to schools and her department will develop teacher guides. But the Bill might be withdrawn if there are fundamental objections to it.
She does not anticipate serious objections that might lead to its withdrawal because it amplifies the voices calling for a concrete manifestation of values enshrined in the country’s Constitution. She says that the rights citizens enjoy must be accompanied by “concomitant” responsibilities.
The Bill will be sent to schools in poster format that can be put up in classrooms and will be taught as part of life orientation. Life orientation is one of the compulsory subjects that learners have to pass to matriculate, underlining the significance the department attaches to the Bill.
“We have written it focusing on practical ways in which it can be implemented and we hope it will not just be a document on the wall,” Goldstein said. He said teachers should be creative and ensure the content is accompanied by relevant and practical classroom activities so that learners can absorb the message easily.
Goldstein highlighted the distinction between the Bill of Responsibilities and the Bill of Rights. He said the Bill of Responsibilities is not a legal document but a tool to “inspire individuals (youth) to take responsibility for their actions”.
One responsibility reads: “The right to education places on me the responsibility to:
Attend school regularly, to learn and work hard;
Cooperate respectfully with teachers and fellow learners; and
Adhere to the rules and code of conduct of the school.â€
Mark Potterton, director of the Catholic Institute of Education, pledged support for the initiative. His institute will promote the Bill at all its schools and also ensure educators teach learners about the constitutional values reflected in the ethos and tradition of Catholic schools.