O level Notes : FRS - Religion, Family and Identity - Family, national values and good citizenship

FAMILY, NATIONALVALUES AND GOOD CITIZENSHIP

Family and national values

The family is the first home and the mother is the first and most important teacher of the child. From the mother, he or she would learn values of life like truthfulness, honesty, love, respect for elders and selfless service.

The family being the first and major agency of socialization has great influence and bearing on value inculcations. It is the home which sets the pattern for the child's attitude towards people and society, aids intellectual growth in the child and supports his aspirations and good values. Some of the values and methods help in bringing up children in a harmonious environment. It is at home where kids are praised and encouraged to explore and parents set realistic goals for them which are obviously in tandem with the national values.

At family level, that is where kids are showed and taught respect for human beings. In doing all this, parents are promoting national values in their kids. Parents should never indulge themselves in dishonest things. It is what the children learn at home that they practice later on. At home, it is the parents' responsibilities to help their children to distinguish between good and bad behaviour. It is the family which inculcates values through its various tools and teaches children about social values. The role of the family is very important for the social development of the child. Individuals who get more opportunities to take  up  social  roles  and  responsibilities  are  better  equipped  to  take  moral decisions in their life.

The significance of religion in promoting national values and good citizenship

A nation that dreams greatness needs to invest in the strategic inculcation of national values. The Constitution of Zimbabwe provides a list of our national values, the ideals that we stand for and which government and citizens have a duty to embrace and promote. It reiterates our republicanism, which vests sovereignty in the people with the right to participate in government and the duty to discharge the responsibilities that correlate with rights. Religion affirms peace, progress and unity as national ideals worth living for and if necessary worth dying for. Religion rejects corrupt practices and collectively resolves to abolish them from the nation. The role of religion is to assure maximum security and welfare, freedom and happiness for every citizen on the basis of social justice. The view that national wealth will serve the common good and not just a chosen few is decided by religion. Our major religions preach love, peace, unity, respect, hard work and they assist in inculcating national values. Religion, through different denominations ensures that discipline, integrity, dignity, social justice, religious tolerance and patriotism prevail.

Schools also engage in inculcating national values through the teaching of family and religious studies in both primary and secondary schools. Public and private schools are also best suited with appropriate curriculum development in religious studies to the extent that these subjects teach positive values. They are helpful in the dissemination of national values and are seen as academic subjects focused on instructing students on the tenets, beliefs and history of each of the faiths. As such, there are areas of agreement and areas of conflict between them.

Religious Education in schools contributes not only to the personal reflection and development of young people, but also heightens respect for the beliefs of the other and help build a diverse but cohesive society. To neglect Religious Education is to neglect the future. Religion contributes significantly, indeed uniquely, to the education of the whole person. Religion creates a safe space to test one's own identity, and reflect with others in a respectful manner on the search for meaning and values.