Education And Conscience In Sierra Leone: A Constitutional Case For Parental Rights In Curriculum Reform

 

By Mahmud Tim Kargbo

In Sierra Leone’s democratic journey, few issues are more central than determining who has the authority to shape the moral development of children through education. Is it the role of parents, or does the state have the right to define moral instruction?

The recent decision in the case of Mahmoud v. Taylor by the Supreme Court of the United States supported the rights of parents to withdraw their children from school programmes that conflict with their religious convictions. Although the ruling took place abroad, its implications speak directly to Sierra Leone’s need to reconcile constitutional freedoms with the state’s education objectives.

In Sierra Leone, this question is not only legal. It is cultural, moral and political. Mishandling it could alienate parents, weaken public confidence and compromise national unity.

The Constitutional Role of the Family

The 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone recognises the family as a foundational unit of society. The preamble affirms the Republic’s commitment to “the recognition of the supreme worth of every person and the family unit as the basis of society”.

(http//www.parliament.gov.sl/Content/Files/SL%20Constitution.pdf).

Article 8 directs the state to promote the moral and spiritual welfare of the community. Section 18(2) goes further by guaranteeing every individual the right to manifest and propagate his or her religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance.

This is highly relevant to education. More than 75 per cent of Sierra Leoneans identify as either Muslim or Christian, according to the 2021 Population and Housing Census Bulletin on Religion (http//www.statistics.sl/images/StatisticsSL/Documents/census/2021/2021_phc_thematic_bulletin_religion.pdf).

If school curricula introduce content that contradicts these beliefs, without parental consultation or consent, then the state risks breaching constitutional protections.

The TRC’s Warning About Education

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which investigated the causes of the civil war, made clear recommendations regarding education. It stated that the curriculum should reflect values such as tolerance, civic engagement and justice, but must not impose a single worldview that alienates religious or cultural communities.

(http//www.sierraleonetrc.org/index.php/view-report-text-vol-3a/item/3-vol-threea?start=258).

The Commission also recommended that curriculum reform be undertaken with broad public consultation and that it should be respectful of national heritage and religious diversity.

(http//www.sierraleonetrc.org/index.php/view-report-text-vol-2/item/vol-two).

These recommendations are based on the painful lessons of conflict and exclusion. Ignoring them would be a serious policy mistake.

Curriculum Reform and Public Concerns

Since 2018, the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) has introduced new curriculum elements through the Free Quality School Education (FQSE) programme (http//www.mbsse.gov.sl/free-quality-school-education-policy). These include lessons on gender equality, sexual health and inclusive education, often guided by international development frameworks.

However, some faith-based organisations have raised concerns. In 2021, the Inter-Religious Council of Sierra Leone released a statement warning that curriculum content on sexuality and gender roles must not contradict the teachings of Christianity and Islam, which are embraced by the majority of Sierra Leoneans (http//web.archive.org/web/20210402010133/http//www.ircsierra.org/news).

Community protests in districts such as Kambia and Moyamba followed NGO-led pilot modules. In these cases, parents stated they had not been informed or given the option to exempt their children from material they found inappropriate. These incidents were documented by the Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law (http//www.carl-sl.org).

Legal Support for Parental Authority

The Child Rights Act of 2007, which is Sierra Leone’s main domestic law on children, defines the best interest of the child to include moral and spiritual welfare in addition to physical and mental health (http//www.sierra-leone.org/Laws/2007-7p.pdf).

This legal definition confirms that the role of the family in moral education is not optional. It is legally protected. Any attempt to override this role through policy or programming would contradict both the letter and the spirit of Sierra Leonean law.

+A Decline in Public Confidence

Although the FQSE programme has improved access to schooling, many parents are choosing to withdraw their children from government schools. A 2023 report by the National Council of Head Teachers found that some families in Kenema, Port Loko and Freetown were enrolling children in faith-based private schools. The main reason given was concern over the content of the curriculum (http//www.efasl.org/2023-education-watch).

This concern is further reflected in national opinion data. A 2022 Afrobarometer survey found that 54 per cent of Sierra Leoneans believed that the government was not listening to the moral or cultural concerns of ordinary citizens in shaping education policy (http//www.afrobarometer.org/publications/ad423-perceptions-of-youth/).

The message is clear. Public trust in curriculum design is weakening, particularly in relation to moral and cultural matters.

Avoiding Future Conflict

In the United States case of Mahmoud v. Taylor, the Supreme Court ruled that state education becomes unconstitutional when it creates a real threat of undermining the religious beliefs of children or forces them to participate in teachings that contradict their family’s values.

Sierra Leone does not have a similar court ruling, but the principle is already reflected in Article 9(c) of the Constitution. This article instructs the state to safeguard public morality but does not authorise it to impose a single moral framework (http//www.parliament.gov.sl/Content/Files/SL%20Constitution.pdf).

If educational reforms are introduced without community dialogue or parental choice, they may unintentionally trigger cultural conflict and legal opposition.

Recommendations

Amend the Education Act to include opt-out clauses for parents on matters of religious or moral sensitivity.

Require the MBSSE to consult Parent-Teacher Associations, local councils and religious bodies before implementing curriculum changes.

Publish all new curriculum materials on the MBSSE website before implementation (http//www.mbsse.gov.sl).

Create an independent Curriculum Ethics Review Panel under the Teaching Service Commission.

Train teachers to present sensitive topics in a way that respects different values and beliefs, avoiding coercion or bias.

The state has an obligation to educate, but it does not have the right to override the conscience of parents. Sierra Leone’s Constitution, its child protection laws and the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission all support the idea that moral education must be rooted in family and community.

As the country continues to improve its education system, policymakers must ensure that changes reflect national values and social realities. Moral education must not become a source of division. Instead, it should be a shared responsibility between state and family, based on mutual trust and constitutional respect.

References

Constitution of Sierra Leone (1991): http//www.parliament.gov.sl/Content/Files/SL%20Constitution.pdf

Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report Vol. 3A, p. 259: http//www.sierraleonetrc.org/index.php/view-report-text-vol-3a/item/3-vol-threea?start=258

TRC Report Vol. 2, p. 245: http//www.sierraleonetrc.org/index.php/view-report-text-vol-2/item/vol-two

Child Rights Act 2007: http//www.sierra-leone.org/Laws/2007-7p.pdf

MBSSE Free Quality School Education Policy: http//www.mbsse.gov.sl/free-quality-school-education-policy

Inter-Religious Council Statement (Archived): http//web.archive.org/web/20210402010133/http//www.ircsierra.org/news

Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law: http//www.carl-sl.org

Education Watch Report – EFA SL: http//www.efasl.org/2023-education-watch

Afrobarometer Round 8 – Sierra Leone: http//www.afrobarometer.org/publications/ad423-perceptions-of-youth/