opinion paper on religion and life skills

1. Religious Education and Life Skills in Zambia
By
Owen Mulima
Owen Mulima is a lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies Education of the School of
Humanities and Social Sciences at Kwame Nkrumah University (KNU). He holds a Cert in The
Fundamentals of Digital Marketing from The Open University, India, Cert Social Work, Dip Ed, BA
Ed, and M Ed(Rel. Studies & Education) from the University of Zambia (UNZA). He teaches
Religious Studies Education and Religious Education Teaching Methods and has published scholarly
articles in the two areas. His email addresses are: mulimaowen@gmail.com/
owen.mulima@nkrumah.edu.zm
Abstract
This paper critically reviews the integration of Religious Education (RE)
and Life Skills Education (LSE) in Zambia's education system. While RE
aims to nurture the spiritual and moral dimensions of learners, LSE seeks
to equip learners with the necessary skills to navigate life's challenges. By
integrating these two subjects, learners can develop a holistic
understanding of themselves, their relationships, and their place in the
world. The paper argues that the integration of RE and LSE is essential in
Zambia's education system as it promotes learners' overall development,
fosters their positive values, and enables them to become responsible
citizens.
Keywords: Life Skills, Religious Education, Learners, Integration, Challenges,
positive values
Introduction
The ever-increasing social changes and complexities and the expansion of social relations
make it necessary to prepare people to face difficult situations. To prevent psychological
diseases and social dysfunctions, psychologists have engaged in life skills training throughout
the world and in school. Life skills are the capabilities that pave the way for positive and
useful behavior, and these capabilities enable the person to assume his/her social
responsibilities and cope with daily problems and interpersonal relations without hurting
himself/herself and others, (Karimzadeh et al., 2009).
In Zambia, Religious Education (RE) is a compulsory subject in the primary and secondary
education system. It aims to develop learners' spiritual and moral dimensions by teaching
them about various religious traditions, ethical values, and beliefs. On the other hand, Life
Skills Education (LSE) seeks to equip learners with the necessary skills to navigate life's

2. challenges, including decision-making, problem-solving, communication, and interpersonal
relationships.
Despite their different goals, RE and LSE can complement each other and contribute to
learners' overall development. The integration of RE and LSE is, therefore, a crucial aspect of
Zambia's education system. This paper aims to discuss the integration of RE and LSE in
Zambia and discuss its potential benefits.
Benefits of integrating RE and LSE
The critical need everywhere in the world is for education to prepare students to lead
successful, fulfilling lives. In today’s world, this means providing them with relevant
educational experiences that nurture their passions, problem-solving abilities, and
higher-level thinking skills, including critical thinking and creativity. The best
solutions involve teachers, students, schools, and whole communities, (The Harmony
Journey, 2023).
Integrating RE and LSE can promote learners' overall development by providing them with a
comprehensive understanding of themselves, their relationships, and their place in the world.
RE can help learners to develop positive values, such as respect for diversity, empathy, and
compassion. LSE can provide learners with the necessary skills to apply these values in their
daily lives, such as decision-making and problem-solving.
The integration of RE and LSE can also help learners to become responsible citizens by
fostering critical thinking, social responsibility, and civic engagement. Learners can develop
a sense of social justice and understand their role in promoting peace, unity, and harmony in
society.
Furthermore, the integration of RE and LSE can help learners to navigate life's challenges by
equipping them with coping strategies, resilience, and positive attitudes. Learners can
develop the skills to manage stress, deal with peer pressure, and make healthy choices.
In Zambia, the integration of Religious Education and Life Skills Education has been
recognized as a way to promote learners' holistic development. However, there are challenges
in implementing this integration effectively. One of the challenges is the lack of qualified
teachers in RE and LSE, which can affect the quality of education learners receive in these
subjects. Another challenge is the limited resources available to schools, which can impact
the delivery of the curriculum.
To overcome these challenges, there is a need for adequate teacher training and support, as
well as the provision of resources such as textbooks, teaching aids, and facilities. There is
also a need for ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the integration of RE and LSE to ensure
that learners are receiving a high-quality education.
Furthermore, the integration of RE and LSE needs to be culturally sensitive and respectful of
different religious beliefs and practices. Zambia is a multi-religious society, and learners
come from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that

3. the curriculum is inclusive and promotes respect for diversity. Haghighi et al. (2006)
demonstrated that life skills training improves the mental health and self-esteem of female
students. Samari and Lalifaz (2005) demonstrated that life skills training improves the mental
health (family stress and social acceptability) of the participants.
Conclusion
The integration of Religious Education and Life Skills Education is a vital aspect of Zambia's
education system as it promotes learners' overall development, fosters positive values, and
enables them to become responsible citizens. The integration of these subjects can equip
learners with the necessary skills to navigate life's challenges and make positive contributions
to society.
References
Haghighi, J., Mousavi, M., Mehrabzadeh H. M., & Beshkideh, K. (2006). The study of the
impact of life skills training on mental health and self-esteem of female ninth-grade high
school students. Ahvaz Shahid Chamran University Journal of Educational Sciences, 13(1),
61-78.
Hajizadehanari, K., Fard, S. M. H. S. H., Hajizadehanari, H., Yaghoubzadeh, A., Farhadian,
A. & Askari, M. (2013). The Effectiveness of Life Skills Education With Religious Approach
to Safety, Mental Health and Self-Esteem in Elementary School Students . The European
Journal of Social & Behavioural Sciences, Volume 5(Issue 2), 245-
255. https://doi.org/10.15405/ejsbs.67
Karimzadeh, E. (2009). The guide to the instruction of life skills. Tehran, Yadman Honar
Andisheh.
Samari, A. A., & Lalifaz, A. (2005) The study of the effectiveness of life skills training on
family stress and social acceptability. Mental Health Principles Quarterly, 7(25&26), 47 -55.
The Harmony Journey (2023).Health And Education In The Modern World: Education
For Our Times. https://humanjourney.us/health-and-education-in-the-modern-
world/education-in-the-modern-world-solving-for-the-
future/?gclid=CjwKCAjwoIqhBhAGEiwArXT7K_nbID3xPKpZikUxjcTyIZo9LqQvsL
m-yQuaLlvmWg8p-MlAuVNqORoCLzQQAvD_BwE. [Retrieved 30/03/2023].