Why religious group denies children formal education
The home of one of the members of the Enjiri ya Yesu religious group. The group does not have specific church
premises and simply meet in the homes of particular members. photo/Dan Wandera
What you need to know:
The Enjiri ya Yesu believe that formal education is evil
Hundreds of children in various districts in the Greater Luweero, whose parents subscribe to the Enjire ya Yesu, a religious group, have not been getting formal education.
The Christianity-based group, whose name loosely translates to the Gospel of Jesus, believes that formal education is evil.
The members of the group, which authorities in the different districts describe as a cult, say they have resorted to homeschooling the children.
“For more than 10 years, our children do not go to government schools because we have our own curriculum. The reasons are clear and known to many government officials,” Mr Gideon Ssembajwe, a member of the group, says.
He adds: “The possible exposure of our children to satanic numbers through the compulsory registration at all levels partly informs our decisions.”
In some districts like Luweero, Nakaseke, Nakasongola and Kayunga, members have set up learning centres where children are taught primary-level education. However, this only goes as far as Primary Six after which the children join institutions teaching vocational studies.
“We have our own teachers to conduct lessons using the teaching material available in bookshops, but they undergo scrutiny before they are handed over to the children,” Mr Ssembajwe says.
He adds: “We are opposed to the sexual education teaching that the government rolled out in schools and our children are only safe at our own established learning facilities.”
It is estimated that about 500 primary school-age children in Kamira Sub-county, Luweero District are enrolled in this programme.
Mr Ronald Sunday, a resident of Nakasejere Village in Luweero District and a member of the group, says the learning centres are set up in the homes of particular group members.
“Our children do not sit for Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) but are helped to join vocational studies. We group the teaching levels up to the vocational studies stage. We foresaw the risks that our children were likely to be subjected to and opted for homeschooling,” the father of six says.
He adds that the children can only be protected from the satanic programmes and teaching by people that know the “true Bible teaching”.
In developed countries where homeschooling started in the 1970s, families choose this type of education for different reasons including dissatisfaction with the educational options available, different religious or educational philosophies, and the belief that children are not progressing within the traditional school structure.
“When the children turn 18, we leave them to make independent decisions. They can decide to remain with the truth or choose the worldly way of life,” Mr Sunday adds.
Asked about the likely negative impact that lies ahead as a result of failure to attain a PLE certificate, among others, Mr Sunday says the Bible cannot be bent to suit the government programmes.
“This is not our own teaching but God has warned the world about the end times through His word and teachings linked to Biblical verses in the book of Revelations,” he says.
Mr Ronald Mulumba, the Nakasejere Village chairperson, says more than 20 households in the village subscribe to the group.
“I cannot estimate the number of children denied formal education, but they are many. We have on several occasions tried to engage the cult members to respond to some of the government programmes in vain. They quote the Bible and are very defensive about their way of life,” Mr Mulumba says.
Mr Daniel Kyaterekera, the Luweero District secretary for education, says: “We have always sensitised residents in Kamira Sub-county about the dangers of not taking children to school. The cult members are very defiant and hide their children when we conduct operations. The education guidelines have no provision for non-approved primary education curriculum.”
Mr Sam Kigula, the Nakasongola District chairperson, adds: “The cult resists health programmes including the immunisation of children. It is unfortunate that they are indoctrinating children instead of allowing them to join the public schools,” he says.
Mr Livingstone Kategaya, a former chairperson for Kamira Sub-county in Luweero District says: “We tried to raid their hideout during the district-led operations to have children immunised, but they escaped to the neighbouring districts.”
Dr Fredrick Ssempala, an education expert and senior lecturer at Kabale University, says it is surprising that members of a particular community are allowed to hoodwink the public by pretending to offer an alternative education system not approved by the government.
“What the cult is doing is simply indoctrination and not education. Authorities should quickly investigate and ensure that the affected children get their respective right to education,” Dr Ssempala says.
“True education should provide enough skills including critical thinking,” he adds.
But Mr Samuel Sserwaniko, a member of Enjiri ya Yesu, says that their efforts to follow Bible teachings have always been misinterpreted.
“I know that even your interview with us will bring us problems. We have been jailed and witch-hunted by authorities because many do not understand the truth. We are not only in Luweero, but a countrywide group with many followers,” he reveals.
Education ministry responds
Ms Frances Atima, the director of education standards at the Ministry of Education, says the government cannot allow such a programme where self-seeking individuals take advantage of children to deny them the basic right to education.
“We need a big follow-up and investigation on what exactly those people do. It is possible that the cult is denying many children the opportunity to progress to secondary school since the children do not sit for PLE. We also need to investigate which type of vocational schools the children allegedly go to,” she says.
About Enjiri Ya Yesu
It is not clear when the group started but authorities in the districts of Luweero, Nakaseke and Nakasongola say it is not new.
The group also lacks a clear leadership hierarchy and followers simply meet and agree on whatever they want to do. Members say they assign particular responsibilities when necessary.
They also do not have particular church premises and simply gather at homesteads for prayers.
Followers are barred from using mobile phones because they believe the country code +256 is dangerous.
They are also against the immunisation of children, among other restrictions.
Several districts in Greater Luweero have banned the group due to its beliefs
