POLITICS OF ETHICS AND VALUE EDUCATION RE-ENGINEERING IN SCHOOLS

Abstract

The re-engineering of ethics and value education in schools represents a complex nexus where moral instruction intersects with power dynamics, ideological contestation, and institutional transformation within educational contexts. This paper examines the inherently political nature of moral education reform, acknowledging that such processes involve systematic restructuring of how ethical principles and values are conceptualised, delivered, and embedded within school systems. The research reveals that schools function as sites of ideological negotiation where diverse stakeholders, policymakers, educators, parents, religious leaders, and community representatives compete to influence curriculum content, teaching methodologies, and moral frameworks, receiving institutional legitimacy. Four primary challenges emerge from this political landscape: resource constraints and funding limitations that force difficult prioritisation decisions; ideological conflicts and cultural tensions among diverse stakeholder groups with varying perspectives on appropriate moral instruction; institutional resistance and change management obstacles from established educational practices and entrenched cultures; and assessment and evaluation difficulties inherent in measuring subjective moral development and character formation. The paper proposes strategic solutions, including community partnerships for sustainable funding, inclusive dialogue platforms for culturally sensitive curriculum design, gradual pilot programmes to overcome resistance, and innovative portfolio-based assessment systems.