The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) is officially a secular state with no state religion. The FDRE Constitution, under Article 27(4), affirms the right of parents and legal guardians to bring up their children ensuring their religious and moral education in conformity with their convictions. However, the Constitution, under article 90, requires that education be provided in a manner that is free from any religious influence.  Religious instruction is therefore not part of the formal curriculum in public education, although faith-based schools and separate religious education provided by religious institutions are permitted.  As such, the establishment of a separate category of religious schools under the auspices of churches and mosques are allowed.

The Education Sector Development Plan VI (ESDP-VI) incorporated the principle of Unity in Diversity as the main value to be promoted in the education policy. In this regard, schools need to be safe environments to learning and to strengthen students’ positive values to foster inclusion and representation and to embrace pluralism, appreciating the similarities and differences between ethnicities, religions, and cultures. Hence, religious views of learners and their parents are respected in the education system. Therefore, the national policy and legal framework regarding religious education of children thus is equally applicable to refugees.