MEMBER for Murray Plains Peter Walsh has labelled a move to scrap religious education from Victorian public schools as “disappointing”.
On Friday, the Andrews Government announced Special Religious Instruction (SRI) would be removed from the school curricula to make way for further social education in world histories, cultures, different faiths and ethics.
As of next year the weekly 30 minute program will be moved to lunchtime and before and after school to ensure teachers and students are focused on the core curriculum, and will now operate on an ‘opt in’ basis, rather than the previous ‘opt out’ model.
It’s a move that has been met with fierce opposition by chaplaincy organisations but welcomed by supporters of secular public education.
Mr Walsh said it was disappointing that there was no consultation with school communities before the announcement.
“I would hope that the individual schools, and the principals and the school councils, can work with the communities that want SRI delivered, so their students will have those opportunities,” he said.
For more on this story pick up a copy of today’s (Monday’s) The Guardian…
