AQW 8825/16-21

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 08/12/2016
Answered On Date: 21/12/2016
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education what plans he has to revise the core syllabus for religious education to include non-religious worldviews.

Answer:

I currently have no plans to revise the Religious Education (RE) core syllabus.

The RE core syllabus aims to reflect the changing world and enables Key Stage 2 pupils to become aware of and have respect for differing cultures and faiths, as well as providing for Key Stage 3 pupils to study two world religions. The core syllabus outlines the minimum content only, and teachers have the flexibility to cover additional topics in order to best meet the needs of their pupils.

Parents have the right to withdraw their child from all or part of RE on the grounds of conscience and teachers also have the right to be excused from teaching all or part of RE.A