AQW 36478/22-27

Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 28/11/2025
Answered On Date: 19/12/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to detail how he will establish which persons should have a role in drafting any revised syllabus for Religious Education, as per Article 11(2)(a) of the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2006.

Answer:

In taking forward any revisions to the Religious Education syllabus, I will ensure that the process reflects the requirements of the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2006. The order states that the syllabus should be prepared by “a group of persons appearing to the Department to be people who have an interest in the teaching of religious education in grant-aided schools.”

I will set out the process for reforming the Religious Education syllabus in due course.