Religious Education In Maintained Schools

EDM number 225 in 1990-91, proposed by Michael Alison on 12/12/1990.

That this House recalls that agreed syllabuses for religious education in maintained schools must now statutorily reflect the 'mainly Christian' religious traditions in Great Britain, whilst taking account of the other principal religions now represented here; believes that religious education in schools should respect the integrity and identity of each religion studied, and should promote respect, understanding, and tolerance for those adhering to different faiths; further believes that thematic teaching approaches which blur the distinctions between religions tend to undermine their coherence and should be avoided; recognises that for good educational reasons only two, or at the very most three, religions can be studied in any worthwhile depth within the constraints imposed on religious education by schools' weekly timetables; urges the Secretary of State for Education and Science to monitor, assess, and if necessary, correct local education authorities' syllabuses in this field to ensure the reflection in those syllabuses of these foregoing principles; and further urges the Secretary of State to issue supplementary guidance to local education authorities on the subject.

This motion has been signed by a total of 54 MPs.