Localised religious teaching policies urged

Post-primary schools are being urged by the Catholic Church to draw up localised policies on the teaching of religious education.

In an advisory document published yesterday, the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference recommended that policies be developed covering a wide range of issues - from the display of Christian symbols in schools to the provision of alternatives for "values-based education" to pupils opting out of religious education classes.

Ms Linda Quigley, director of the National Catechetical Office for the Church hierarchy, said developing and implementing such policies "will lead to a greater degree of clarity in respect of the aims, procedures, expectations and roles of religious education".

The bishops' guidelines, Towards a Policy on Religious Education in Post-Primary Schools, restate the Church demand that R.E. should be allocated a minimum of two hours a week in non-examination classes. They ask how parents and parish clergy can become involved in school R.E. programmes.

The guidelines coincide with a call this week by the Coadjutor Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, for "new forms of co-operation between family, Church and school". In a lecture at All Hallows College, Dublin, he said teachers were "a fantastic resource" in religious education.