Sir, – The new draft primary curriculum represents merely a nudge, rather than a shake-up, to Irish education (“Sex education to be taught at earlier age under new primary school curriculum”, News, February 6th).
It is another missed opportunity to address the dominance of religious patrons in our schools.
The cutting of 30 minutes in the weekly time allocated to so-called “denominational education”, or religious evangelism, is tokenistic. It is likely to be offset by hours of additional “flexible time” each month that schools can use as they see fit. A nominal reduction of six minutes of religious instruction each day will make no practical difference whatsoever to the lived experience of “opted-out” children, who will continue to be forced to twiddle their thumbs at the back of classrooms and churches.
Amendments to relationships and sexuality education are also of questionable benefit, given patrons’ freedom to deliver this subject in line with their ethos. Situations will continue to arise.
Can the Ford Explorer arrive late to the EV party and still impress?
Hugging is good for your health, but most people are terrible at it
Lessons from an Airbnb host: ‘Two sisters insisted we call the Bord Gáis emergency services because the radiator was too hot’
A New York Times book critic spent five days in Dublin. Here’s how he got on
Faith formation, religious worship, and sacramental preparation do not belong in the classroom. It leads to discrimination and exclusion for children and teachers alike. This simple truth has clearly eluded the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), which has chosen to subject further generations of Irish schoolchildren and teaching staff to an education system that rides roughshod over their human and constitutional rights.
Cosmetic efforts at inclusion in our schools are not enough – we need to finally grasp the nettle of church control. Until we do, a growing cohort of our citizens will continue to be stung. – Yours, etc,
DAVID GRAHAM,
Communications Officer,
Education Equality,
Malahide,
Co Dublin.