Northern Ireland’s Education Minister has said he’s committed to “ensuring that our Christian ethos in our schools is maintained” after a landmark ruling on Religious Education (RE) by the UK Supreme Court.
Paul Givan also gave assurances that schools were free to plan Nativity plays for the Christmas season as normal, after concerns were raised by teaching professionals following the ruling.
The UK Supreme Court recently ruled that the present RE curriculum and collective worship are illegal since the approach is just not in an “objective, critical and pluralist manner”. Nor is there adequate provision for kids who opt out of RE, the judgment stated.
The ruling gave rise to some concerns that the Christianity would not be the main focus of RE, but talking to the Stormont assembly, Givan said that “historically and today, Christianity is the primary religion in Northern Ireland”.
“Furthermore the court has explained that it’s inside the department’s margin of appreciation in planning and setting the curriculum for the greater part of spiritual education to deal with knowledge of Christianity,” he said.
He also said that the judgment was “complex” and that it was “vital to totally understand the problems before acting”.
Schools across the country – a lot of them Catholic – are waiting for clarification concerning the implications of the ruling, and Givan said that some principals had been in contact with the Education Department to ask for advice about planning nativity plays this Christmas.
“I may give an absolute categoric answer: Nativity plays can proceed to happen inside our schools,” he said.
He said that “comprehensive guidance” for schools on each RE and collective worship could be issued “in the approaching weeks”.
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