Updating religious education

A national conference on the teaching of religion in schools will be held on Thursday, from 6 to 8.30 p.m. at the Phoenicia Hotel, Floriana, to discuss the consultative document Religious Education in Malta, Reflections by the Catholic Community.

The document is available from the archdiocese website: www.maltadiocese.org

Among the various initiatives proposed by the document is the increase in the number of religious education lessons in Church schools, the restructuring of religious counselling and the introduction of religious education support teachers in primary schools.

The conference, organised by the Secretariat for Catechesis, will include an address by the Archbishop's delegate for Catechesis Fr René Camilleri and the presentation of the document. This will be followed by two reaction papers by the dean of the University of Malta's Faculty of Education Dr Valerie Sollars and Pauline Dimech, who participated in a working group of the local synod and is a member Discern's board of directors. This will be followed by an open discussion.

The aim of the conference, which is open to the public, is to get the widest possible feedback on the proposals in order to prepare a national policy for the approval of the Maltese episcopal conference.

The desire to review and strengthen religious education in schools is evident at all Church levels, with the issue cropping up at every diocesan meeting. The need to change the present syllabi and texts, which were designed in the 80s and 90s, reflect changes in society, in the composition and the lives of families. It also reflects the Church's will to be faithful to its evangelising mission.

Changes have also taken place in the teaching profession, especially in the primary sector, leading to a situation whereby the religious education currently taught in schools does not reflect the developments in theories and research in the fields of education and religious education.

The document is the fruit of four years of extensive research and consultation with various individuals, reflection and re-evaluation on religious education in schools by a sub-committee set up by the Secretariat for Catechesis under the chairmanship of Adrian Gellel.

It was prepared by Dr Gellel with the help of Lionel Chircop, Miriam Debono Curmi, the late Mgr George Deguara, Bro. Saviour Gatt, FSC, Fr Emanuel Magro, Emmanuel Micallef, David Polidano, Fr Dominic Scerri OP, Emmanuel Schembri, and Fr Carl-Mario Sultana. Mgr Joseph Pace prepared the chapter on religious counselling.

Dr Gellel said the document presents a definition of religious education that reflects the needs of the Maltese community. He admitted that this was the sub-committee's most laborious task since there is no one agreed upon model in any Western country. The constant and far-reaching changes that are occurring in the relationships between religions, society and the individuals compel the Church and policy makers to continuously re-evaluate religious education so that it meets the needs of both students and society.

The document says that religious education should empower students to live fully and to face the challenges they encounter in their personal and social life. It says religious education should contribute to students' holistic education by helping them to construct their personal identity. It should assist them to be morally and ethically responsible and respectful of others in the community.

It states that Maltese society recognises its duty to educate and form children and adolescents holistically. It is precisely because of this desire that students are also taught in the religious, spiritual and moral dimensions.

The main goal of Catholic religious education is to educate the spiritual and religious dimensions of students, and to encourage the development of a healthy relationship with self, others, creation and God through Christ.

The document says that religious education should be developed according to the language and theory of education and guided by the principles of the Christian message.

If designed and delivered well it may lead students from a non-practising background to start or continue their faith journey and will surely confirm students who have already started this journey.

The document aims to clarify the distinction between religious education and parish catechesis. It proposes to introduce students to the beauty found in other faith traditions. Such understanding is considered to be essential for social harmony.

The document points to the need to shift emphasis from religious knowledge to religious education, and to take students' affective education more seriously.

Even though the line of distinction is a fine one, it is clear that, in today's context, religious education is not catechesis. While catechesis is the maturation of faith, religious education is increasingly a means for the Church to provide a service to and dialogue with society.

The sub-committee found that at present religious education covers 7.8 per cent of the whole compulsory education, 9.52 per cent at the primary level and 5.71 per cent during secondary education.

It said that the distinctive and specific aims of Catholic schools lie precisely in their religious dimension and the holistic education of the human person. Thus, religious education in Catholic schools should be interconnected with the other scholastic disciplines. It proposes that in Church schools the number of religious education lessons should be raised to at least three per week if this is not already the case.

The document proposes various initiatives to implement the sub-committee's vision and aims of religious education. These include the formal setting up of a religious education office. This needs to have the necessary financial and human resources to cater for the needs of all schools, teachers and students. It should promote research, coordinate all available resources, prepare and design syllabi and textbooks, and the formation of teachers on an ongoing basis.

The sub-committee also suggests the setting up of permanent working groups within the religious education office composed of pedagogy and content experts to prepare and design didactic materials.

It recommended that by the end of this year, the syllabi for pre-grade and for the 11 years of compulsory education, together with a strategy for the development and publication of textbooks and teaching aids, should be prepared and presented for the approval of the Maltese episcopal conference.

Defining what religious education encompases, the document says it should form students holistically and be faithful to Christ by giving priority to the joy and gratefulness of life in its fullness, and the development and formation of one's identity.

Religious education should educate students in moral and ethical responsibility, to live in the community respectful of its diversity, other religions and different world views.

It should help students understand Maltese culture and identity, and how religion sustains and contributes to the development of societies, in particular western society, through the arts, politics, sciences, education and philosophy.

Religious education should also give students a healthy knowledge of the holy scriptures, the lives of the saints, the sacramental and ecclesial life, and the Liturgy.

It should educate students in aesthetical sense, emotions, attitudes and values.

The document also says that the identity of religious education teachers needs to be clarified by consolidating the process of suitability certification.

It says that a sense of collegiality should be developed among religious education teachers, by promoting and facilitating departmental meetings and regular professional ongoing development.

The sub-committee also recommends spiritual companionship for all religious teachers, and the introduction of a system of mentorship.

It proposes to develop policies in the area of language and assessment used in religious education.

The document proposes that the Church should enter into negotiations with the State to update the Modes of Regulations and to discuss with education authorities the possibility of having resident religious education teachers in every primary school.

Finally, it proposes to restructure religious counselling in schools and consolidate school chaplaincies.