Print | Close Window

Religious Marriage Celebrants

Want to sign our petition? Petition for SRE in Schools

In New South Wales, government schools are required to provide religious education of two types:

  • General Religious Education (GRE); and
  • Special Religious Education (SRE).

General Religious Education

General religious education (GRE) is education about the world’s major religions, what people believe and how that belief affects their lives. It is taught mainly through the school curriculum.

Special Religious Education

Special religious education (SRE) is education in the beliefs and practices of an approved religious persuasion by authorised representatives of that persuasion.

SRE in NSW Schools

The following is taken from the NSW Department of Education and Training website

Under the Education Act 1990 Section 32 there is a legislative requirement that “In every government school, time is to be allowed for the religious education of children of any religious persuasion”. In accordance with this section of the Act, the times for such education “are to be fixed by agreement between the principal of the school and the local member of the clergy or other religious teacher of that persuasion”. The “local member” refers to the person nominated by the religious group to authorise special religious education teachers, courses and materials.

Religious persuasions, on approval by the Minister, provide Special Religious Education (SRE) for students in Government schools. The provision of SRE at a school is dependent on parents/caregivers nominating, at or subsequent to enrolment, that persuasion for the purpose of SRE.

These implementation procedures are based on the Recommendations 36-72 of the report Religion in Education in NSW Government Schools (1980) which were adopted by the Government as the basis of an agreement with the churches about the implementation of SRE. They clearly define the respective responsibilities of the school, religious persuasions and parents/caregivers, and emphasise the need to implement SRE in a flexible way based on consultation and co-operation.

Endorsement to provide SRE

Following contact from some Pagan families that wanted to have the option of Pagan orientated SRE for their children, the UPCoA contacted the NSW Department of Education and Training, and the NSW Minister for Education and Training, to initiate the process of obtaining Ministerial endorsement to provide SRE. At present the are NO Pagan groups endorsed to offer SRE (see the current list of endorsed groups on the Departments website - Click Here).

Whilst we don’t anticipate too many issues with this, we would like to gain an idea of the amount of support within the Pagan community for Pagan based SRE in government schools. Do you think it should be an available option so schools can include Paganism in SRE if they have the need? If Pagan orientated SRE was available at your school, would you allow your children to attend?

The petition for SRE in Schools is not because we feel a petition and big fuss is needed, it is simply to allow us to show the government that there is an interest in Pagan SRE. If you do not wish to advise your surname then simply use “DOE” for the surname (but please make sure the first name and school details are accurate.

Even if you live outside NSW, please still add your name. If there is interest for Pagan religious education in other parts of Australia, and if UPCoA can gain representatives in that area, then we would be happy to petition the relevant Department/Minister to allow Pagan based religious education. Alternatively, we would be more than happy to help any other Pagan based group gain endorsement for themselves to provide religious education.

Go to SRE in Schools Petition

BackBack | Return to TopTop