Friday, April 22, 2011

R.E. in primary schools not affecting numeracy and literacy levels: CSP

The Chairperson of the Catholic School Partnership (CSP), Fr Michael Drumm has hit out against suggestions in the media that too much time is being devoted to religious education in primary school and this is causing problems in other areas.

While he welcomed ongoing review and changes in the curriculum, Fr Drumm said it is, “completely absurd to say there is any link whatsoever between the amount of time devoted to religious education and sacramental preparation, and any changes in literacy and numeracy levels amongst the Irish school going population.”

“There is no link whatsoever.”

Fr Drumm suggested that empirical research should be carried out, measuring the numeracy and literacy of children undergoing sacramental preparation, and children of the same age doing no such programmes. 

“I’m quite sure that you’ll find that there is no link between these issues,” he said.

Fr Drumm was speaking on YouTube in a video report comme nting on the recently released position paper on Catholic education, which was prepared by Catholic School Partnership, an umbrella organisation that brings together all the stakeholders in Catholic education at first and second level.

Responding to the idea floated by the Minister for Education, Ruairi Quinn, that half of Catholic schools might be divested of their patronage, Fr Drumm said that while the bishops had no interest in running schools where people didn’t want them to do so, it was a bottom up process. 

“A bishop as a partner could never tell a local community that a particular school should be divested or given over to another patron. There would have to be parental approval on the ground that is verifiable. There is no point in anyone coming up with any figure about the number of schools that might be divested. Nobody knows at all.” 

This will be a voluntary operation involving consultation and agreement between all the stakeholders.  

No school will be asked to transfer patronage against its own will, he said.

Fr Drumm underlined that the transfer of patronage is not like setting up a new school.  

It would be a challenge “where a school is historically embedded in a community, where generations might have gone to that school and a lot of money from the parish went into the school.”

In  June 2011, four regional assemblies are to take place where the representatives of all the dioceses with an interest in education will come together to reflect on various aspects of the research already carried out by the CSP and set down parameters for a way forward in the future.

Meanwhile, proposals contained in another document by the bishops about the religious education of Catholic children not attending Catholic schools, may have implications for a greater number of parents and children if Catholic schools are divested of their patronage.

The document, released last month, emphasises the primary role of parents in passing on the faith to their children.  

It proposes parish-based catechetical and sacramental programmes to support and guide parents in their role as educators.  

Parents will be involved in these programmes and ideally “accompany the children at the sessions.”

The document foresees small catechism classes for children each week during school term time.  

The courses will “facilitate the complementary roles of parish and family” and will be based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the General Directory For Catechesis (GDC) and Share the Good News (National Directory for Catechesis in Ireland).  Prayer will be an integral part of the programme.