Requiring primary teachers to obtain Catholic certificate in religious studies 'discriminatory'

INTO general secretary John Boyle: Survey findings show 'a concern among teachers about the mismatch between modern Irish society and the structures governing our primary schools'. Picture: Moya Nolan

The country’s largest teachers’ union is to acknowledge requiring teachers to obtain the Catholic certificate in religious studies is a “discriminatory” employment barrier.

However, the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) has stopped short of working towards removing single-faith religious education from the school day, beginning with the requirement for teachers to prepare children for the Catholic sacraments.

It follows a motion put to delegates at the union’s annual congress in Galway on Wednesday. Delegates passed a number of the proposals put to the floor but failed to gain a general consensus on several sections of the motion.

This included acknowledging the focus on inclusivity and wellbeing were “ineffective”, while the majority of primary schools remain under religious control.

A section of the motion that instructed the union’s officials to begin a campaign with the Department of Education to remove single-faith religious education from the school day, as well as urge a ban on religious teaching qualifications for State-funded schools also failed to pass.

It comes as the INTO published research that found many teachers have conflicting views on the patronage of Irish primary schools.

Despite Government commitments to increasing diversity, 88.3% of primary schools remain under Catholic patronage, while less than 6% have a multi-denominational ethos.

The study saw more than 1,000 primary school teachers asked their views on religion in schools.

When asked if "faith formation" should take place in primary schools, a majority (57%) said it should not.

Faith formation includes developing a child’s understanding of and with the Catholic faith and includes preparation for the sacraments as well as the Catholic ethos permeating the whole school day.

Just 4% of the teachers surveyed thought preparing children for the sacraments should be a school’s responsibility, compared to 47% who believe the family should be responsible.

A further 30% said it should be a parish's responsibility, and 18% said it should be both parents and parish.

The study also found “wide variation” in the level of parental involvement with preparing children for the sacraments.

The findings from the survey, as well as the work of a taskforce set up to examine the issue, show "a concern among teachers about the mismatch between modern Irish society and the structures governing our primary schools", INTO general secretary John Boyle said.

"INTO members want a school system that is inclusive, equitable and reflective of the diversity of our pupils. Today’s resolution and recommendations will guide the work of the union in the coming years.”