New religion curricula criticised

Classrooms.Photo: Berit Roald / NTB scanpix

Not everyone is happy with the proposals for new curricula in religious studies. Sexuality is a learning goal, but Christianity and Islam are not mentioned.

 

Muslim Dialogue Network (MDN) is among those who are critical in their consultation responses to the curricula for the primary school subjects KRLE (Christianity,religion, philosophy of life and ethics) and the secondary religion and ethics,wrote Vårt Land newspaper.MDN pointed out that none of the key elements of Islam,like the five pillars of the religion and seven articles of faith,are concrete, while sexual education is a separate point of education.

IKO (Church Educational Center) also emphasised that the curriculum is so specific when it comes to sex and sexuality, while the other business goals are more generalised.

“With so few competence goals, one could benefit from several important aspects of human roles and relationships” said IKO leader, Marianne Uri Øverland.

Associate Professor,Trine Anker,is in the working group who prepared the new curriculum.She said sexuality is specifically mentioned because the subject is interdisciplinary and plays a major role in the social debate.

She also pointed out that education in the world religions is already enshrined in the Education Act.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today