Protestant churches express concern for protection of religious education in Northern Ireland

A high court judge in Belfast ruled that the core Christian education taught in primary schools is “unlawful and breached human rights”.

The verdict came in a legal challenge mounted by a non-Christian father and his seven-year-old daughter to the current faith syllabus in controlled primary schools.

The judge said: “The unlawfulness identified requires a reconsideration of the core curriculum and the impugned legislation in relation to the teaching of Religious Education (RE) and the provision of Collective Worship (CW).”

Religion in the state controlled mainly Protestant schools in Northern Ireland is administered by the Presbyterian, Church of Ireland and Methodist denominations through a system of transferor representatives, which has been in place since 1936 when the Protestant churches handed over control of schools to the then Northern Ireland government at Stormont. The Department of Education Order of 1936 effectively protected the ethos, buildings and teaching control for the Protestant community.

By contrast, the Roman Catholic schools in the province came under the control of the Catholic Maintained system, with the religious ethos of that denomination protected and upheld. It is not known if Catholic schools will be affected by the latest court ruling.

On the court ruling, the Transferor Representatives’ Council said: “The teaching of religious education and collective worship in controlled primary schools is an important matter. We note in this case that the judge will allow the parties time to reflect on his judgement.

“While the transferring churches are not direct parties to this case, nonetheless, as this is an important and significant issue we will be reflecting on the decision over the coming weeks. We will also need to take the time to discuss the matter as churches together.”

Last month, Presbyterian, Church of Ireland, and Methodist representatives from the Transferor Representatives’ Council (TRC), along with the Controlled Schools’ Support Council, met with Northern Ireland education minister Michelle McIlveen MLA when a range of issues across the controlled education sector in Northern Ireland were discussed.

In 1936, the three churches transferred most of their schools into state control – hence the terms ‘transferor’ and ‘controlled’ – in return for assurances regarding the Christian ethos of schools and a continued role in their governance.

The Transferor Representatives’ Council is made up of 11 representatives nominated by the three churches.

The controlled sector is the largest education sector accounting for 49 per cent of all Northern Ireland’s schools, including 63 nursery schools, 380 primary schools and 69 post-primary schools. Controlled schools are open to children of all faiths and none, which brings a rich diversity and inclusive ethos reflecting the many different communities which they serve in today’s society.

In the light of the court ruling, which is expected to be re-visited by the presiding judge, another meeting between DUP Minister McIlveen, her advisers and the Transferor representatives may be necessary. Christian teaching in our state schools needs to be protected.