ACCESS replies
ACCESS ministries & Special Religious Instruction in Victorian Government Schools
ACCESS ministries has become aware of a letter sent by the Humanist Society of Victoria to Principals of Schools and School Council Presidents. The letter speaks of the Education and Training Reform Act (2006) and the provision of Special Religious Education (SRI) under section 2.2.11 of that Act. It makes some comments regarding ACCESS ministries and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) guidelines for the provision of SRI and the conduct of SRI in schools.
This statement is provided to clarify some of the information contained in the letter by the Humanist Society of Victoria. Within our context, we refer to the program of SRI that ACCESS ministries provides as “Christian religious education” (CRE). Other faith providers of SRI (including Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Baha’i, Greek Orthodox, Hare Krishna, and other faiths), refer to the SRI they provide to students in their own ways. ACCESS ministries supports the rights and opportunities of all religious faiths to provide SRI to students in government schools across Victoria; this is provided for in the Act, and reflects the rights of our multicultural, and multifaith society.
The provision of SRI is under the direction of the Minister for Education and DEECD. ACCESS ministries complies fully with legislation and Departmental guidelines regarding the provision and conduct of SRI in schools. ACCESS ministries has over 3200 volunteer CRE instructors working in schools across Victoria. They are properly screened, trained by ACCESS ministries and are approved by the Minister of Education for the purpose of providing SRI. ACCESS ministries also requires all our volunteers to participate in ongoing professional development training each year.
Our volunteer instructors are required by ACCESS ministries to use the prescribed curriculum which is developed by Australian and New Zealand writers, who are qualified classroom teachers with current classroom practice. The curriculum is fully scoped and sequenced, and takes into account current teaching and learning practices. ACCESS ministries produces this curriculum and requires all our CRE instructors to use it in CRE classes. This curriculum is also used widely throughout Australia and New Zealand.
It is the decision of parents whether or not their child participates in SRI or other religious faith instruction. For some people, the availability of any religious faith instruction being available to students in Victorian schools is unacceptable; they would prefer that there be none whatsoever.
However, Victorian legislation does provide for the delivery of Special Religious Instruction in government schools. Currently there are over 130,000 students participating in SRI classes in schools across Victoria each week. The presence of SRI programs by various religious faith providers in schools across Victoria recognises and respects the diversity and richness of the religious faith and experience of the Australian community.
Canon Dr Evonne Paddison CEO ACCESS ministries 03 9804 0733 April 2011
