In Special Religious Instruction, where lessons are taken online, there are legal requirements to provide for the safety of the children participating. It behooves teachers, lecturers and lesson guides to take up the principle of “Protection of the Community” and put into practice appropriate eSafety Guidelines for your online Special Religious Instruction.
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Category: SRI Administration
Op Ed: It’s time to replace Religious Instruction with Worldviews Education in Australian schools
The religion in schools debate is heating up again — this time with a group, Queensland Parents for Secular State Schools, calling for a parliamentary review of Religious Instruction (RI) in state schools.
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Victoria: Reportable Conduct Scheme expands
Religious organisations, hospitals, disability services and camps are now covered by Victoria’s Reportable Conduct Scheme. This scheme also applies to Special Religious Instruction (SRI)
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Code of Conduct
The National Executive of Religions for Peace Australia approved a Code of Conduct for all members and Volunteer Religious Instruction
Forms
Under the terms of contract between Religions for Peace Australia and the Education Department of Victoria, Religions for Peace Australia oversights and provides registration of and in-service training sessions for instructors of Special Religious Instruction in government schools, for specified religions.
Instructor Accreditation Process
Religions for Peace Australia is required to gain the approval of the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development for any volunteer instructor to teach the religion of each faith tradition.
Program Approval Process
Religions for Peace Australia has been formally contracted by the Education Department to provide oversight of provision of religious instruction in government schools, for specified religions.
Religious Instruction Secretariat
The role of the Religious Instruction Secretariat is:
- to oversee and coordinate the approval process by the education department of the volunteer religious instructors already approved by the nominated religious body for each faith tradition.
- to assist new religious groups to offer religious instruction in government schools
- to approve the religious instruction program content to be taught in government schools
- to provide inservice training for the volunteer teachers on an annual basis
In Victoria, beginning in 1998, RfP Australia has been contracted by the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development regarding the teaching of religious instruction in Victorian government schools. This process is now conducted in accordance with Section 2.2.11 on “special religious instruction” of the Victorian Education and Training Reform Act 2006.
RfP Australia oversees the provision of religious instruction in government schools, through the registration of instructors from faith communities not associated with ACCESS Ministries, the Catholic Education Office or the United Jewish Education Board. It also has been contracted by the Department to oversee the approval process of the religious instruction on behalf of the Minister. Currently, this involves the following religious groups:
- Baha’i
- Buddhist
- Orthodox Christian
- Hindu
- Sikh