London, January 31: British children as young as five will study minority faiths under a new government guidance, a move stirring outcry in the northwestern European country, reported.
“In 21st century Britain, it is vital that young people develop a good understanding of other peoples’ beliefs, faiths and religions,” Schools Minister Diana Johnson said.
“This means learning about Christianity and other religions like Islam, Hinduism and Judaism, but also considering secular beliefs such as humanism and atheism.”
Under a newly-drafted government guidance, children as young as five will study minority faiths such as Baha’i, Zoroastrianism, Jainism and humanism.
“To ensure that all children’s backgrounds and experiences are taken into account, it is recommended that there are also opportunities to study other religious traditions such as the Baha’i faith, Jainism, and Zoroastrianism, and secular world views, such as humanism, where appropriate,” the document says.
Zoroastrians belief that the dead should be eaten by vultures while Jains belief that all animals and plants have souls, each of which are of equal value.
Though there is no exact number of the followers of Zoroastrianism and Jainism in Britain, but they are believed to be only a few thousands.
It is the first time for the government to introduce guidance, specifically tailored for primary schools, although teachers do not have to follow it.
Instead, syllabuses are usually drawn up locally by committees of officials, teachers and religious groups.
Religious education is compulsory in all state schools in Britain, but it is not on the national curriculum.
“There are now even things that aren’t religions at all such as humanism,” Hart said.
Outcry
But the government guidance has stirred outcry in the country.
“The idea of having multi-faith Religious Education isn’t new but they seem to be adding ever more religions to it,” Colin Hart, director of the Christian Institute, said.
“There are now even things that aren’t religions at all such as humanism,” he said.
“If humanism is added, why not political beliefs?” he said, describing the guidance as “educational nonsense.”
Hart warned that teaching minority faiths would affect integrity of each faith.
“This will be a crook’s tour of the most trivial aspects of faiths, so toned down that it will be how different religions use water and how they use light as a symbol,” he said.
“Things will be taken out of context and the integrity of each faith destroyed.”
-Agencies