JERSEY’s Education Minister is to review the Island’s requirement for weekly “broadly Christian” worship in schools.
The Children, Young People, Education and Skills Department confirmed that Deputy Rob Ward will discuss the subject at the next Religious Education Advisory Council meeting in October.
It comes in the wake of a humanist group’s criticism of a Jersey law which requires weekly worship in schools as “inappropriate” and “out of date”.
Humanists UK’s concerns were based on figures revealed in the latest Jersey Children and Young People’s Survey, which showed just over a quarter of young Islanders follow Christianity.
The report showed just over a third (35%) of children aged eight to 17 years said they had a religion, which amounted to just over 1,500 of 4,300 respondents.
Of those religious young people, 78% said they were a Christian, although that means just over a quarter (27%) of all respondents claimed to follow Christianity.
But under the Island’s Education Law 1999, all school-age children should attend an act of “broadly Christian” worship at least once a week – though parents have the right to withdraw their child from religious education or acts of worship.
The Dean of Jersey said he felt legislation on school-based worship remained “really important” despite the figures.
The Very Rev Michael Keirle said it was important that young people “are exposed to and experience spirituality, mystery, awe and wonder”.
The JEP report has since gained hundreds of comments online from Islanders who expressed a variety of views on either side of the debate.
Deputy Ward will discuss the points raised on 15 October.
