Homa Wahaj’s Post

What we know about uptake of educational technologies in Christian Religious Education https://lnkd.in/eziAU5k2

Very much agree Rae McGrath. We do not need religious based schools paid for by the state / tax payer. These types of schools create division and prevent mutual respect and tolerance. Schools should be secular and integrated. As you say there are plenty of religious / designated places where faith and religious beliefs can be taught outside of formal education time. We know integrated schools in NI are making a positive impact on acceptance and tolerance of the other. So it can work elsewhere as well. No child is born hating another - it is the environment they are brought up in that creates the hate of the other. Humanity first.

The article focuses on selection of religious private schools without mentioning that they're likely more affordable with the vouchers than non-religious affiliated private schools. Most parents want the best education they can afford for their children. Perhaps the public schools losing enrollments should examine why parents are sending their children elsewhere.

Are vouchers truly fulfilling the purpose of school choice? Are these vouchers actually holding up the principles of neoliberal education markets? Are these threatening the separation of state and church? What does it mean for a taxpayer citizen to have the public monies fund religious education?

The government appears to be nearing a resolution of the longstanding issue surrounding the regulation and integration of madressahs (religious seminaries) into the mainstream education system. This development comes after years of debate and negotiation over reforms aimed at standardizing curricula, ensuring oversight, and addressing concerns about extremism while respecting the religious and cultural significance of these institutions. Key aspects of the settlement reportedly include the incorporation of modern subjects alongside traditional religious teachings, registration of madressahs under a unified framework, and mechanisms for transparency in funding. These measures are intended to provide students with broader opportunities while addressing security and governance concerns. Stakeholders, including religious leaders, education experts, and government officials, have been involved in the discussions to strike a balance between reform and respect for the autonomy of religious education. If successfully implemented, this settlement could mark a significant step toward educational inclusivity and national cohesion.

Tasmania’s Archbishop Porteous is 100% correct to warn about faith-based schools losing their current freedom to ensure who they employ and who they enrol are sympathetic to and willing to acknowledge the reason such schools exist in the first place. The primary purpose of faith based schools, unlike secular government schools, is to teach the virtues, morals and beliefs on which their religion is based. International covenants and agreements protect the right parents have to choose such schools as religious freedom is an inherent right. The greatest growth in enrolments over the last 5 to 10 years is in low-fee paying Christian and Catholic schools as more and more parents want their children to be morally grounded, spiritually enriched and culturally literate. Parents are also voters. Such schools now enrol approximately 36% of students nationally. In an increasingly dysfunctional, woke society where too many government schools are infected with neo-Marxist gender, sexuality and post-colonial theories school choice must be protected. Given the increasing use of lawfare to intimidate and cancel religious freedom the commonwealth government must protect faith-based schools. Such schools are an essential element of the nation’s social fabric promoting social cohesion and stability as well as promoting volunteerism and a commitment to social justice and the common good. Letter to the Australian.

Billions in taxpayer dollars are being used to pay tuition at religious schools throughout the country, as state voucher programs expand dramatically and the line separating public education and religion fades.
School vouchers can be used at almost any private school, but the vast majority of the money is being directed to religious schools, according to a Washington Post examination of the nation’s largest voucher programs.
Vouchers, government money that covers education costs for families outside the public schools, vary by state but offer up to $16,000 per student per year, and in many cases fully cover the cost of tuition at private schools. In some schools, a large share of the student body is benefiting from a voucher, meaning a significant portion of the school’s funding is coming directly from the government.

Madrasas are not a substitute for full, equitable access to public education for girls. Madrasas typically provide religious instruction with a rudimentary education in a limited number of other subjects, like literacy and math. Their record on learning outcomes is poor, and their potential to be a vehicle for mass ideological indoctrination is high. Removing girls from quality education adds to the deepening humanitarian and economic crisis that is causing serious harm to a generation of girls, exposing them to the risk of early marriage, spiraling poverty, a rise in poor health outcomes, an increased risk of gender-based violence, and much more. Stand with us as we continue to advocate for access to a fundamental human right to a full education for Afghan girls. #LetHerLearn https://lnkd.in/g8StQ47z

Religious education in schools lacks depth, finds Ofsted report Read more- https://lnkd.in/gJd-3qqw #OfstedReport #ReligiousEducation #SchoolCurriculum

I want separation of church and state back. Billions in taxpayer dollars now go to religious schools via vouchers The rapid expansion of state voucher programs follows court decisions that have eroded the separation between church and state. Billions in taxpayer dollars are being used to pay tuition at religious schools throughout the country, as state voucher programs expand dramatically and the line separating public education and religion fades. School vouchers can be used at almost any private school, but the vast majority of the money is being directed to religious schools, according to a Washington Post examination of the nation’s largest voucher programs. Vouchers, government money that covers education costs for families outside the public schools, vary by state but offer up to $16,000 per student per year, and in many cases fully cover the cost of tuition at private schools. In some schools, a large share of the student body is benefiting from a voucher, meaning a significant portion of the school’s funding is coming directly from the government. https://lnkd.in/g38AYEHi