British Government Recommends Teaching of Hinduism in Schools

[Guest guest]

Dear devotees

 

dandavat pranams

 

Maybe ISKCON can do something with this news in England so the view of our

vaishanava philosophy can be part of this project.

 

ys

 

tmkd

 

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1. British Government Recommends Teaching of Hinduism in Schools

http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?

name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=22&page=9

 

LONDON, ENGLAND, May 9, 2004: The British government has recommended

that the basics of Hinduism be taught in schools because it is one of

the six major religions in the country. A report drawn up by the

Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), the government's

curriculum and examinations watchdog, says: "It is important that

schools make every effort to ensure that during their school life,

pupils encounter the principal religions." Welcoming the guidelines,

Charles Clarke, Education Secretary of State, said: "Religious

education plays an important part in our children's spiritual, moral,

social and cultural development. This is why we are making moves to

strengthen its teaching in schools." The guidance, which is now going

out for consultation, is not statutory, so schools will not be forced

to follow it. But many are expected to follow its principles. Apart

from Hinduism, the guidelines on religious education say that students

should also be taught the basics of Sikhism, Buddhism, Judaism, apart

from Christianity.

 

The guidelines make it clear that Christianity should be studied by all

pupils throughout their schooling, as it is the country's main

religion. However, pupils should also study one other religion between

the age of five and seven, at least two more between the age of seven

and 11 and at least a further two between the age of 11 and 14, so as

to cover all the principal religions by the time they leave school.

 

Commenting on this proposal, Jay Dilip Lakhani, education executive of

Hindu Council UK writes:

 

"Hindu Council UK has matters of serious concern about the way Hinduism

is portrayed in the educational system in this country. We have already

taken up these matters with the Qualification and Curriculum Authority

and some of the Examining Boards like Edexcel, Oxford, Cambridge and

the Welsh Board. Right now, Hinduism is presented as the religion of

'Polytheism and the Hereditary Caste system.' We believe this is

misleading and have instead pressed to ensure that 'Pluralism and

Divinity of Man' are portrayed as the actual central tenets of Hinduism

and not the other two. We are winning the support from many in the

field of religious education. The Welsh Education Board did an actual

survey with their own teachers of Religious Education to see how

replacing these two key tenets of Hinduism works out in practice and

came back with extremely positive comments. First we have to remove

many such misconceptions about what is and what is not Hinduism and

then only can we be in a position of making a positive contribution to

the spiritual health of this nation. The United Kingdom is one country

where Religious Education is part of the mainstream school curriculum.

Nowhere else in the world do we have the freedom or opportunity of

exploring ideas like: 'What is spirituality and how it can be infused

in a nation through education?' In our opinion Hinduism will play a

pivotal role in developing and promoting this agenda. We will keep you

informed on how this issue develops further."