Cathal Barry
The Irish bishops are currently investigating the possibility of developing their own Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) programme for use in Catholic schools amid concerns about what is currently being taught in those schools, The Irish Catholic understands.
Bishop Kevin Doran told this newspaper he is “anxious” that an RSE programme in keeping with Church teaching is developed for use in Catholic schools.
The Bishop of Elphin said “the absence of a Catholic inspired programme for RSE has, unfortunately, created something of a vacuum in our Catholic schools”, and insisted “policy on its own [in the absence of materials] is simply not enough”.
“Materials devised by various educational bodies and lobby groups have been introduced into our schools and, in many cases, are not at all in keeping with the Catholic ethos.
“I am very anxious that this vacuum would be filled without delay, through the publication of good quality RSE resource materials which are consistent with our Catholic ethos,” Dr Doran said.
Also speaking on the issue, Archbishop Eamon Martin warned that RSE resources should be “interrogated” prior to their use in Catholic schools.
“With regard to Relationships and Sexuality Education, all of the materials for that should come through a proper process of approval with the board of management in consultation with the parents,” the archbishop commented after delivering an address at the Annual General Meeting of the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association (CPSMA).
“You can’t just accept any resources in a school. They should be interrogated in the light of the ethos of the school and its morals and values framework and after that you have got to be merciful,” Dr Martin said.
Bishop Doran warned it was “a cause of concern” that many Catholic schools seem to depend on “outside experts” to deliver the RSE component of the Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum and “that this seems to be delivered in many cases as a single block”.
“Even allowing that ‘outside experts’ do have the necessary experience to teach children in an age appropriate way and are committed to presenting their material in a manner which is consistent with the ethos of the school, it is important that RSE should not become a ‘one day wonder’ divorced from what is supposed to be an integrated curriculum,” he said.