from Religion Media Centre
Religious Education specialists have written an open letter to the Secretary of State for Education, calling for the immediate introduction of bursaries for RE trainees, bringing the subject into line with other subject priority areas.
They also want to see the reinstatement and expansion of courses giving teachers additional subject knowledge and expertise.
The letter says the absence of bursaries and subject knowledge funding has resulted in fewer applications for RE teacher training, adding to the shortage of qualified staff. It says recruitment targets have been missed in 13 of the last 14 years, which “risks diminishing the subject’s status within schools”.
The current policy inadvertently communicates a lack of commitment to RE, despite statutory requirements for its delivery in the curriculum. This is particularly concerning following the Curriculum and Assessment Review recommendation that RE becomes part of a national curriculum”.
Open letter is here.