RELIGION IN SCHOOLS

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30056, 14 February 1963, Page 16

RELIGION IN SCHOOLS

Responsibility Of Committees

All school committees in Canterbury and Westland will be urged to exercise annually their right to apprpve or reject religious instruction in their schools in terms of the act passed late last year by Parliament.

This was one of the important responsibilities still entrusted to committees, Mrs M. Rae said at a meeting of the Canterbury School Committees’ Association last evening. Committees should consider each year the question of religious instruction and also formally approve any list of teachers willing to give the instruction voluntarily.

The New Zealand Educational Institute had recommended its members not to participate. Mrs Rae said. It behoved committees to protect teachers by accepting the responsibility for whatever was done.

One delegate suggested that the advice would come better from the Canterbury Education Board.

"It is not anything to do with the boards,” said Mrs Rae.' “They are not even named in the act. The responsibility if left with school committees, as it should be. and we should accept it.” The association agreed to remind all committees of their responsibility, whether they belong to the association or not.