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The education minister, Paul Givan, has confirmed that Christianity will continue to hold a central place in the Religious Education (RE) curriculum in schools across Northern Ireland. However, he also revealed plans to revise the syllabus to incorporate teachings about other major religions and philosophical traditions. This change will see the establishment of a new advisory panel responsible for curriculum development, moving away from the previous arrangement where the four main Christian churches alone determined the content.
Givan emphasized that while the churches will maintain a special role in shaping RE, the curriculum must evolve to reflect a broader range of beliefs. Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster’s Talkback programme, he stated, “I would not be putting out to public consultation a curriculum which failed to have the necessary support of the main churches in Northern Ireland.” Despite this assurance, the Department of Education faced legal challenges. In a notable development, the UK Supreme Court ruled in November 2025 that the existing Christian-based RE syllabus was unlawful because it did not meet standards of being “objective, critical, and pluralistic.”
At present, schools in Northern Ireland are legally required to provide RE and collective worship on a daily basis, based on regulations set out in the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986. This legislation mandates daily assemblies focused on collective worship “whether in one or more than one assembly” and insists that Religious Education be founded on the holy scriptures. The current curriculum was collaboratively developed by the Department of Education and the four principal Christian denominations. Following the Supreme Court’s decision, Givan announced that a comprehensive review would begin, led by Professor Noel Purdy of Stranmillis University College, aiming for the introduction of an updated syllabus by September 2027.
Alongside curriculum reforms, the minister stated that the school inspectorate will closely monitor how Religious Education is being delivered within schools to ensure compliance with new standards. Although collective worship will remain a compulsory element with no changes to its current practice, Givan urged schools to occasionally diversify their assemblies. He suggested that at least once every term, an assembly could celebrate other aspects of school life, supplementing the usual acts of worship. Importantly, he has simplified the process by which parents can withdraw their children from RE or collective worship, emphasizing that such requests must be handled promptly, without delays or complications, and without stigmatization. Givan reiterated that collective worship continues to reflect the “overwhelming wishes of the people of Northern Ireland.
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