Queensland state schools embrace a multitude of cultural, religious and non-religious beliefs. Under the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006, schools are to provide Religious Instruction (RI) if approached by a faith group seeking to provide RI and students of that faith attend the school.
RI informs students about the beliefs and values of a particular religion. It is delivered by volunteers of a faith group using instructional materials approved by that faith group. RI is required to be consistent with legislation and Department of Education policies and procedures.
All RI instructors must hold a blue card and participate in compulsory Student Protection and Code of Conduct training. RI instructors are only entitled to deliver the RI program outlined below. A school staff member will be present during the delivery of RI.
Participation in RI is not compulsory. Any student (except Prep students) may participate in RI if a parent has provided written instructions to the school.
Students are allocated to RI based on information provided by parents on the completed Application for student enrolment unless other written instructions have been provided to the school.
Note: This consent remains in effect unless the parent informs the school otherwise in writing.
A description of the RI available is provided below.
Roman Catholic
Participating faith groups: Catholic Diocese of Cairns
Authorised program: Getting to Know Jesus (Author - Carol Danby)
Aims and goals:
- To provide an environment in which young children may come to know Jesus Christ and develop a relationship with him.
- To learn about a personal union with God, and their membership of a Church established by God.
- To learn about becoming like the person of Jesus - in the home, in school, in the parish and in the world.
- To value Christian virtue and Christian truth as the foundation for the whole of life.
Lesson structure: Students attend a lesson once a week during school hours.
Combined Christian
Participating faith groups: Cairns Christian RI Advisory Committee
Authorised program: GodSpace, Beginning with God, Connect, and Big Questions
Aims and goals:
- To inform students about the basic beliefs of the Christian faith from a non-denominational perspective.
Lesson structure: Students attend a lesson once a week during school hours.
Other Instruction
Students who are not participating in RI will be provided with other instruction in a separate supervised location. Other instruction must relate to part of a subject area already covered in class and may include:
- personal research and/or assignments
- revision of class work such as creative writing or literacy and/or numeracy activities which could include online programs currently accessed by the students of that school
- wider reading such as independent reading appropriate to the student.