Saxony-Anhalt Seeks Solutions for Religious Education in Schools

Education
Saxony-Anhalt is looking for ways to teach religion

In view of the sometimes low number of students and also a lack of teachers, ways for religious education are being sought in Saxony-Anhalt – also across denominations. It is sometimes not easy to get the group sizes for denominational separate classes together, said Minister of Education Eva Feußner (CDU) on Wednesday in Schönebeck. They want to make religious instruction possible according to the wishes of the students. Denominational-cooperative religious education is now possible.

Together with church representatives such as the Catholic bishop Gerhard Feige, the minister presented a handout for religious education. A large part is dedicated to the implementation of cooperative religious education.

According to the information, the denominational religious education in cooperative profiling should take into account the religious, denominational and ideological diversity of society. At the same time, the number of pupils belonging to the Christian denomination is declining. The confessional cooperation should create an improved learning offer that strengthens the similarities between the denominations and practices how to deal with the remaining differences.

In discussions with students and teachers at Schönebeck’s Dr.-Carl-Hermann-Gymnasium Schönebeck, it became clear that subjects such as justice, sustainability and the personal development of the students are at the heart of religious education. Many students are not religiously affiliated. In principle, religious education is open to students who do not belong to the two major Christian churches.

Catholic and Protestant religious education are regular subjects in Saxony-Anhalt. According to the ministry, around 151,000 students had recently chosen ethics lessons, 26,000 Protestant and around 1,100 Catholic religious lessons.

The denominational-cooperative religious education is intended to teach religious skills and promote dialogue and cooperation between different denominations, religions and worldviews. Learning groups can be formed across classes or years.

dpa