TEACHING OF RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE IN SCHOOLS

Debate resumed.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education (Mr Tang Guan Seng): ( In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, today we are debating on the teaching of Religious Knowledge in schools. In the Ministerial Statement, I believe the most important message is this: Government institutions and Government supported institutions, including schools, should not be used as a venue for the preaching of religion. The most important thing that we should bear in mind is we are a multi-religion society. In our multi-religious society, the recent heightened consciousness of religious differences and increased propagation of religious beliefs would result in apprehension among religious bodies. We have to maintain the traditional religious harmony and tolerance without which our society cannot exist. It is for this reason that we have re-examined the whole issue and decided to make the teaching of Religious Knowledge optional. We have to treat the various religions fairly and equally. If we accept this principle, then we should not allow Government-sponsored institutions such as schools to be used as a venue for the preaching of religion. Religious Knowledge should not be taught within the curriculum time in schools and it should not be used as a subject for the admission to junior colleges and pre-university centres.

Some of the Members mentioned just now that Confucian Ethics is not a religion. But because we are phasing our Religious Knowledge as a compulsory subject, we will also withdraw the teaching of Confucian Ethics. This cannot be helped because if we are to maintain on Confucian Ethics and phase out the other religious subjects, there will be problems.

When we phase out Religious Knowledge as a compulsory subject, it does not mean the Ministry of Education does not attach importance to the teaching of moral education. We will extend our Civics Moral Education programme so that sutdents in Secondary 3 and Secondary 4 can also learn from it. The contents of the programme would include aspects of nation building and shared values, and the characteristics of our mulit-religious society. The Ministry needs at least two years to compile the syllabus and teaching materials and train the teachers for the new subject. Just now, one Member mentioned we should set up a committee to draw up the syllabus. We will consider it. Other Members mentioned that we should include the essence of Confucianism in the new subject. This will also be considered.

Another point to note is that we do not want our students to be adversely affected by our new decision. That is why we have decided that Religious Knowledge could be used as a subject to be counted for admission to Junior Colleges and Pre-University Centres until 1994. By so doing, I believe the effects on those students who are alsready in secondary schools now will be minimised.

Mr Speaker: Order. I suspend the Sitting now and will take the Chair again at 4.00 pm.

Sitting accordingly suspended at 3.45 pm until 4.00 pm. Sitting resumed at 4.00 pm