The Opportunities Party Policy on Religious Instruction in NZ Primary Schools

The Opportunities Party is led by Gareth Morgan…

I asked all the main political parties what their policies were on religious instruction in NZ State Primary Schools. You can find link to the other party policies here. Read on to find out what The Opportunities Party thinks about this issue. Here’s the questions I asked them…

I would like to know what your party’s policy is regarding religious instruction in state primary schools.

Currently, religious instruction (teaching religious faith) is allowed to be taught in primary schools for up to 20 hours per year under sections 77-80 of the Education Act 1964. During this time, the school is “closed” and children who opt out are required to stop curriculum learning.

Non-Christian families are forced to declare their lack of affiliation with Christian religion and opt-out or go along with their children being taught religious beliefs that they don’t agree with so that their children “fit in”.

This is religious discrimination and needs to be stopped. What will your party do about it?

From: Guy Hobson 
To: Dave Smyth
Date: Mon, Jul 17, 2017

Hi Dave

Thank you for your interest in TOP and sharing your thoughts.

As you seem to be a considered man, I believe you will be really interested in our Education Policy and life-long learning strategy.

Personally, I am with you on the idea that 20 hours a week is excessive, although I do not know how many schools actually use all of these hours to teach this subject. I also am with you that it does begin the foundation for differences to be seen among children and how one must ‘fit in’ – regarding their family belief.

As we are a new and relatively small party and with the election closing in, we are concentrating our efforts on our core policies that will have the greatest positive impact on kiwis and their families. Therefore we have not been able to take a stance on all issues, however if we are able to gain 5% of the vote, we are happy to open the floor to public submissions on more issues, including the one you have raised.

Thank you again for your interest in TOP Dave and have a great week.

Kind regards
Guy Hobson
The Opportunities Party

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The quote below comes from TOP’s “Democracy Reset Policy”.

From: Dave Smyth
To: Guy Hobson 
Date: Mon, Jul 17, 2017

Hi Guy,

Thanks for your reply.

It’s 20 hours per year, not per week. There are some who ask what harm this harm this can do, as it’s generally only 30 minutes a week. However, if a political party was going into a school for 30 minutes a week, trying to recruit followers, I suspect that everyone would see it as harmful, wrong and unethical.

It’s your call for a constitution (something I support), that I found interesting, with this statement;

Right to freedom of religion: Which includes freedom of conscience and free profession, practice, and propagation of religion, freedom to manage religious affairs, freedom from certain taxes and freedom from religious instructions in certain educational institutes.

I was assuming that the “certain educational institutes” would have meant state primary schools?

regards,
Dave

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From: Guy Hobson
To: Dave Smyth
Date: Mon, Jul 17, 2017

Hi Dave

Yes – 20 hours per year, not week – that would be beyond excessive! My apologises for the error.

And yes, you are also correct, that “certain educational institutes” means state primary schools.

Hope that clears things up.

Guy

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From: Dave Smyth
To: Guy Hobson 
Date: Mon, Jul 17, 2017

Hi Guy,

Thanks for your time. I think that your party is bringing some important issues up for discussion from a fresh perspective. This should be an interesting election!

regards,
Dave

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Well, that was a pretty straight answer from a new party who are trying to shake things up. I think that most of us would agree that our election choices are getting a bit stale!

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