Catholic Religious Education in Spain: Rights and Curriculum
The Right to Religious Education in Spain
The right of parents to have their children receive religious and moral education that is in accord with their own convictions is authenticated in:
- The Constitution
- The Organic Law of Education (LOE)
- The decrees of the curriculum
- The decrees of the Vatican
The law also involves the right to religious education, as it reaches an agreement to establish sufficient security conditions for the teaching of religion.
Inclusion of Catholic Religion in Education
The Catholic religion subject area is included in the grades concerned, which will be of mandatory offer for schools and voluntary for students. The educational authorities ensure that the teachings of religion respect the rights of all students and their families and do not involve discrimination for not receiving these teachings.
The determination of the curriculum of Catholic religious education shall be the responsibility of the ecclesiastical hierarchy and the relevant religious authorities. The evaluation of Catholic religious teaching will be in the same terms and with the same effect as that of the other areas of primary education.
The educational qualifications that have been obtained in the evaluation of the teachings of religion do not count in the calls in which they must enter concurrency transcripts.
Royal Decree 2438/1994
Royal Decree 2438/1994 of December 16, called Document 79, states that Religious Education (ERE) is a requirement of the school to educate and transmit culture, to enable students to be placed in a cultural tradition, inserting them critically into society and responding to the meaning of life with all its ethical implications. The ERE should be a right of the individual and parents and must also develop the right to religious freedom.
International Treaty of the Holy See and Spain
Article two of the International Treaty of the Holy See and Spain, called “Agreement on Education and Cultural Affairs” of January 3, 1979, which, because it is an international agreement, was approved by the courts on September 13, 1979, states that the Catholic religion is taught in non-university schools in similar conditions to the other core disciplines.
Basic Skills Developed in Religious Education
Religious education develops these six basic skills:
- Linguistic
- Social and Civic
- Cultural and Artistic
- Learning to Learn
- Autonomy and Personal Initiative
- Knowledge and Interaction with the Physical World
Active Learning in Religious Education
Religious education actively engages students in the processes of:
- Research
- Studies
- Experimentation
- Reflections
- Application of Knowledge
The Role of Catholic Religion in Society
The communication of the Catholic religion is critical and ethical in society. It reminds us that not everything that is scientifically possible should be done.
Bridging the Gap Between School and Life
- Create a climate of trust.
- Establish a flexible communication space.
- Underline the positive aspects of the student, their achievements.
- Take into account the contributions of the student.
- Respect differences.
Classroom Activity Example: Pets Mural
Students will create a mural with the name and picture of their pet or pets. Students who do not have a pet will invent one. Then, all the murals will be hung in the class, and a debate will be held about what pets mean in our lives, with questions like:
- What does your pet bring to you?
- Is there anything wrong with having a pet?
Project-Based Learning in Religious Education
Religious education encourages project-based learning through:
- Investigation (Locate, gather, and synthesize information)
- Testing hypotheses
- Project design
- Analysis (Operations, structures, costs and benefits, errors)
- Problem-solving
- Writing
- Composing
- Decision-making
- Evaluation (Project diagnosis)