A watching brief is being kept on possible changes to how religious education is taught in England and whether similar moves should be made in the Isle of Man.

The Commission on Religious Education in England has recommended that RE in schools should be changed to ’religious education and world views’ and incorporate other beliefs, including humanism and atheism.

It also suggests a review of the current right of parents to withdraw their children from RE lessons.

CoRE was set up last year to examine religious education in maintained schools in England.

In the Isle of Man, the Religious Education Advisory Committee has been ’encouraged’ to review the work of CoRE, Education Minister Graham Cregeen told Tynwald last week.

The latest meeting was last month, he said, in response to a question from Dr Alex Allinson (Ramsey).

’The committee was presented with the recommendations of the report and invited to comment on whether any of them were applicable to the island education context,’ Mr Cregeen continued.

’While REAC will continue to keep a watching brief on developments with the CoRE in England, it is important to remember, firstly, that the UK Government is not obliged to act on these recommendations and secondly, in the terms of religious education, Isle of Man schools are bound by primary legislation, namely section 12 of the Education Act 2001.’

A new Education Bill is due out for consultation shortly.

The REAC was established by the Department of Education and Children and is chaired by Bishop Peter Eagles.

It includes representatives of Christian denominations in the island, members of the Education Council, teachers from primary and secondary schools and a senior officer of the DEC.