BRITAIN wants personal finance lessons to replace religious studies on the school curriculum, new national research reveals.
I would definitely support a measure such as this in schools. Financial literacy as well as Career Literacy is something that will always be needed.
Yes, as opposed to religious literacy. Which, on top of being pointless, can easily be pursued in one’s own time in places of worship instead of public schools.
I wouldn’t oppose replacing RE, but good RE - when taught in UK schools - isn’t about the stuff you were learn in a place if worship. It’s about learning about the common and different things about religions, abnout different creation myths etc. It’s quite an interesting piece of cultural learning - especially in a mulrticultural society - and I’m an atheist.
I agree. I don’t think that RE should be removed completely but it should be a higher level and definitely teach acceptance of other people’s beliefs.
If you’re interested in a specific religion or belief then you should be able to get that info yourself from the school library or the internet.
True, except at least for GCSE in NI, you basically had to always relate everything to Christianity otherwise you wouldn’t get marks.
NI is -quite literally - a rule into itself, I guess
From the article:
New research has revealed that a proportion of teachers want personal finance lessons to replace religious studies on the school curriculum.
Amid the cost-of-living crisis, non-teaching and teaching staff feel key cash skills are missing from the school curriculum, according to the nationwide survey of both conducted by Discounts for Teachers.
The data revealed an overwhelming 67% believe managing personal finances should be added to the modern-day school curriculum, with over half (56%) stating they wish they were taught how to manage money when they were at school.
An overwhelming 88% of those polled said more needs to be done to educate children on personal finances.
This was supported in the education sector, with nearly two-thirds (63%) of teachers stating they believe how to manage personal finances should be added to the school curriculum.
The findings come as nearly 8 in 10 Brits state they have struggled with personal finances since leaving school, while less than a third of those surveyed (29%) felt well-prepared to handle the cost-of-living crisis thanks to skills they learnt in school.
Elsewhere, first aid (46%) and how to write a CV (36%) were also named among the top three life skills Brits wish they were taught at school.
The survey also revealed English (27%) is the nation’s favourite school subject, with maths (23%) and history (22%) following narrowly behind. When it comes to the subjects thought to be most valuable, English (49%) and Maths (48%) were named the most useful subjects for adult life.
At the opposite end of the scale, over a quarter of Brits (28%) named R.E the least useful subject currently taught at schools, with 26% stating they would remove it from the school curriculum.
English is the most useful subject? As in English Literature? Useful? What?
No - English literature is a separate subject.
You had English Language as well as English Lit at school?
Yes. In the UK, English and English Lit are separate GCSE and A level subjects
Is the provision of one of them by itself associated with schools serving lower socioeconomic areas?
I know over here we used to have two kinds of English and one was pitched at people who planned to leave school at 16.
I don’t think they mean literature. “English” in English-speaking schools is more about how to communicate better.
‘English-speaking schools’ - so, schools in the UK, which is the topic? I don’t mean to be condescending with that - I just don’t quite understand. I’m a Brit. The only ‘English’ lessons I’ve ever had in school were English lit. And I learnt more about effective written communication in History and effective verbal communication in Drama lol.
Look at your GCSE certificates. It would either be English or English lit, or both.
You might find this interesting https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zrjh92p#znbpf821
I’m in New Zealand but from conversation with people who transferred from Britain, Australia etc it had seemed to me that the UK system teaches English in high schools in much the same way as it is taught here.
That was my assumption, sounds like I was partially wrong, and that mileage over there varies a lot more than I thought, if they were only teaching literature in your classes.
The UK-based Cambridge exams are also taught here, and their English syllabus maps pretty closely onto what I think of as “English” the high school subject.
You’re not being condescending and I can see why you think it’s strange that your compatriots value English so highly, if for you it was just the literature component.
There’s English language which studies the language and English lit that studies literature in the English language. Then you had ESOL, English as a second language that is for those who aren’t native speakers.
Maybe an unpopular opinion (I guess according to the article it literally is) but i think well-rounded religious education could do a lot to head off a lot of the bigotry we see aimed at non-majority religions, and may be the one of the only places kids are exposed to differing religious beliefs that don’t align with their home life (which I know was impactful for me personally)
A well rounded education of religions is important, but does it really need to be its own subject in the time table? Why not make it part of General Studies where personal finance and other life lessons are taught?
True, definitely different ways of incorporating it into curricula if most people agree it shouldn’t be a whole class
All religions are minority religions in the UK, 52% identify as having no religon.
Fair, I guess my intention with that phrasing was to say learning about each other’s religious beliefs (or lack thereof) can facilitate living side by side whether everyone around you thinks similarly, or if you find yourself in the minority as many non religious people did up until fairly recently
I’d prefer a don’t ask don’t tell policy for religion.
You and your sky daddy can’t do whatever you want in private but keep it in your pants.
I hope they follow the data. And that more countries, at least in the EU, will follow.
