Reflecting on the role of religious education in the Maltese curriculum

Abstract

The aim of this study is to provide a reflection on the role of Religious Education in the Maltese Curriculum and how the introduction of Ethics can displace Religious Education position in the school context. A qualitative approach was adopted to gather data from participants. The participants mentioned are seven heads of schools, chosen from the State and Church secondary schools. Data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews which were audio recorded. All the data gathered was then analysed. Results indicated that the majority of participants agreed that Religious Education can help in building the characters of the students on good values and become better persons. Therefore, Religion as a subject provides an opportunity for the students to discuss personal and spiritual issues and given guidance in how to live with their life’s concerns. All of the participants were concerned that Malta is becoming more pluralistic and is having more mixing of cultures. As a result it was vital for Ethics to be introduced in state schools for students who decided to opt from Religious Education.