SRI programs slashed
OF the schools providing access to extracurricular religious education through the United Jewish Education Board (UJEB), nearly a third have axed the program due to a slew of recent revisions to the Special Religious Instruction (SRI) framework.
OF the schools providing access to extracurricular religious education through the United Jewish Education Board (UJEB), nearly a third have axed the program due to a slew of recent revisions to the Special Religious Instruction (SRI) framework.
Twelve out of 37 schools offering UJEB programs have discontinued the service, among them Caulfield South Primary School, which terminated SRI and left 214 UJEB students without access to a Jewish education at the school.
Changes handed down by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development include the banning of student-led prayer groups; the option to axe religious programs if there are deemed to be insufficient resources; and parents needing to clearly “opt in” if they want their child attending religious programs.
But, according to UJEB president Yossi Goldfarb, the system is already being abused.
Goldfarb said parents at Caulfield South Primary School are reporting that they were not properly informed by schools of these administrative changes, in particular the need to opt in, which led to a response rate from parents of below 50 per cent in favour of SRI.
“We cannot help but feel that the implementation of the framework is being effected disingenuously and amounts to nothing other than a removal of SRI by stealth,” he said.
In another disturbing development, Brighton Primary School is understood to only be offering SRI to its Christian students, but will not provide Jewish education.
“On the face of it, Brighton’s decision seems blatantly discriminatory to Jewish students as well as to students from other non-Christian denominations.
“The recent changes have meant that many hundreds of children are being denied a Jewish education.”
Until the end of term 2 this year, UJEB, the government’s only accredited Jewish SRI provider, was teaching 1300 students across 37 schools.
“UJEB, as the Jewish community’s voice on this issue is, to put it mildly, alarmed by the latest developments.”
ADAM BLAU
Caulfield Junior College students (from left) Sienna Brittain, Sofia Micmacher and Jarod Prins taking part in a UJEB model seder.
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