Queensland state schools embrace the wide array of cultural, religious and non-religious beliefs held within our state school communities, and do not promote any one set of beliefs in preference to another.
Queensland state schools provide for religious instruction (RI) in accordance with Chapter 5 of the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 (EGPA) and Part 5 of the Education (General Provisions) Regulation 2017 (EGPR).
Under the EGPA, schools are to schedule the delivery of RI programs by approved representatives of faith groups seeking to provide RI if students of that faith attend the school.
State schools make available up to 1 hour per week for the provision of RI by faith groups that have principal approval to deliver religious instruction at the school to students (Years 1–12).
Participation in RI is not compulsory. Any student (except Prep students) may participate in RI if a parent has provided written consent to the school.
Students are allocated to RI based on information provided by parents on the completed application for student enrolment unless another form of written consent has been provided to the school.
Students not participating in RI are provided with other instruction in a separate supervised location.
Establishing a religious instruction program
In accordance with the EGPA and EGPR, religious leaders who wish to provide religious instruction to students of their faith group apply to the principal in writing to establish a single (1 faith group only) or cooperative arrangement (more than 1 faith group working together).
Principals consider these applications and, if there are students of that faith group at the school, approve the religious leader or accredited representatives to be religious instructors at their school.
All students (except Prep students) are placed in either religious instruction or other instruction in accordance with information provided on their application for student enrolment, unless parents have provided other written instructions.
Students are allocated to the specific RI program for which their parents have provided explicit consent. Subsequently, parents can change their consent decision by submitting the information and consent form—religious instruction and other instruction or by writing to the school. A parent's existing consent for participation in RI remains in effect until the school is notified of a change to consent.
The year level in which RI is first offered varies between schools, with Year 1 typically being the first year. Principals should provide information on all available RI options at their schools to all parents of students entering the first year in which RI becomes available. This information should be provided at the beginning of the school year.
Principals may wish to review the Queensland Multi-Faiths RI network website for more information on faith groups and the RI they deliver.
Delivering a religious instruction program
In accordance with the EGPR, religious leaders approve the RI program to be used by their accredited representatives.
Religious leaders are responsible for the quality of their RI program and are required to screen their accredited representatives, provide them with ongoing support and training, and ensure they are delivering only the authorised program.
The religious leader (or leaders in a cooperative arrangement) nominates a religious instruction coordinator to manage and monitor the religious instructors and the delivery of the authorised program in a school.
All religious instructors are required to have a current blue card, maintain accreditation with their faith group, and deliver only the authorised program of that faith group.
All religious instructors are required to complete student protection and code of conduct training.
The religious instructor is required to follow the advice and directives of the principal while on school premises.
Faith group publications used for religious instruction are not to be accessible to other students and are to be securely stored or removed from the school premises at the completion of RI.
The delivery of RI programs must be consistent with legislation and Department of Education policies and procedures.
Withdrawing students who are attending religious instruction
Parents may withdraw their child from religious instruction at any time by notifying the principal in writing.
Forms
Supporting documents