Queensland state schools embrace a multitude of cultural, religious and non-religious beliefs and encourage students to grow and develop as a whole person, in particular, in beliefs, values and attitudes. State schools respect the background and beliefs of all students and staff by not promoting, or being perceived as promoting, any particular set of beliefs in preference to another.
Queensland state schools provide religious instruction in accordance with Chapter 5 of the
Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 (EGPA) and Part 5 of the
Education (General Provisions) Regulation 2017 (EGPR) by making available up to one hour per week for the provision of
religious instruction to students (except Prep students) who are members of a
faith group that has approval to deliver religious instruction at the school.
Establishing a religious instruction program
In accordance with s.76 EGPA and s.26 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 (one faith group only) or
cooperative arrangement (more than one faith group working together).
Principals consider the applications from faith groups and, if there are students of that faith group at the school,
approve the minister of religion 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.
Delivering a religious instruction program
In accordance with s.28 EGPR, religious leaders approve the program of religious instruction to be used by their accredited representatives as religious instructors. The religious leaders are responsible for the quality of the religious instruction program that is to be delivered in schools 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.
Religious instructors are required to maintain accreditation with their faith group, have a current and valid
Blue Card and deliver only the authorised program of the faith group.
As part of school-based induction, religious instructors are required to complete
Student Protection and
Code of Conduct training.
As defined in s.31 and s.32 EGPR, principals register the attendance dates and times of the religious instructors who attend the school and ensure religious instruction and
other instruction are not conducted in the same classroom.
Faith group publications used for religious instruction are not to be accessible for other students and are to be securely stored or removed from the school premises at the completion of religious instruction.
The religious instructor is required to follow the advice and directives of the principal while on school premises.
Withdrawing students who are attending religious instruction
In accordance with s.76 EGPA parents may withdraw their child from all religious instruction by notifying the principal in writing.
Forms
Supporting documents