Policy

The Religious Education policy for Catholic Schools in South Africa, Fostering Hope, is endorsed by the South African Catholic Bishops' Conference. It was reviewed in 2005 in order to reflect changes in public policy since its launch in 1997. This policy assists schools to promote the Catholic ethos, and to ensure clear and practical programmes both within the formal curriculum and the general life of the school.

Several current government policies, most notably Religion and Education (2003), and the National Curriculum Statements (Gr R-9) and (Gr 10-12) affect Religious Education in Catholic schools. Schools are required to develop and apply these policies together with Fostering Hope in such a way that harmony is achieved between them.

Public schools on private property have the right and responsibility, along with independent Catholic schools, to offer a formal Religious Education programme according to the broad Catholic approach. This requirement is set out in the Distinctive Religious Character Schedule of the Deeds of Agreement for public schools on private property.

In practice, the harmonious implementation of Fostering Hope together with the requirements of the National Curriculum calls for creative planning and timetabling. To see the implications for religious Education that arise from the new Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS), click here.

Religious Education policies for Catholic Schools:

• Fostering Hope (2005)
• Religion and Education (2003) - Religion and education guide for Catholic Schools
• Deeds of Agreement - A guide to developing policy for Religious Education in the Catholic School
• Rights and Responsibilities

 

Ethos

• Salt and Sunshine is a paper looking at the ethos and identity of a Catholic school.
   

Guidelines for Induction to the Catholic School

Download Guidelines for the Induction of New Teachers to the Catholic School

Download Guidelines for the Induction of New Principals to the Catholic School
 

Validation of Religious Education

 In order to strengthen a sense of accountability for Religious Education, CaSPA requests that, beginning in 2012, schools be open to a validation process, based on Signs of God’s Presence, through which they supply evidence of the various aspects of the school’s practice of Religious Education to a validator mandated by the school’s owner. This would happen once every three years in a particular school using the attached instrument.

For further information, go to  http://www.cie.org.za/news/entry/validation_of_religious_education/