A CONTROVERSIAL ethics program will begin its trial run in the classroom when students return from school holidays next week.
Year 5 and 6 pupils from Hurstville Public School will join nine other NSW primary schools to test the new 10-week course.
The ethics-based course aims to give children who opt out of scripture classes a secular option and will cover topics including respect, bullying, animal rights and questions about life and death.
Approved by the state government last November, it was designed by a philosophy professor from the University of NSW and is jointly organised by St James Ethics Centre and the Federation of Parents and Citizens' Association of NSW.
Present education policy prohibits non-scripture students from any formal learning during scripture time.
Executive director of the St James Ethics Centre, Simon Longstaff, said the policy reflected a 19th century agreement between church and the state and was in need of reform.
"Society is changing and in some schools anywhere from 50 to 80 per cent of students elect not to go to scripture and sit idle during this time ... wasting time, watching videos, colouring-in or doing their homework instead,'' Dr Longstaff said.
"We hope the pilot, which will be independently evaluated, will be a stepping-stone to change current policy to give all children an opportunity to do something meaningful during this time (such as) learning about moral dilemmas life can throw up at them.''
Volunteers, including parents and teachers, participated in a two-day training course last term in preparation for the trial
Catholic Church representatives, who have been in talks with the Department of Education and Training about the course, said the ethics classes could jeopardise the future of religious education in schools if adopted permanently.
St George's Anglican Church, Hursvtille, minister Allan Beaven, said he has concerns about the content of the course and questions the way it had been introduced.
"My concern is the Minister for Education had given assurance the course would be offered only to children whose parents had not nominated their child to attend special religious education,'' Mr Beaven said.
"That is now not the case. Also, many of the classroom teachers teach ethical content every day.
"(But), if an additional ethics course is so necessary and important, then it should be one which has a had wider input than from just one ethical brand and can be made available at a time when all children can participate, not just those whose parents have chosen ethics over religious education.''
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