The Maltese Church has published a consultative document on religious education in schools, aimed at preparing students holistically “by helping them to develop their personal identity and assisting them to live in a community in respect of others, by being morally and ethically responsible.”

Officials of the Secretariat for Catecheses said the document drew a distinction between religious education and parish catecheses.

“Central to religious education as proposed by the document, is students’ empowerment with a language that will potentially enable them to live fully and to face the challenges they encounter in their personal and social life,” the commission said.

The document also proposes to introduce students to the “beauty found in other faith traditions.”

The document calls for an increase in the number of religious education lessons on Church schools, the restructuring of religious counselling and the introduction of religious education support teachers in primary schools.

The document can be found on www.maltadiocese.org

It will be discussed at a national conference on June 12 ahead of the preparation of a national policy for approval by the bishops of Malta and Gozo.