Madrid, Spain, Nov 8, 2006 / 22:00 pm
According to the Spanish daily, “La Razon,” one-third of the four thousand teachers that teach religion in public schools could lose their jobs if a new education law put forward by the Minister of Education is passed.
The proposed law, which would reduce the number of hours dedicated to religious instruction, would leave religion instructors with less time on the job and no opportunity to make up the hours in other subjects.
Teachers union leaders have expressed concern over the proposal, saying the reduction in the number of hours allotted for religious instruction would endanger the jobs of teachers. “Many would see their full-time days reduced to half-time, and they would be forced to assume the trouble of having to teach at additional schools in order to maintain a full-time work schedule,” union leaders said.
Many observers note that the real plan of the Spanish government is to implement the new subject, “Education for Citizenship,” as a secular alternative to traditional religious instruction.