8th April 2015 9:00
By Blue Tutors
A new campaign has been launched to encourage more graduates to teach Religious Studies. The Religious Education Council of England and Wales (REC) is funding the campaign which offers financial incentives for graduates to go into RE teaching. The organisation offers graduates up to £9,000 to cover the cost of training, and is raising awareness of the bursaries by targeting potential RE teachers. RE has become an increasingly popular choice at GCSE level, with entries up by 19% in three years.
The REC has announced plans to fund more than 800 RE teacher training places from beginning this year. Teachers with a place who have first class degrees will be awarded £9,000 bursaries towards their education, and those with upper second class degrees will receive bursaries of £4,000 per year. The REC has said that there is a growing need for specialist Religious Education teachers which they are hoping to meet with the initiative. Chief executive Rudolf Elliot Lockhart said that increasing religious literacy is becoming a vital part of today’s society, frequently becoming the centre of issues in politics and the media.
The move comes after an increase in religious controversy in education, media and politics, highlighting a need to increase awareness and understanding amongst a new generation of students. Concerns over radicalisation in schools, in addition to a rise in religious intolerance have led to calls for better religious education to help students make sense of the society in which they live. Announcing the bursary scheme, the REC said that careers in RE were one of the most rewarding in teaching. In a statement they went on to say that they would target graduates by emphasising that RE teaching is a “rewarding and intellectually stimulating” career which allows people to address life’s big questions.