75 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION, GENDER AND EQUALITY

Dr Caroline Reneha Mater dei Institute of Education, Dublin City University

Introduction Gender, Education and Religious Education There can be no serious discussion about gender pertaining to any society, or any debate either in education or religious education, without some prior reference to gender equality. In the Republic of Ireland, policies of social equality have become increasingly inportant. They have touched on virtually every aspect of life in Ireland at personal, economic, political and educational levels. The need to ensure gender equalitythroughout the education system was highlighted in the (Republic of Irlands) Department of Education and Sciences (DES) Green Paper on education as one of the requirements to whhich the Irish educational system must adapt (Green Paper, 1992, p.9). The White Paper on education (DES, 1995,pp.7,43) includes equality asone of the educational principles in its philosophical rationale. It viewa, equality as on of the overall aims of second level education and makes specific reference to gender in the realm of the equality. In the Education Act (DES,1998, pars. 12, 19) equality of access to and participation in education, is one of its main objektives. It states that one of the functions of a school is, to promote equality of opportunity for both male and famale students and staff. Gender barries were also acknowledged by the government White Paper on AdultEducation (DES, 200, par. 13) as, hindering the emergence of a fully inclusive and cohesive society. Here again, equality with particular reference to gender was included as one of its core principles. So how far have we moved in Ireland in terms of raising the level of awareness of geder equality that partains to the teching of relegious education ? The introduction of the States Leaving Certificate Religious Education Syllabus (DES, 2003) addresses gender equality in relation to the teaching of religion at secondary level. This new syllabus, for senior cycle pupils, includes a section entitled, religion and gender. This section reflects the current realities on gender matters and attempts to counter gender inequalities in society and in religion. This is evident from its stated aims, which are as follows : 1. To develop a knowledge and understanding of the role of gender in religious experience and tradition.

2. To explore the relationship between gender roles in societies and religions, in particular the Christian traditions. 3. To develop an awareness of the particular contibution of women to the development of relegious traditions.