Pupils’ views on the relationship between studying RE and CE

Majority of pupils in Muslim and state schools thought that studying Islam or any other religion was akin to studying citizenship because they both teach similar things.

Table 10: Pupil’s perceptions in Muslim and state schools on the relationship between Islamic Studies or Religious Studies and Citizenship

Response Pupils in MS Pupils in SS Total MS-Pupils Percentage SS-Pupils Percentage Both schools Percentage Yes 138 53 191 _{78.4% 47.7%} 66.6% No 28 45 73 _{15.9% 40.5%} 25.4% Blank 10 11 21 _{5.7% 9.9%} 7.3%

Responses to question number 12 (in Muslim schools): Do you think there is a relationship between Islamic Studies and Citizenship? (In state schools) Question number 14: Do you think there is a relationship between RE and Citizenship?

Chi-square (3d.f.) 30.69, p=.000, Cramer's V=0.33

Table 10 above shows that the majority of pupils in Muslim schools 78.4 per cent observe that studying Islam is similar to studying citizenship, while a minority of pupils in state schools 47.7 per cent have the same view on the relation between Religious Education and citizenship. These differences are statistically significant. Among those in state schools 14.4 per cent were Muslim pupils and of those with a non-Muslim religious identity 33.3 per cent are non-Muslims.

The following is the analysis of some of the reasons why pupils consider there to be link between Islamic Studies and citizenship.

According to the majority of pupils in Muslim schools there are similarities between the study of citizenship and Islamic Studies in Muslim schools. Pupils referred to this relationship with respect to the content of both subjects and the consideration that both subjects teach the same topics in many cases.

Islamic Studies and citizenship, according to 35 per cent from the pupils in Muslim schools, both teach you to be an upright citizen and to abide by the laws of the country you live in. One of the questioned pupils said: “Yes, there is a link between Islamic Studies and citizenship, because both teaching you how to be good citizen”. Another stated that “Islamic Studies teaches you how to be a good citizen and how to abide by the law and rules. In citizenship we do the same topics”.

According to 31 per cent of pupils in Muslim schools, both Islamic Studies and citizenship are teaching them the same values i.e. morals and the manners which one should demonstrate having respect for others, helping people and displaying a good character. One of the pupils stated in the questionnaire that Islamic Studies and citizenship both: “teaches you morals, respect, and how to abide by the law and rules”. 15 per cent of Muslim pupils have also mentioned that these two subjects assist in understanding your rights and responsibilities besides helping to understand women’s rights. A pupil said in the questionnaire: “Islamic Studies and citizenship are similar in the way they help. They both help me understand my rights and responsibilities”. Pupils also highlighted the fact that both subjects teach them about essential issues such as sex education, health and safety issues.

According to Muslim pupils (13 per cent in the sample)[put in brackets here], one of the similarities between studying citizenship and Islamic studies is that both are teaching a variety of social issues such as parenting, raising children, social harmony and socialising with others. One of the questioned pupils stated that both subjects are about: “parenting, socialising, equality, social harmony, bringing up children and duties”. Another Muslim pupil stated:

Yes, in Islamic studies, we study aspects such as social harmony, racial harmony and the advantages of living in a multi-faith society. Definitely, this goes with the subject of citizenship.

Moreover, Muslim pupils (10 per cent) refer to the connection between Islamic Studies and citizenship due to the fact that both subjects instruct teaching pupils about equality between different peoples in society, and that they promote respect for other religions as well as teaching pupils tolerance. A pupil said:

I think both subjects are similar to some extent, because Islamic Studies teaches us about racial harmony, tolerance, equality, respecting others in the wider society and this is what citizenship is a bout.

The minority of pupils in state schools (47.7 per cent) observe that there is a relation between Religious Education and the study of citizenship. The questionnaire revealed the following:

Pupils in state schools also referred to the fact that they study the same things at times from different angles. Pupils highlighted culture as one of the issues they study in citizenship and Religious Education. They mentioned, too, that another topic is the community. One stated:

Yes, because we do similar topics in both subjects. For example, we study about different cultures in society, and the nature of the community we live in.

In addition, both are about accepting that in order to be members of society, one needs to care for other members. A pupil remarked:

Both of them are talking about the multi-faith society and how to get on with each other.

Another said:

Yes, because both religion and citizenship tell you to care for each other and to care about the environment and society

There is no relation between Islamic Studies and citizenship

A number of the pupils in both Muslim and state schools (25.4 per cent) stated that there is no relation between the two subjects. Those from state schools at 40.5 per cent were greater in proportion than those from Muslim schools at 15.9 per cent. In their responses,

pupils in Muslim schools referred to the content of both subjects and to a number of general issues.

On the whole, they stated that these are two completely separate subjects in terms of content. Pupils tried to differentiate between these two subjects to justify their answers and reached different conclusions. One Muslim pupil claimed that,

I think that there is no link between them, because Islamic Studies is about Islam and religion in general while citizenship is about the law in the United Kingdom.

Another pupil observed:

There is a big difference between these two subjects because Islamic Studies is about the Islamic law, whereas citizenship is about the secular law in the United Kingdom.

Pupils in state schools who said that there is no relationship between Religious Education and citizenship cited the content of the two subjects as explanation for this stance.

The majority of the pupils, in state schools, who stated that there is no relation between RE and CE, did not offer any reason for their answers. However, for the remainder of the pupils made it clear that the content of what they study in RE in schools does not correspond to the content of citizenship. For example, many pupils stated that they are learning different things in these two subjects. A pupil stated in the questionnaire: “No, because I think Religious Education is about religion and citizenship is not”. Another said: “No, simply because we learn different things in these two different subjects”. The same feelings were vented by others, “No, to me they are totally different topics”. One pupil said that one of the reasons he considered these two subjects are different is: "Citizenship is about careers and jobs. In RE we don’t touch such topics".