26-09-16  Nikos Filis calls for church-state cooperation amid religion class disagreement

“It is the steadfast aim of our government to have a dialogue and cooperation, in a spirit of unity of society, between the State and the Church, so as to address the great contemporary problems - with a forward-looking gaze and without ideological disputes about the past.

My references to historical issues in an interview of mine, which were magnified by certain mass media, do not undermine our stable orientation toward State-Church cooperation.

More specifically, regarding the course in religious education, the new Programmes - which were the mature product of a very lengthy dialogue between theologians and educators, with the participation of representatives of the Church, and of a three year pilot implementation -  will be the object of teaching and evaluation by the Institute of Educational Policy during the current school year, in accordance with standard pedagogical methodology.

The debate the day after tomorrow in Parliament is an opportunity to place Education at the forefront of public dialogue without prejudices, but with the cognizance that despite disagreements, a common ground can be found.”