Venezuela bans religious instruction in public, private schools

August 26, 2009

A clause in recently-passed Venezuelan education legislation backed by President Hugo Chávez has banned religious instruction in all private and public schools. “We’ll see how we will manage to carry forward education,” said Cardinal Jorge Liberato Urosa Savino of Caracas. “We are going to ask God to help all Catholics, principally those educational institutions belonging to the Church and community parishes.”

Cardinal Urosa described the manner in which the law was passed as unconstitutional and urged Venezuelans to work for a national referendum to repeal the law.

 

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Further information:

• Venezuelan cardinal says new law removes religious ed from schools (CNS
• Cardinal calls for referendum after Chavez govt. boots religion classes (CNA)