The party's leader Valdemar Tomasevski said at a news conference at the parliament on Thursday that the initial proposal contained „a certain technical error,“ as indeed it implied the teaching of religion.
„Our parliamentarians will make certain changes and register a draft on mandatory teaching of religions in schools. Religion is a broad concept, the classes will teach about the Christian religions dominating in Lithuania and provide basic teaching of other religions, particularly, monotheistic, Judaism and Islam,“ Tomasevski said.
Currently, students under the age of 14 have the subject of moral education – religion or ethics – chosen by their parents, they choose the subject themselves after turning 14. Should the EAPL-proposed amendments be adopted, only students over the age of 14 would be able to choose the subject.
According to the Lithuanian Constitution, „freedom of thought, conscience and religion shall not be restricted,“ while „state and municipal establishments of teaching and education shall be secular.“ Furthermore, “parents and guardians shall, without restrictions, take care of the religious and moral education of their children and wards according to their own convictions,” reads the country's Organic law.
