New regulations were introduced in Parliament this week, making it compulsory for all post-primary schools in Northern Ireland to teach pupils about access to abortion and prevention of early pregnancy.

According to the Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, the Executive Formation Act, which previously introduced new laws on abortion in Northern Ireland, also required him to implement recommendations on RSE contained in the CEDAW report. He stated on Tuesday:

Mr Heaton-Harris said that would give six months for “meaningful engagement with teachers, parents and young people” about the changes, adding that parents can withdraw their children “from education on sexual and reproductive health and rights, or elements of that education”.

Until now, individual schools in Northern Ireland have decided how to teach sex education. Changes to the RSE curriculum will come into effect from 1 July, the Department of Education must issue guidance to schools by 1 January 2024 on what they are required to teach.

Stormont’s Department of Education commented:

Dr John Kirkpatrick, the moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, said the NI Secretary was trying to “impose a particular worldview on the education of children in Northern Ireland".

The Catholic Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown also expressed concern that schools might be criminalised for not following the legislation.

Bishop McKeown added that Mr Heaton-Harris should have engaged "with all parties in Northern Ireland, not just with CEDAW coming from New York" and that the changes to the curriculum are based on a "new ideology that says: 'This is the right way to do it, that we must worship on the altar of human rights and everything else must be sacrificed in the service of that.'"

Rebecca Stevenson, Policy Officer at CARE, raised concerns about the new measures and the UK Government’s approach. She commented:

“It’s saddening to see yet more Westminster overreach into NI and particularly regarding education on sex and relationships, and abortion. Education is a devolved area, and there are important cultural and religious considerations that make the existing settlement preferable.

“At CARE NI we recognise the need to educate and equip young people for the real world, and schools already do an excellent job. The need for this new, imposed curriculum teaching has not been evidenced and key stakeholders have not been consulted.

“We urge the government to ensure that there is a clear, unilateral right of withdrawal from new curriculum teaching. Christian parents, and others in NI, who have a conscientious objection to aspects of the curriculum must be free to withdraw their children from lessons.

“The right of teachers who have a Christian faith must also be respected. At present, schools cannot compel a member of staff to take part in lessons that they conscientiously object to. This may be an issue in lessons on abortion, and teachers in this category must be accommodated.

“We share the concerns of those in the Catholic Maintained sector that these regulations could criminalise teachers and schools aligned to views that are different to the government-imposed curriculum. The Secretary of State must proceed with caution.

“We question the UK Government’s view that teaching can be done in an entirely neutral way. Its approach seems designed to achieve a cultural imposition - the enshrinement of a particular worldview and set of ideas favoured by Whitehall elites.

“The people of Northern Ireland deserve more respect for their own traditions, culture and religious beliefs and should be left to make their own decisions on sensitive issues.”