There was a picture of a man and a woman standing by a crib with farm animals standing around. Candidates were instructed: “Name the two people in the crib scene.” Critics said the question was “pathetic” and more appropriate to six-year-olds than GCSE candidates and that it was alarming evidence of how even the basics of Christianity were no longer assumed to be general knowledge.
After being asked to identify Joseph and Mary, those taking the paper set by AQA, the examinations board, had to “explain briefly why Christmas is an important festival for Christians”.
Nick Seaton, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, said: “It is a pathetically easy question for a GCSE exam, it would be more suitable for primary school age children. Simple facts like this should be general knowledge, they should not be part of a GCSE exam for 16-year-olds.” He added: “This business of trying to teach all the major religions without emphasising Christianity, which is part of the culture, just means that serious knowledge of the subject has been completely lost.”
12 comments:
I am in complete agreement with the statement that things like this should be general knowledge. Any European adult who doesn't know even the most basic aspects of the Jesus story and the Bible should feel embarrassed, it is such a huge part of the history and culture of our continent.
I don't think it's a stupid question, I don't think it is an appropriate one.
If a picture of a scene taken from, for the sake of argument, Hindu was presented to me and I was asked to tell some fact about it, I wouldn't have the foggiest, I mean, I wouldn't know one Hindu deity from another. Why should the non-christian students taking these exams be any different, so if you want to ensure that the students have some basic knowledge of christian myth and legend then this seems like a pretty good place to start.
Now, if this line of questionining should even be followed however is a different matter all togethor. It would depend on the the subject I guess, I assume it would be something like "Social Studies", and frankly, I would far prefer that the candidates were given an (probably internal) assessment based around a major religion of their choice, certainly that is how we did it at highschool here in NZ when I was there, quite some years ago now.
The idea is surely not to be "do you know about christianity" but "have you studied and understood how [a] religion affects society".
I totally agree. Just focusing on Christianity is ridiculous.
What James and monkey_town said...
...and also, this question is horribly biased in favour of kids with a Christian background.
There is a difference between christianity and hinduism in this context. A UK student may very well have their own backround and culture in hinduism, but the society they live in, the country has a history and culture that simply cannot be separated from the christian religion. To not know the answer to this question should be shameful, as well as the need to ask such a simple question. I strongly disagree with your opinion that this was inappropriate.
I agree with you insolitus, for the better or worst, it is cultural question , simple as that. If i went to india, there students would be expected to know about hindu holidays and if i went to saudi arabia i would expect them to know about there holidays….Perhaps this question is a sign of falling standards of our exams
Everyone is right…this question is unfair to the christians over the non christians….that didn't study for the exam . Might i point out to everyone that this was a 'religious studies exam' and the last time i check, christianity was considered a religion . so i don't see why everyone is complain about a question based on a christianity (a religion ) popping up, thought i agree with insolitus that its not challenging enough for a 16 year old. The only conclusion i can come to for peoples response is either they didn't read the article or they are being prejudice.
Where's the picture of Mohammed for kids to identify? Equal time!
<span>Ridiculous, what kid wouldn’t know its Adam and Eve !</span>
E, there must've been a sudden change in temperature in the basement just now. :-P
You're right. I didn't notice that it was an actual religious studies exam. If that's the case, then it's ridiculously simple.
I wonder what they actually learn in that religious studies class...
lol, When you are right, your are right ;)
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