National School Chaplaincy Program: Tasmania wants secular counsellors included in scheme
The Tasmanian Government is pushing the Commonwealth to include secular workers in its $250 million National School Chaplaincy Program (NSCP).
The Federal Government decided to fund the NSCP through the states and territories after a High Court ruling against funds being channelled directly to chaplaincy organisations.
The program allows funding to chaplains of any faith and while the Tasmanian Government agreed in principle to the deal, this week Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff said he would be trying to persuade the Commonwealth to include secular workers.
"We are continuing to negotiate the final agreement, particularly as it relates to secular workers, who we believe should be funded under this program as they were in the past," he said.
"A great many schools around Tasmania have had chaplains and secular workers for a number of years, and have come to value these individuals as members of their school communities.
"Not agreeing to administer this program would mean the chaplains and secular workers would no longer be funded to work in our schools and there are many school communities who feel they would be the poorer for it."
Under the program the chaplains are meant to provide counselling to students and are banned from proselytising their faith.
The federal Liberal MP for Bass, Andrew Nikolic, lauded the deal because it meant chaplains would continue to work in Tasmanian schools.
"I believe every school deserves our children to be receiving pastoral care, whether that's someone with a religious affiliation or someone with expert skills," he said.
"The schools I visit where chaplains operate tell me they're highly valued.
"They provide a wonderful service and I'm very pleased that will continue into the future."
