'˜No political will' to Â end Catholic schools

Barbara Coupar, the new head of the Scottish Catholic Education Service. Picture: The Scottish Catholic Education Service

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THERE is no 'political will' to question the value of the 366 Catholic schools in Scotland, according to the church's new head of religious education.

Barbara Coupar, the new head of the Scottish Catholic Education Service (SCES), also claimed Catholic schools should be a place “for children to become friends with Jesus”.

Faith is at the heart of Catholic schools

Ms Coupar, who took over the job with the Scottish Catholic Church last month, said the place of the schools was secure and there was no need to be “defensive”.

But her comments were criticised by the Humanist Society, who claimed they were evidence of the ongoing discrimination at work in faith schools.

Ms Coupar said: “I’m certainly getting the impression that there’s no political will among the mainstream to question the worth of Catholic schools – everybody sees the value of them. Catholic schools should be centred on an opportunity for children to become friends with Jesus.”

She stressed that this should not exclude pupils of other faiths or none.

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