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Home > Basic Education Act (628/1998). Sections 13 and 46(3)


Basic Education Act (628/1998)

Extracts

Section 13 - Religious education and ethics (amended by 454/2003)
1. The provider of basic education shall provide religious education in accordance with the religion of the majority of pupils. In this case, religious education is arranged in conformity with the religious community to which the majority of pupils belong. A pupil who does not belong to this religious community may attend the said religious education after the provider of basic education has been notified of the matter by the parent/carer.
2. Three or more pupils belonging to the Evangelical-Lutheran Church or the Orthodox Church who do not participate in religious education referred to in subsection 1 shall be provided education in accordance with their own religion.
3. Three or more pupils belonging to a religious community other than those referred to in subsection 2 who do not participate in religious education referred to in subsection 1 shall be provided religious education in accordance with their own religion, if their parents/carers so request.
4. If a pupil belongs to more than one religious community, the pupil’s parent/carer shall decide in which religious education the pupil will participate.
5. Pupils who do not belong to any religious community and do not take part in religious education referred to in subsection 1 shall be taught ethics. A pupil belonging to a religious community who is not provided religious education in accordance with his or her religion shall be taught ethics when requested by his or her parent/carer. The provider of basic education shall organise ethics education if there are at least three pupils entitled to it.
6. A pupil who does not belong to any religious community may, at the request of his or her parent/carer, also participate in religious education provided by the provider of basic education which, in view of his or her upbringing and cultural background, evidently corresponds to his or her religious beliefs.

Section 46 - Education for persons other than pupils of compulsory school age
(…)
3. Education referred to in subsections 1 and 2 may deviate from the provisions of Sections 11 and 13 to an extent determined in the core curriculum. A student over 18 years of age shall be taught either religious education or ethics according to his or her choice.
(…)

(Source : finlex.fi)