The Education Ministry in Romania is expected to discuss with education trade unions starting Wednesday a proposal to introduce religion as a compulsory class in Romanian schools, terms 1-10. The move comes as the introduction of religious education has been pushed for by all confesions officially recognized in Romania.

According to the head of the Undergraduate Education department of the Ministry, Megdonia Paunescu, the Education Ministry will establish this week whether religion will become part of the school curricula as a compulsory class of or not.

Paunescu said the reason for which such a provision was not introduced in the newly drafted undergraduate education law was that it was subject of strong opinions, both supported and against it.

She said the proposal was elaborated at the recommendation of all religious cults officially recognized in Romania.

Religious education is non-compulsory but present in Romanian schools already as students can opt whether to study such classes. Those who don’t are studying the history of religions.