All Churches, as well as organisations such as the Humanist Association, should be invited to a conference on the future of religious education. Mr Norman St JohnStevas, MP, said last week, Kr St John-Stevas, Conservative spokesman on education, told a meeting at Streetly, Staffordshire, that "parents are deeply concerned not only about standards of learning in
our schools but also about the religious and moral education their children are receiving.
While some argued that religious education ought to be dropped altogether, he said, he believed most parents wanted it to continue and their children to have the opportunity of praying together.
He said he would like to see the Churches in Northern Ireland also trying to find some way to educate children of different Churches 'together.
There was widespread confusion as to what the words "religious instruction" in the Education Acts meant, and the time had come for a new initiative. forging a constructive partnership between parents and teachers, religious and social workers.
A conference would answer questions about the place of religious education in society and how best parenti and children might be helped to bring up their children in a decent and moral manner.