Religious Schools
Religious belief and indoctrination should not be lumped in with basic education.
It should be removed from schools and regarded as a completely separate entity.
It is a sad fact that religion has caused an abundance of serious problems on this planet. It divides humanity right throughout society and right across the globe because it is conflicting and out of tune with itself and with God. If it wasn't, it would all be saying the same thing.
It is another sad fact that religion divides people and stirs up rivalry, at times bordering on hatred. I think it fair to say that, on the whole, when it comes to religion, up until now, mankind has, at worst, completely lost the plot, and at best, completely missed the point.
Human beings are generally born the same. It is not until they are loaded with sofware, that is educated and indoctrinated, that they will turn out to be what they will be. It is unhealthy for people to become polarised and led to believe they are different, when in fact they are not.
Religion should not be force-fed to any young children just because they attend a particular school. A non-biased, unpolarised education should be paramount and should be about teaching the appropriate things. It should not be conditionally tied to any faith or religion
Normal people should not have to lie and pretend they are something they are not in order to get their children into a local school because it is a religious school and is the only local option. Entry to any school should not be dependent on a particular unsubstantiated faith or belief.
Religion as we currently know it is a confused relic from our past. This confusion has done significant damage in its time and it is still causing significant problems today. Any form of ancient religious indoctrination should not be confused with a modern day education.
Moral Education
The introduction of moral education in schools will help children understand the importance of being trustworthy and being able to tell the truth. It will also help children understand the importance of caring, sharing and being considerate, both of others and the world around us.
Learning to be trustworthy and developing appreciation and respect is not the province of religion, it is simply common decency. The introduction of moral education to children at a young age will give them a much better chance of growing into decent human beings. It will also help to reduce crime and disorder in society, making them aware that it is not nice to be a victim, or to create victims.
Mankind on Earth badly needs a programming upgrade of his moral framework. Teaching the importance of a basic understanding of this in schools will definitely help towards this end. All too often, the old-hat established religions take people in the opposite direction. Not helpful!