WASHINGTON - Hindus want that faith schools in England should provide well-balanced education about religions, educating pupils about all major religions.

Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that since today’s schoolchildren were tomorrow’s leaders, they wanted these kids to grow-up as well balanced and nurtured citizens of tomorrow without any biases, stereotypes and caricatures.

Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, said that since these schools received state funding, the religious schools should be open to all interested; these should teach the basics of other religions also besides the patron faith; and these should intake more socio-economically disadvantaged children.

Rajan Zed argued that these schools should change their focus from, as many critics say, covert social selection to achieve superior academic and other performance. Historically, such schools were launched to provide free education to those who could not afford.

Zed pointed out that an independent body should be established to regulate their admission processes as many schools were blamed of “backdoor selection” and “cream skimming”.

According to reports, there are about 4,657 Church of England schools, 2,053 Roman Catholic, 82 other Christian, 36 Jewish, eight Muslim, two Sikh, and one Hindu schools in England.(ANI)