FAITH schools should teach pupils about other religions as well as their own, leaders of the major faiths said in a statement today.

Religious leaders have signed a declaration backing the teaching of not only their own religion but an awareness of the "tenets" of other faiths in schools.

The signatories to the agreement include the Church of England, the Roman Catholic Church, the Muslim Council of Britain, the Board of Deputies of British Jews and Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist organisations.

The joint statement with the Department for Education and Skills says that religious education enables pupils to "combat prejudice" and helps pupils to develop respect and sensitivity to others.

The agreement commits faith schools to using the non-statutory National Framework for Religious Education, drawn up in 2004, which encourages the teaching of the tenets of the five major religions.

"We believe that schools with a religious designation should teach not only their own faith but also an awareness of the tenets of other faiths," the statement said.

"We are fully committed to using the framework in developing the religious education curriculum for our schools and colleges."

Many religious schools already teach about faiths other than their own, but there is no legal requirement for them to do so.

The statement released today says religious education offers "opportunities for personal reflection and spiritual development".

It encourages pupils to develop their sense of identity and belonging and enables them to "flourish individually within their communities and as citizens in a pluralistic society and global community", they said.

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