THE Christian group that teaches the controversial religious education program in Victorian government schools has announced a five-year ''mission'' to extend its reach into independent schools.

Access Ministries chief executive Evonne Paddison said more and more parents were choosing to send their children to independent schools.

Access Ministries chief executive Evonne Paddison.

''We feel we have a mandate to work with all children in Victoria. Those poor independent schoolchildren - I don't want them to miss out,'' Dr Paddison told a meeting called to celebrate Christian religious education in schools in the face of a ''concerted attack'' on Access Ministries.

''In the next five years Access Ministries … will become the peak provider of CRE (Christian religious education) in independent schools, not just in state schools.''