THE group representing parents in Victorian state schools has joined teachers in calling for controversial religious instruction classes to be scrapped during school hours.

Parents Victoria yesterday passed a motion at its annual general meeting calling for the religion classes to be moved outside the normal school day.

Illustration: Tandberg.

The Education Department forces primary schools to run the classes during school time if an accredited instructor is available.

About 96 per cent of special religious instruction in Victoria is provided by Christian organisation Access Ministries, whose volunteers run the classes in 850 of the state's 1300 government primary schools.