I LEARNT another lesson the other day, while staying with the Army's educators.

Sitting in the Officer's Mess after a lovely three-course meal, I engaged in conversation with several teachers interested in swapping their suits for camouflage.

The debate of faith schools came up, and while it's something that I have ranted on about in the past few months, it's about time it was brought to the fore again.

I'm of the opinion that kids should be taught together. In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks it can only be a good thing that children of different faiths learn to tolerate one another.

A school in Birmingham has also supported that view and has now been named an international school.

With children from more than 40 countries on its register, it's obvious it was international before being rubber-stamped as such.

But while this approach can be applauded for promoting multi-culturalism, there is a call for more faith schools.

One teacher told me she felt there should be more faith schools, instead catering for Islam.

Why shouldn't Muslim children be taught together when we have plenty of Catholic and Church of England schools? was her argument.

She teaches in a school in London, where there is a higher percentage of Muslims, Hindus and every other "ethnic" religion than there is in Worcestershire.

I have to say I had no comeback from that - surprisingly but I still feel that we should be pulling down these barriers.

The same teacher also said she thought the Government was in favour of more faith schools because it meant funding came from other sources. How cynical, but true.

The idea of teaching children of one race/religion/colour together is surely abhorrent and will do nothing to promote harmony.

But one lesson that I learnt is that some Governments are doing all they can to prevent this.

In Dusseldorf, Germany, there is a large Turkish community.

Children are taught in classes where there has to be a certain percentage of each race. Therefore no classroom is purely German or Turkish.

This is to try and stop Turkish ghettos springing up in Dusseldorf, said one aspiring Officer.

It's different from what has happened in London where you see Asian ghettos. The German Government is really trying to promote multi-culturalism.

Who said you can't learn anything on a few days off?