The Australian Education Union backs the idea of a general religion and ethics program to replace the Christian Religious Education system in place in many Ballarat schools.“The AEU does not support the inclusion of special religious instruction in school time, currently delivered by volunteers,” AEU branch president Mary Bluett said. “It is important that students gain an understanding and knowledge of the role religion has played throughout our history and its influence on human society.“As such, the AEU does support teaching about religions from a cultural and historical perspective, by qualified teachers.”Access Ministries provides the volunteers for most CRE programs, and this is the crux of the problem, according to the AEU. Chief executive of Access Ministries Evonne Paddison recently said that “we need to go and make disciples”.