France, June 16 -- French education minister Jean-Michel Blanquer is to introduce training for teachers andprincipals on the place of religion in schools after a new report revealed confusion and fear among teachers, exacerbated by the beheading of school teacher Samuel Paty in October 2020.

In February, the education minister commissioned a report from former schools inspector Jean-Pierre Obin, on how teachers and headteachers might be better equipped to handle the issue of secularity in schools in France.

Under French law, religion is not taught in the school curriculum of government-run schools, except as background knowledge where it is necessary to the understanding of other disciplines such as history or literature.

Staff and pup...