The High Court in Johannesburg declared on Wednesday that it offends the Schools Act for a public school to promote only one religion to the exclusion of others.

However‚ the court refused to declare that the religious policy of six public schools‚ four in Gauteng and two in the Western Cape‚ was unconstitutional‚ as requested by the Organisation for Religious Education and Democracy.

The organisation wanted the order it sought against the six schools to also apply to all public schools.

The court on Wednesday found that the constitution conferred freedom of religion and that the observation of religion may be conducted in public facilities.