Education Minister: Religious Education overhaul 'could protect young people from radicalisation'

The fight against the radicalisation of Welsh teenagers is being brought into the school curriculum.

Wales' Education Minister has told ITV News that he wants reforms to religious education to help protect young people from extremists.

It is part of plans to overhaul what our children learn, due to be in our classrooms by 2021.

Watch Tom Sheldrick's report:

Changes to the teaching of what we currently call Religious Education, or Religious Studies, could come under reforms to the school curriculum, which the Welsh Government is pushing ahead with.

Read More: June 2015 - Welsh school curriculum reform given go-ahead

The Education Minister told ITV News today that he believes effective teaching of a subject he has titled 'Religion, Philosophy and Ethics' could equip young people here with a level of knowledge and understanding which means they would not be vulnerable to extremists.

The threat of extremism has been made apparent here, due to the radicalisation of three young men from Cardiff - who grew up and went to school here, but then joined Islamic State militants in Syria.

Reyaad Khan, 21, was killed by a targeted British airstrike in August, after the Prime Minister said he was plotting 'barbaric' attacks on UK soil.

Read More: Cardiff jihadi killed by British drone in 'act of self-defence'

Different faith groups in Wales have had conflicting responses to the Minister's plans.

The Henna Foundation, a charity which works with Welsh Muslim families, has welcomed the ambition to fight radicalisation more proactively in schools.

Jewish community representatives have raised concerns that changes to Religious Education would make young people less likely to understand different faiths and cultures.

Changes to Religious Education as part of the new school curriculum should be drawn up by 2018, the Education Minister announced today.

Pioneer schools and experts will now work on the detail - and schools should begin teaching what they come up with by 2021.