PUPILS can tour churches, synagogues and mosques without leaving the classroom in a hi-tech initiative aimed at ending religious intolerance.

PUPILS can tour churches, synagogues and mosques without leaving the classroom in a hi-tech initiative aimed at ending religious intolerance.

The Holy Buildings project gives a virtual tour of religious buildings.

Virtual tours of St Aloysius RC Church in Glasgow and nearby Garnethill Synagogue are included, along with the Lanarkshire Central Mosque in Bellshill, and Dalziel and St Andrew's Church in Motherwell.

The interactive CD-rom lets kids learn about the history and ideology behind faiths.

The project was developed by North Lanarkshire Council's Learning Centre and has the full backing of Lanarkshire's Muslin community, which hosted today's launch.

David Craig, religious education officer, said: "Often lack of knowledge leads to intolerance, so we hope this project will promote understanding."

Hopes are high the CD-rom will be sent out to all Scottish schools.