The Ministry of Education may suggest schools allow Bible in schools classes to only be held at lunchtime, or after school.

After asking for months, the Secular Education Network has been given a glimpse of the guideline areas the Ministry may suggest, which it's able to make public.

Network spokesman David Hines said schools would be encouraged to end religious instruction during class time.

"And instead have it at lunch, or after school. Parents would also have to give written permission before they could get put in these classes. They are suggested guidelines. But these are both problem areas, so it's good that they're addressing those," he said.

The suggested guidelines would also make it clear religious instruction is not part of the New Zealand Curriculum, discourage religious observances in school assemblies and consider how to raise awareness about the difference between religious instruction and religious education.

Secular Education Network spokesman David Hines said it comes as support for their cause is widening. He said previously members were nearly all non-religious people. "But now we're getting quite a few people who are from minority religions especially - Buddhists, Muslims, a few Jews as well."

The group would prefer schools taught religious education, looking at all the major world religions in a neutral way, rather than instructing on one religion.

The Education Ministry will invite comments from a group of school principals next week, and from the Network's mediation group.

Hines says while effective guidelines would reduce the harm being caused for children and parents, law change is still a priority. He says the Secular Education Network's mediation group is still likely to make a complaint to the Human Rights Review Tribunal on August 10, which would be a complaint about the law, not about the Ministry.