SIR – While I concur with practically all Nigel Farage’s favourable comments about Dulwich College (“Farage on Farage”, Features, March 15), I would point out that the Dulwich Experiment was the brainwave of the Master C H Gilkes rather than an original Labour initiative.

It started in 1942 and the going was, as to be expected, very tough for scholarship boys at the beginning – but we succeeded.

It is gratifying to know that Mr Farage still felt the benefits in the Seventies of the Gilkes experiment that gave me and many others such a good and unexpected education.

Gordon Southgate

Gravesend, Kent SIR – As one of only a handful of fee-payers at Dulwich College in the Fifties I was very much the odd one out among a diverse mix of extremely able scholars.

I made friends with boys from different social backgrounds, which stood me in good stead for future life.

What a tragedy that Labour scrapped the Assisted Places Scheme in 1997, not to mention grammar schools some two decades earlier. Both of these allowed children from poorer backgrounds to have a great education and improve their life chances.

How feeble, too, that the present Government has not had the courage to reinstate the Assisted Places Scheme or allow even a modest expansion of grammar school places.

Christopher Dean

Oxted, Surrey SIR – Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, believes that “Christians must not apologise at work for their beliefs” (report, March 15).

Britain could learn a lot from the example set by Malaysia, where religious harmony is seen as a priority.

Malaysia has a multi-faith population composed of 60 per cent Muslims, more than 20 per cent Buddhists and followers of other traditional Chinese religions, 10 per cent Christians and 6 per cent Hindus. There are other faiths, too, and all are free Make it 5p and it might also discourage overindulgence in these items and help combat the country’s rising obesity problem.

Helen Holland

Oxford to practise their religion as they wish.

The country marks Christmas, Chinese New Year and Diwali as national celebrations alongside Islamic holidays.

Having had close links with Malaysia for nearly 40 years and spent time there for business and leisure, I have never sensed or witnessed any enmity between all the varying beliefs.

Ron Kirby

Dorchester, Dorset SIR – I was intrigued to read that Lord Carey had the courage to kneel and pray after lights out in his RAF billet.

A young man who served with me during my own stint in the RAF did the same. I remember being very impressed by his determination to stay faithful even in a situation where it might evoke hostility (which it did not, if memory serves).

I believe the evenings I spent in this fellow serviceman’s company helped to set me on the road to becoming a dedicated Christian myself.

Clifford Wakeling

Clacton-on-Sea, Essex SIR – Last week I saw in my garden robins, great tits, blue tits, chaffinches, dunnocks, thrushes, blackbirds, ringnecked doves, wood pigeons, jackdaws, a wren and a pheasant.

However, the only one who sings throughout the winter is the robin. That gets my vote.

Candy Haley

Cobham, Surrey