Forum Topic

End of Local Education Authorities

End of Local Education AuthoritiesParents’ groups, charities, faith bodies, and mutual organizations will have greater role in delivering educational services under plans being drawn up by both Labour and Tory parties. Swedish system of independent state schools, financed by vouchers, is now inspiring the Tory Party to set British schools free from LEAs. The proposal will end 60 years of local government control of education, Since 1944, all schools have been under a statutory obligation to provide for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils at the schools. All state schools have failed to help children to achieve such goals. This is the main reason why silent majority of Muslim parents would prefer to send their children to Muslim schools. Even OFSTED is unable to assess the spiritual and moral development of the children. There is ample evidence that state schools foster intolerance, hate and bullying. There is no evidence that Muslim schools indoctrinate children with values and endanger shared society. Primary Review reports on diversity presents a powerful attack on current educational discourse in relation to diversity and to bilingual pupils in particular. The schools and teachers see children’s use of languages other than English as a ‘barrier to learning’ instead of recognizing and respecting them.It is crucial that Muslim children should be surrounded with the languages, culture and faith. Faith is powerful element of both personal and community identity. They need state funded Muslim schools with bilingual Muslim teachers as role models. There are hundreds of state schools where Muslim pupils are in majority, in my opinion and in the opinion of the silent majority of Muslim parents, all such schools may be designated as Muslim community schools. Muslim schools are not only faith schools, they are more or less bilingual schools. Bilingual Muslim children need to learn and well versed in Standard English to follow the National Curriculum and go for higher studies and research to serve humanity. They need to learn and well versed in Arabic to recite and understand the Holy Quran. They need to learn and well versed in Urdu and other community languages to keep in touch with their cultural roots and enjoy the beauty of their literature and poetry. Bilingualism is brilliant for the development of intellectual ability and cultural understanding. The great diversity of cultures and languages should be the key to the development of Britain as a world leader in multilingual, multi-cultural integration and partnership, an example to every other nation of how people of all faiths and cultures can live, learn and work together in harmony for a more just and fair world for everybody.Iftikhar Ahmadwww.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk 

Iftikhar Ahmad ● 6319d12 Comments

"All Muslim children are going to learn their own languages but all of them must learn Arabic to recite and understand the Holy Quran."If understanding the Quran is important to a Muslim, why is the Quran not translated into English?  It must be more difficult for a British Muslim to understand the Quran if he or she has to learn a foreign language first.

Richard Jennings ● 6302d

It would be nice if muslim schools taught manners. I hate to be in Tooting when the children are coming out from these schools

Jean Gilmore ● 6302d

SalaamAll Muslim children are going to learn their own languages but all of them must learn Arabic to recite and understand the Holy Quran. English is the medium of instruction. All Muslim schools follow the National Curriculum and go for higher studies and research to serve humanity.

Iftikhar Ahmad ● 6302d

"Native Brits do not want to mix with us. I have been experiencing it for the last 40 years and it is the experience of each and every British Muslim."IftyAre you for bleeding real; one minute you want seperate schools for muslim children, the next your moaning about Native Brits not wanting to mix.....surely you are not surprised are you?Ther are some cheap flights to Saudi Arabia,you may find what you are looking for there. I would imagine that they would have loads of schools for Muslim children. I somehow think that you know where best your bread is buttered though dont you? It's encouraging though that you are able to reply rather than moan, moan, moan.Reference this comment."I have a question for you why native Brits are reluctant to send their children to a state school where Muslim pupils are in majority? They are in majority because people like you do not send their children to such schools. Native Brits do not want to mix with us. I have been experiencing it for the last 40 years and it is the experience of each and every British Muslim."So you speak for EVERY BRITISH MUSLIM do you, but if true it begs the question "Why the hell stay here then?

Account suspended ● 6302d

I havent got any children to send to school but I would be quite happy to send them to my local school.The children I see all mix quite happily and so do their parents.

Jean Gilmore ● 6302d

SalaamEvery Muslim school has a lengthy waiting list. We do not have enough Muslim schools to accommodate each and every Muslim child.The solution is that a state school with a majority of Muslim pupils may be designated as Muslim community school. There are hundreds of state schools where Muslim pupils are in majority. In my opinion all such schools should be Muslim schools with bilingual Muslim teachers. Bilingual Muslim children need bilingual Muslim teachers during their developmental periods.I know lot of parents who could not have enough money to send their children to Muslim schools because we have only ten state funded schools.I have a question for you why native Brits are reluctant to send their children to a state school where Muslim pupils are in majority? They are in majority because people like you do not send their children to such schools. Native Brits do not want to mix with us. I have been experiencing it for the last 40 years and it is the experience of each and every British Muslim.My priority is that majority of Muslim children leave schools with low grades because state schools with monolingual teachers are not capable of teaching standard English to bilingual Muslim children. I would like to see Muslim children learning standard English to follow the National Curriclum and go for higher studies and research to serve humanity. At the same time I would like them to be well versed in Arabic, Urdu and other community languages to keep in touch with their cultural roots and enjoy the beauty of their literature and poetry.A Muslim is a citizen of this tiny global village. He/she does not want to become notoriously monolingual Brit.

Iftikhar Ahmad ● 6302d

Iftikhar can you explain to me why it is that although there are at least two muslim schools in my area, my muslim neighbours all send their children to the local state schools

Jean Gilmore ● 6302d

The fact that some Muslim schools can and do provide a good education is not an adequate argument for the wholesale state provision of faith based education for Muslims. State secular schools get similarly good reports.What you need to understand that so-called faith schools in the British education system are an historic relic of the way the system developed. In the early stages of education in this country the Church provided most education for children. When the State started to get involved it brought in the existing Church schools to their system but the premises remained owned by the Churches and they remain responsible for some of the costs of upkeep. In return they get to control admission criteria.In an ideal world perhaps you could argue that we shouldn't have this system and the State should own all schools and control admissions but the reality is that the billions that would need to be spent on 'nationalising' faith schools would probably be better used to raise educational standards overall.Given that this is the system we have then it seems perfectly reasonable if the Muslim community at large wants its own schools it should be obliged to buy the site, build the premises and fund part of the upkeep just like other faiths. The problem is that the Muslim community in London is not homogenous and your vision of what a Muslim school should be is a long way from what most Muslim's want. Do you really think that a Turkish or a Somalian family want their children to learn urdu? Therefore it is likely to be impossible to get a consensus amongst the community strong enough to raise the funds to make a school a reality.

Mark Evans ● 6302d

SalaamHere is an inspection report by the OFSTEd for a Muslim school. I would like to see each and every Muslim child in a Muslim school with Muslim teachers during their developmental period.'Ash-Shifa is an improving school which provides good education and care for its pupils. Its views of itself are accurate, and its managers have a clear plan for its future development.’ ‘The school successfully meets its aims and all of the regulations.’ 'Relationships between staff and pupils throughout the school are extremely caring and supportive and pupils enjoy coming to school.’ 'Ash-Shifa successfully integrates National Curriculum subjects including religious studies with Islamic studies and a programme of personal care.’ ‘Provision for pupils’ spiritual moral and social development is good.’ ‘The quality of teaching and assessment is good, with some that is outstanding.’‘The relationships between staff and pupils are very good and result in a very positive, harmonious atmosphere for learning.’ 'Specialist teaching takes place in English, mathematics, science, Islamic studies, religious studies, ICT, Arabic and Urdu by staff who have very good subject knowledge.’ 'Pupils’ behaviour is outstanding.’ 'Pupils have good links with the local and wider community’‘The daily prayer sessions make a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual development.’ ‘Pupils have good opportunities to engage in social events within the school and they use the school council well to ensure that their views are heard.’

Iftikhar Ahmad ● 6303d

Norma, Andrew,I agree with both of you.Ifty,Why do you not join the'silent majority of Muslim parents' and stop ranting on about the same thing all the time. There is a whole world outside your window, stop repeating the same post over and over again and go outside and enjoy it. Walk down to your local pub and have a pint, you never know you may enjoy it!

John Davies ● 6303d

Excellent posting. I'd almost stopped checking this forum as I'd thought you'd given up discussion.Well, I say discussing - you don't actually discuss.My view - schools should teach factsfeel free to teach your children fairy stories at homeour schools don't teach how to turn lead into gold, ergo they should not teach about religion.

Norma Harrison ● 6316d

IftyDo me a favour and give it a blee**ng rest, we have got the message.......you don't like us, or the way we do things. So my advice would be to either sit back and appreciate what we have all given you, or alternatively go elsewhere where you will be happier...fair enough?

Account suspended ● 6318d