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Fury over watchdog alert on Muslim schools growth

By: Nabil Raza

LONDON, Britain: British Muslim bodies reacted angrily after the Scots-born Chief Inspector of Schools in England said the growth of Muslim faith schools must not be allowed to undermine the coherence of British society.

Ofsted head David Bell outraged religious leaders when he said a traditional Islamic education "does not entirely fit" children for life in modern Britain.

In a speech to the Hansard Society in central London, he said diversity could pose a threat to "our coherence as a nation" if taken too far.

He singled out Muslim schools for failing to teach pupils their obligations to British society, and called on them to promote "tolerance and harmony".

The Muslim Council of Britain described Bell's remarks as "highly irresponsible", while the Association of Muslim Schools in Great Britain accused him of "Islamophobia".

"I think it's a misconception of Islamic schools and a further example of Islamophobia,” chairman of the Association of Muslim Schools Dr Mohamed Mukadam said challenging Bell to a public debate.

"I worry that many young people are being educated in faith-based schools, with little appreciation of their wider responsibilities and obligations to British society. Britain's diversity has the potential to be one of its greatest strengths,” Bell said.

Iqbal Sacranie, secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: "We consider it highly irresponsible to suggest that the growth of Muslim faith schools poses a threat to 'our coherence as a nation'."

There are only five state-run Muslim faith schools in England, compared with more than 100 independent Muslim schools. In total, there are about 300 independent faith schools, including more than 50 Jewish schools, and about 100 Evangelical Christian schools.

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