Free Our Schools
Almost all children now believe they go to school to pass exams. The idea that they may be there for an education is irrelevant. State schools have become exam factories, interested only in A to C Grades. They do not educate children. Exam results do not reflect a candidate’s innate ability. Employers have moaned for years that too many employees cannot read or write properly. According to a survey, school-leavers and even graduates lack basic literacy and numeracy skills. More and more companies are having to provide remedial training to new staff, who can’t write clear instructions, do simple maths, or solve problems. Both graduates and school-leavers were also criticised for their sloppy time-keeping, ignorance of basic customer service and lack of self-discipline.
Bilingual Muslims children have a right, as much as any other faith group, to be taught their culture, languages and faith alongside a mainstream curriculum. More faith schools will be opened under sweeping reforms of the education system in England. There is a dire need for the growth of state funded Muslim schools to meet the growing needs and demands of the Muslim parents and children. Now the time has come that parents and community should take over the running of their local schools. Parent-run schools will give the diversity, the choice and the competition that the wealthy have in the private sector. Parents can perform a better job than the Local Authority because parents have a genuine vested interest. The Local Authority simply cannot be trusted.
The British Government is planning to make it easier to schools to “opt out” from the Local Authorities. Muslim children in state schools feel isolated and confused about who they are. This can cause dissatisfaction and lead them into criminality, and the lack of a true understanding of Islam can ultimately make them more susceptible to the teachings of fundamentalists like Christians during the middle ages and Jews in recent times in Palestine. Fundamentalism is nothing to do with Islam and Muslim; you are either a Muslim or a non-Muslim.
There are hundreds of state primary and secondary schools where Muslim pupils are in majority. In my opinion all such schools may be opted out to become Muslim Academies. This mean the Muslim children will get a decent education. Muslim schools turned out balanced citizens, more tolerant of others and less likely to succumb to criminality or extremism. Muslim schools give young people confidence in who they are and an understanding of Islam’s teaching of tolerance and respect which prepares them for a positive and fulfilling role in society. Muslim schools are attractive to Muslim parents because they have better discipline and teaching Islamic values. Children like discipline, structure and boundaries. Bilingual Muslim children need Bilingual Muslim teachers as role models during their developmental periods, who understand their needs and demands.
None of the British Muslims convicted following the riots in Bradford and Oldham in 2001 or any of those linked to the London bombings had been to Islamic schools. An American Think Tank studied the educational back ground of 300 Jihadists; none of them were educated in Pakistani Madrasas. They were all Western educated by non-Muslim teachers. Bilingual Muslim children need bilingual Muslim teachers as role models. A Cambridge University study found that single-sex classes could make a big difference for boys. They perform better in single-sex classes. The research is promising because male students in the study saw noticeable gains in the grades. The study confirms the Islamic notion that academic achievement is better in single-sex classes.
Iftikhar Ahmad
http://www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk
Agreed, but some of this is down to the parents - not teachers in school.
Why? I for one disagree with any faith based schools (and I came from one), they are divisive and often grounds for political manipulations (I recall the abortion video making the rounds of my old school to try and get kids to sign their parents up for a political action group). As for parents being better providers for educational management than the local authority, I disagree. Look at America and see how many bible bashing parents want Evolution removed from the biology classes - dumbing down education.
So everything is black and white huh?
So in those areas the minority none Muslim children can what? Move? Go to another school? Become a Muslim??? You talk about tolerance. Why not have this taught in mixed schools where people of all faiths and ethnic backgrounds meet in whilst young enough not to get bogged down with 'isms'.
And these studies are ongoing. There is no proof either way as of yet..
Hmm that's kinda true but i wouldn't say we're not educated at all :/
Yes everyone has the right to know about their faith and culture but do u really think a parent-run school would work?
TBH i don't think they would do a better job and especially the Pakistani parents wouldn't even bother to help. Or wouldn't be able to due to lack of education themselves and/or the inability to even control the kids [i'm comparing it to how mosque classes are run]
Are you seriously saying that's a state school's fault? And also that statement makes out like it's a fact for everyone or the majority which is not true.
Also if you think that parents can make such a big difference, then surely their kids wouldn't be feeling and acting this way, afterall it is the parents job to teach them about their religion, culture, to discipline them etc...
I dunno, "Muslim" schools sound good on paper as they can provide Islamic education alongside the compulsory education. But i personally wouldn't like the non-diversity firstly.
Secondly i think because of the non-diversity it would make kids less aware of their surroundings and make it harder for them to integrate or just understand others and their views.
Thirdly, ok, people know people outside of school so it's not necessarily always true but then theres also the fact that just because they go to an Islamic school doesn't mean they're gonna be better disciplined, educated and all that, i've met people who go to Islamic schools and you'd never think it...
Also they may have more of a desire to rebel.
sorry but LOL
hmm i thought studies showed boys work better with girls but girls work better in a single-sex environment. My only-girls school and the boys school right next to us is a great example of this
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
wait, i don't get it, am i right in understanding that a group of random people should get together and open a school? :S
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
Don't give this guy any time or attention.
He is STILL emailing my mum I think!!
Don't just do something! Stand there.
he's emailing ur mum????? why????
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
Basically the same thing as he posts on here. Nothing 2 do with her job! Makes me think he sends the same rubbish 2 loads of ppl. No idea between religion and culture. Wants a 'muslim school' that's only really 4 Muslims from one part of the world
Don't just do something! Stand there.
I thought the latest free schools initiative was all about this? :s
It will allow him to create the school he wants that will vsater for bilingual Muslim students.
But it will also make sure those same children are not failed by being given low levels of teaching setting them up for failure in life.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.