Imams to teach in state schools to tackle extremism

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Imams to teach in state schools to tackle extremism
Joanna Sugden

Imams will teach in state schools under Government plans for tackling extremism to be announced next week.

Ed Balls, the Schools Secretary, admitted today that a minority of children could be “at risk” from extremists and said that schools must be able to deal with radicalisation.

British-born imams will be drafted in to schools to instruct children about Islam and the Koran as part of the Government’s “Prevent” strategy, which aims to weed out extremism before it takes root.

Lessons will include teachings from the Koran and discussions about equality between the sexes, the sanctity of life and the rights of the individual. Mr Balls said the citizenship lessons would help young people to feel “part of their society, and resilient to those who seek to divide rather than unite”.

The battle against radicalisation in schools is a major plank of the Home Office’s wider policy on extremism but the National Union of Teachers (NUT) met fierce opposition when it suggested a similar scheme in March. The NUT proposed that Muslim clerics and other faith leaders should go into every state school as an alternative to faith schools. Critics warned this could allow extremists to target pupils.

But the Government believes that if the imams are British-born they will imbue children with the multicultural values.

Jacqui Smith, Home Secretary, announced last month that 300 extra police and support staff would be provided to tackle extremism in local communities at a cost of £11 million.

Mr Balls said in an article for the Times Educational Supplement that extremists played on people’s fears, ignorance and prejudice, “Education can be a powerful weapon against this” he said.

“Unfortunately, we have to recognise that a very small number of school children may already be a risk of being drawn into criminal activity inspired by extremists.”

He denied that radicalisation was taking place in schools but said teachers had to be equipped to face that challenge.

New guidelines will encourage local authorities and police to work with schools, young people’s services, and other groups to prevent violent extremism.

Andrew Copson, director of education at the British Humanist Association, said children should learn about religion as part of their education but attacked the Government’s policy as "divisive”.

Inayat Bunglawala, assistant secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain said: “Handing responsibility for the education of children to publicly funded clerics is by its very nature divisive and an improper role for Government in a society that values freedom of belief”.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/u ... 035200.ece