UK: Swindon Muslims surprised by faith school initiative

A proposal floated by an Islamic center to turn a primary school in Swindon, the southwest of England, into a faith school is astonishing the city's Muslim community.


"I am very surprised about these plans," Azim Khan, chairman of the Thamesdown Islamic Association, told the local daily Swindon Advertiser on Friday, November 14.


"I am concerned that members of the Muslim community in Swindon have not been consulted."


Al-Habib Islamic Center on Thursday proposed turning a primary school in Oakhurst in northern Swindon into a faith school.


The center's chairman Shahid Sahu said that if the bid to run the school was successful, it would become a single faith school.


But Swindon Muslims showed a poor appetite for the proposed school.


"I think they should have asked people in the community before putting in their bid, to make sure the need was there," said Khan.


Khan said many areas with a bigger Muslim community need faith schools other than Swindon.


"I'm not sure that Swindon is a big enough place for this kind of school," he said.



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Source: Islam Online (English)

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