Since the implementation of the Prevent strategy, 400 Muslim children under the age of 10 have been referred to the ‘anti-radicalisation’ programme
Earlier this week, Ofsted head Michael Wilshaw confirmed that inspectors can downgrade schools if they feel that the wearing of the niqab – by either teachers or pupils – is impairing learning. Phrased like this, it seems a reasonable policy.
In reality, however, opening the door to penalising the wearing of Islamic dress in this way is deeply worrying.
For a start, it’s unclear exactly why the niqab might be an obstacle to learning. Muslims have been teaching, learning and otherwise communicating wearing the full-face veil for centuries in Islamic countries all around the world.
It’s also unclear why Wilshaw feels the need to single out the niqab: if inspectors feel that learning is being impaired in any way, by any item of dress or obstacle to communication, surely they are able to reflect that in their report without the niqab being specified as a potential reason for an ‘inadequate’ rating.
But this policy is particularly concerning given that it follows a trend in recent weeks and months that has seen the practise, expression or even discussion of Islam in schools as suspicious.
Since the implementation of the ‘Prevent’ strategy, 400 Muslim children under the age of 10 have been referred to the ‘anti-radicalisation’ programme, and new E-safety legislation is forcing schools to install software which tracks the use of words such as ‘Pakistan’, ‘Islam’ and ‘Quran’.
Launching a new ‘Educate against Hate’ website this week which encourages teachers to look out for ‘warning signs’ of radicalisation such as rapid conversion to religion, Education secretary Nicky Morgan admitted that conversion to Christianity ‘of course’ doesn’t count as one such warning sign – showing the clear disparity between the treatment of Christians and Muslims in this country.
When we make young Muslim children feel monitored, isolated and demonised for practising their religion in our schools, we damage irreparably community cohesion, trust and mutual respect. We lose the potential for discussion of difficult but important topics – and opportunities for truly valuable learning. Children in this country are at risk of radicalisation – but we need to tackle this through education, not demonisation.
Indeed, if Michael Wilshaw wants to eliminate barriers to learning in schools, he should perhaps look to the overassessment, rigid focus on examinations and targets, and back-breaking teacher workload which now characterise our education system. Allowing both teachers and pupils to teach, learn – and wear – what they like would do children a world of good.
Sophie van der Ham is co-chair of the Young Greens
95 Responses to “Comment: Ofsted – not the niqab – is impairing learning in schools”
Mike Stallard
Sophie – practise is a verb: practice is a noun. Different.
Faerieson
I believe that it would be fair to consider ‘the wearing of the niqab,’ and all that this entails, as an impairment to life. This should not really need an explanation, as anything that so divides a society must be detrimental.
Ofsted- Michael Wilshaw or whoever- has merely observed the obvious. But, if we’re looking at the effects of divisions in any society, then Ofsted must also be culpable. They have been nothing more than the tool of successive governments who have all sought to either divide society to their own ends or else at the behest of their paymasters.
Faerieson
An interesting point- only right in an ‘educational’ piece- otherwise we allow our language to be dumbed down.
But… have you noticed an almost-undeclared attempt, amongst writers, to dispense with the ‘practise’ spelling?
Mike Stallard
I had contact recently with a CoE clergyman and the grammar and spelling were appalling! But it is no use, for example, going on about split infinitives and so on. I do reckon though that your point about an educational piece ought to be noted by Sophie.
Lamia
An idiotic article.
For a start, it’s unclear exactly why the niqab might be an obstacle to learning.
Because human communication and interraction tends involves not just words but also body language and facial expressions. Covering the face is to the detriment of this.
How many serious conversations, involving information and discussion, do you have, when the other person is actually there with you, with your face covered, or your back to that person?
It’s not impossible to teach with a full face veil, but it makes it far more difficult. When we interract with others, we use other people’s expressions to evaluate whether we are understanding and being understood. That is quite basic. You might as well ask why we put lights on in our homes after dark. It’s possible to feel our way round in the dark, but it’s much more difficult and we will probably miss things (and knock others over).
An article that affects not to understand at all why face coverings could be an impediment to learning is just silly.
Muslims have been teaching,
learning and otherwise communicating wearing the full-face veil for
centuries in Islamic countries all around the world.
QED. Perhaps that has contributed to the low standards of literacy and education in many Muslim countries compared to non-Muslim ones.