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”
Mark
Well, on evidence (yes evidence) rapid conversion to Christianity is not a marker for possible extremism.
I’ve lost count of those arrested for terrorism offences who have “Converted to Islam x months ago”.
A caller to a radio station this week, on the subject of “hate crime”, described how he made the effort to make friends with his new Muslim neighbours some years back, one being an eight year-old boy. He was successful in doing that. The eight year old has grown up to late teens and has taken to chucking bricks at his house, calling him a “white bastard” and “kuffar.” The man blames this behaviour on “Islamophobia”.
Not the rise of radical Islamism, but Islamophobia.
I can see it now, any degree of “PREVENT” will lead to accusations such as this, when a young man engages in extremism, the cries will be, “he was such a nice boy, and then PREVENT turned his head.”
jj
Back up your sentiments with facts, then you may actually realise the painful truth Graham.
jj
And for 700 years, all the way up until the 70s legally taking Africans also from Eastern Africa. The East African Slave Trade that schools never mention. Has there ben any apology for that? Of course not, as it caries on illegally to this day. Mauritania only abolished slavery officially a few years ago, what progressive countries eh…
jj
Algebra thousands of years ago, but hasn’t brought many people any joy!
jj
The fact that young girls are wearing it is an indication that the parents ant exactly standing for liberty o a child. Don’t think many children enjoy having a facial an hair covering, very uncomfortable and likely itchy, unless they have been brainwashed to do so, by their forceful parents.