After a months-long battle with French education authorities, the second Islamic high school opened Monday for Muslim students in the eastern city of Lyon.
Al-Kindi private school, named after a ninth-century Arab scholar, opened its doors for about 20 students in the sixth grade only.
Officials say the school will eventually cater to 140 students aged 11 to 16, making it the largest Muslim school in France.
Last month, the school obtained a permission to open after the French Higher Education Council (CSE) overruled a decision by the Lyon education board, which rejected the opening of the school last September, claiming that there were concerns over safety issues.
The board also expressed concerns about the teaching and management credentials of the team behind the project.
But the CSE dismissed the board’s concerns.
"We are very pleased, this is going to soothe tensions. The judiciary has enabled us to reach a compromise. We will continue like this, in full respect for the laws of the Republic," Rachid Guergour, head of the Lyon Mosque, told reporters outside the school.
"I will cry victory when I see our students' results in the high-school exams… This is what matters," added Hakim Chergui, deputy head of the Al-Kindi association which is in charge of the project.
Reports say the school, which costs around 1,200 euros per child each year, will receive financial support from France's Muslim community and will cost about 700,000 euros per year to operate.
Officials say the school will follow the French national curriculum, with an optional two hours of classes on Islamic culture.
"I was very disappointed by the public system. Here the teaching is of a higher quality, with a better structure. We hope it becomes an elite school," said Tarek Bejaoui, walking his daughter Zayneb to Al-Kindi school.
France's first Islamic high school opened in the northeast Paris suburb of Aubervilliers in 2001, and now caters to around 100 pupils. A second followed in 2003 in the northern city of Lille and currently has 80 students.
Many Muslim parents in France prefer Islamic private schools because they ensure that their children are taught the proper teachings of Islam.
Others believe that Muslim schools would allow female students to wear the Islamic headscarf after French authorities imposed a 2004 ban on religious symbols, including the Hijab, in public schools.
Islam is the fastest growing religion in France, which hosts Europe’s largest Muslim population, with more than 4.5 million Muslims who make up about 7 percent of the country’s total population.
I understand the secular nature of French society, but if they truly embrace freedom as a concept they should welcome the freedom of choice in education. If the don't wish religious symbols or dress to find its way into the public school system there, they should allow private schools to offer an alternative to complete secularism.
"Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not, and a sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is."
^No!! what are you saying?
ofcourse its a good idea, if they dont want girls to have the freedom to wear the hijab at a normal school why not give them another option?
It is a bad news ! I thought, we go towards equality of races and not start to split them again in skin types, religions, sexes, etc....
France made a step in the wrong direction
No they did not, various nations have private institutions in which they can teach whatever curriculum which they choose to do, as long as they get the requirements to teach what the french gov't requires them to do in Science, Math, History etc...then the Muslims have the right to teach that and Islam even if it is for two hours. This is a great opportunity especially for Muslim Girls since the Hijab ban they now can continue to go to school for those who had to drop out.
America has always had private schools for example catholic schools, remember many education systems started out as being religious schools.
Its never to good to live in a PC world as Europe has shown.
Peace.
Pray:
Our Lord! we have heard the call of one calling (Us) to Faith, 'Believe ye in the Lord,' and we have believed. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins, blot out from us our iniquities, and take to Thyself our souls in the company of the righteous.
3:193
I understand the secular nature of French society, but if they truly embrace freedom as a concept they should welcome the freedom of choice in education. If the don't wish religious symbols or dress to find its way into the public school system there, they should allow private schools to offer an alternative to complete secularism.
So long as it is not funded by public taxes, it seems ok.
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