FAITH SCHOOLS, 2nd October 2002

Wednesday evening went well despite the inability of the third speaker (Ms Mehri Niknam, on the multifaith school project) to attend owing to the tube strike.
Idris Mears, the Muslim speaker for faith schools, came from Nottingham by car and Dr Owen Cole speaking against faith schools came by train from Chichester, and both speakers arrived in good time. 35 seats were taken in the room at Drake House. Andrew Wakefield chaired the meeting well in his own inimitable and lively style.
  
Idris Mears developed a radical critique of Western values and argued that Muslim schools were bastions of alternative spiritual values.  He in fact said very little about the 100 Muslim schools in this country, 4 of which are voluntary aided ie supported financially by the government, as are Anglican, Catholic, Jewish and Sikh schools.  His talk was very discursive being  historical and political and although it was interesting and lively I think a number of us had hoped to hear how the Muslim schools were faring and there was none of that.  

Owen Cole drew on his vast experience as a teacher of religious education and religious studies over many years from primary school to university to great effect. Although he admitted that as a matter of justice Muslims like other recently arrived religious minorities should have their own faith schools, he made a powerful case against faith schools. He emphasised that faith schools were costly, and the government just could not afford to set up enough all over the country to meet the need. They were bound to be somewhat elitist because faith schools were oversubscribed and he was against elitism in education. He argued that the way forward was to develop good multifaith education in all state schools for the overwhelming majority of pupils and students, so that they would learn about different religions as they learnt history or science. Faith instruction was for parents and the different religious communities.  It was vital in a multifaith, multiethnic society for children to be encouraged to have respect for each other through knowledge.

After the main speaker had finished we broke for refreshments and then followed a vigorous question and answer session which lasted until 9.45pm. It was a very worthwhile evening and all the arrangements for it went off smoothly. I hope we can repeat this type of combined sponsorship between the Civic Forum and the Wimbledon Interfaith Group.  

Eric Bramsted 8542 9618

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