Utrecht: Opposition to Islamic high school

According to a municipality spokesperson Borgman, there is doubt if such a school will help integration.

In Utrecht there is work according to a plan for new schools and renovations. The plans are meant for all kids in the city and adding a new school will thwart that plan.

Further, accordgin to the municipality it hasn't been shows that there is enough interest in such a school. Utrecht also has doubts about how Islamic the school will be. The Stichting Islamitische School (Association for Islamic Schools) with elementary schools in Almere, Hilversum and Lelystad, has put in a request by the ministry of education for a high school in Utrecht.

According to administrator Boudil Utrecht has been chosen because research by the association has shown that there is enough support for it. The school is meant to be a vocational school with a possible theoretical-study department. Boudil thinks that the school will attract 300-400 students. The association would like to open the school in the Overvecht neighborhood the moment there's a building available. Whenever they get permission from the ministry the school can open.

The ministry asked the province for advice. The province asked for the opinion of Utrecht as well as school administrations, who reacted negatively. President Gispen of the rk/pc school administration questions the research of the association regarding the possible number of student. There are already more than enough vocational schools in the city, he says.

The province's advice would be given to the ministry before June 1st, when it would decide on the matter. According to province spokesperson Vermeend it is not yet known what the province would suggest. The ministry would estimate is there are enough students within a radius of 12 kilometers for the school, says spokesperson Stuurhold. If the rules are complied with, the ministry will approve the school. In the Netherlands there are two other Muslim high school. the Ibn Ghaldoun school in Rotterdam and the Islamic College Amsterdam (ICA).

The Rotterdam school is doing passably according to the education inspection, but the school is critically followed. The Islamic College Amsterdam, which appeared in the news when a Muslim Arabic teacher was not allowed to work there without a veil, is doing badly according to the inspection.

Source: AD.nl (Dutch)

See also: Netherlands: Muslim highschool taken over by extremists? , Netherlands: demand to close down Muslim school

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