Netherlands: demand to close down Muslim school

The Islamic College of Amsterdam (Islamitisch College Amsterdam), one of two Muslim high schools in the country, is again being threatened with closure after new criticism of corruption and improper management. The Islamic College is a high school

According to Minister of Education Van der Hoeven in the parliament yesterday, she had commissioned the Dutch Security service and the educational inspection to make a closer inspection of the school. She will do everything to stop subsidizing the school or to close it. Then, it would be possible to start off anew with a new management.

The school management is accused of making subsidy money "disappear". About 60,000 euro is missing and there is suspicion that the money had been channeled to extremist organizations outside the country.

The school is considered for years as "very weak". Lessons are given mostly by unqualified teachers. Despite intervention by the inspection services in 2004, there are been no improvement.

The issue is not only the quality of the school, but also the accountancy is problematic. Above all, teachers teach out of books in which there are spiteful texts about those who think and believe differently.

Parliament member Aptroot demanded immediate action from the minister. According to Aptroot the school is breaking the law and constitution since they "reject our democracy during class, discriminate and incite to anti-Semitism".

Minister Van der Hoeven replied that all possible illegal acts will be investigated and hoped to provide more information within a couple of weeks.

The school can be closed at the earliest in August so as not to leave the 800 students learning there out in the cold in the middle of the school year.

Source: Trouw (Dutch)