Oslo: Ministry of Education approves Muslim school proposal

Oslo: Ministry of Education approves Muslim school proposal

A Russian-funded NGO wants to establish a Muslim elementary school in Oslo. The city council rejected the proposal, but the Ministry of Education decided to approve the plan.
This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog - islamineurope.blogspot.com

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The Directorate for Education’s (Utdanningsdirektoratet) all-clear for Norway’s only Muslim primary school hasn’t gone down well.


“The government’s decision undermines integration in Oslo. It will cause more segregation, just like we have in the city’s schools today,” Christian Tybring-Gjedde, Progress Party (FrP) MP for Oslo tells Dagsavisen.


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Tybring-Gjedde challenges the school’s principles of education. Tuition is based purely on the Koran and the authentic teachings of Mohammed. Schoolchildren will also learn about Islamic human rights.


“Instruction in the authentic teachings of Mohammed doesn’t contribute to reflection and debate, which characterises our society. And what do they mean by human rights in Islam? The only human rights we relate to are the universal, emphasising freedom of expression, religion, as well as equality. They’re non-negotiable,” says Tybring-Gjedde.
Fears extremism


A political majority on Oslo City Council opposed the Directorate’s decision, including FrP, as well as Education Minister Kristin Halvorsen’s own Party, the Socialist Left (SV). The municipality appealed to the Ministry of Education, but it was turned down.


Party colleague Knut Even Lindsjørn, head of the council’s Cultural and Education Committee (Kultur- og utdanningskomiteen), hopes the school never becomes a reality.


“It just helps reinforce what is an already-segregated city,” he says.


He also fears these types of schools here could at worst contribute to a radicalisation of Norwegian Muslim children, as has happened in other countries.


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Source: The Foreigner (English)