COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT News Release (296) issued by COI News Distribution
Service. 3 December 2008
New citizenship
lessons challenging the notion that there is any conflict between
being a good Muslim and a good citizen are starting to be taught
in after school madrassahs or mosque supplementary schools across
the country as part of efforts to emphasise shared values.
Around 30 madrassahs in East and West London, Bristol,
Bradford/Kirklees, Leicester and Oldham/Rochdale are piloting the
new materials. Through class discussion, role play and written
exercises, the children aged 7-14 are learning through Islamic
tradition, the importance of tolerance and respect, how to be
better neighbours, the importance of volunteering and how to play
an active part in their schools and communities.
This follows a package of measures announced In July by
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears responding to calls from Muslim
communities to support the promotion of citizenship and shared
values and to stop Islamic theology being distorted by those who
seek to divide communities.
Taught alongside or through traditional lessons on the
Qur'an and supported by quotes from the Hadith (Islamic
scripture) the lessons draw out the compatibility of Islam with
wider shared values. Using enquiry and research children will
examine a wide range of topics including:
* Equality - the importance of individuality and how Islam
encourages acceptance of all differences, including respect for
other faiths and the different groups within Islam and wider
discussion on contemporary topics such as the role of men and
women in society
* Resolving conflict - how Islam teaches patience and kindness
and how conflicts should be resolved in a peaceful manner
* Volunteering - group role-play on the Prophet Muhammad's
teachings on volunteering and charity and how these virtues relate
to day-to-day life
* Identity - an examination of the multi-faith nature of the UK
and how multi-faith communities have existed historically such as
Andulucian Spain where under Muslim control all religions were
protected; and
* Democracy - the importance on getting involved in decision
making that affects the running of your school by joining the
school council
The topics explored, through 20 lesson plans will help to
reinforce to young Muslims the teachings of Islam, that they can
be Muslims and citizens of the country where they live and that
there is no contradiction between being British and being Muslim.
Speaking on a visit to the Aziziye Education Centre, a Turkish
Mosque and Madrassah in Stoke Newington, Communities Minister
Sadiq Khan said:
"Engaging all young people in society and developing their
understanding of what it is to be a citizen is crucial to creating
a diverse but cohesive country.
"Improving young Muslims understanding of Islam and its
compatibility with wider shared values through their mosque
supplementary schools has been identified by the British Muslim
community as an important way of building resilience to extremist ideologies.
"Through effective early citizenship education we can
undermine the belief that there is a conflict between being
British and Muslim and challenge misguided and misinterpreted
violent and extreme messages."
Schools Minister Sarah McCarthy-Fry said:
"Equipping young people to live, work and enjoy being part
of our diverse society is one of the key responsibilities of
education. Every mainstream school now teaches their students the
Citizenship curriculum and these excellent lesson materials will
allow Madrassahs and Mosque Schools to explore the same issues
further, in the context of Islam.
"Pupils will be able to discuss citizenship-related issues
in an atmosphere of mutual respect. They will learn more about
their rights, responsibilities, duties and freedoms and about
laws, justice and democracy. Through these lessons, young people
will improve their understanding of how Islamic values and
tradition mirror closely the shared values of tolerance, respect,
courtesy and understanding that we all aspire towards."
Farooq Mullah, Leicester Area Lead and a Madrassah Teacher said:
"I believe that the ICE project is a long overdue and it
will go a long way to addressing some of the key issues and
challenges faced by the Muslim youth.
"The resources developed will help in creating a better
understanding, respect and tolerance among people of diverse backgrounds."
All young people receive statutory citizenship lessons at school.
However, there was demand from members of the Muslim community to
relate citizenship lessons taught in schools to shared values with
Islam. The new lessons for madrassahs under the Islam and
Citizenship Education project build on existing community led work
and reinforce the citizenship curriculum within Islam.
While the impetus behind the project has come from the Muslim
community, the Government has supported an independent educational
organisation - the Schools Development and Support Agency - to
work with scholars, educational experts and mosque school teachers
to develop the new citizenship materials and training packages.
Notes to editors
1. The 6 pilot areas are London East, London West, Bristol,
Bradford/Kirklees, Leicester and Oldham/Rochdale. Each area is
overseen by an area lead. There are 5 participating madrassahs in
each area.
2. The Islam and Citizenship Education (ICE) Project supports the
development of a citizenship curriculum for use by madrassahs. It
aims specifically: to educate pupils aged 7 to 14 about Islamic
tradition, values and their roles and responsibilities in society
as good Muslims to promote citizenship education in madrassahs by
developing appropriate online resources and materials for teachers
and pupils to pull together and build upon the existing work done
by many British Muslim communities in teaching citizenship education
3. 20 citizenship lessons have been developed for Key Stage 2 and
3 pupils (aged 7 to 14) by the Schools Development and Support
Agency (SDSA). The selected madrassahs piloting these materials
will refine them and assess their impact. Mosque teachers were
trained in using the new materials over the summer. They are
available at http://www.theiceproject.com
4. The lessons take quotes from the Qur'an and Hadith
(Islamic scripture) to reinforce messages drawn from mainstream
citizenship school lessons. Their Islamic authenticity has been
verified by a Validation Board of Muslim scholars.
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