Salaam
The demand for state funded Muslim schools is in accordance with the law of the land.
I do not blame the parents, Imams and Masajid for the plight of the Muslim youths. All Muslim youths suffer from identity crises because they find themselves cut off from their cultural roots, literature and poetry. All of them lack self-confidence and self-esteem. British education has made them stupid. They have become economic slaves of the British society. They do not know where they belong. They are unable to enjoy the beauty of their literature and poetry. A man is a product of his culture, language and faith. They go hand in hand.
The solution of all the problems is state funded Muslim schools with bilingual Muslim teachers as role models right from nursery classes. The Charter of Islam teaches true tolerance and equality and indeed is more acceptable to all people of the world than the United Nation Human Rights Charter. Islam does not just mean a beard, a cap and a bunch of self-interpreted fatwas.
Accoding to a research by Goldsmiths, university of London, bilingual learning can provide substantial benefits for second and third generation children whose families speak a language other than English. Even when children have grown up in the UK with English as their stronger language,using both languages aids cognitive development and strengthens their identity as learners. It is crucial that schools support c hildren's mother tongue through bilingual learning activities connected with the mainstream curriculum. Now Primary National Strategy recognises the value of bilingualism and promotes early language learning. Policy makers need to encourage good practice in schools, otherwise, the potential benefits of bilingual leaning will be lost to future generations.
The research also discovered that many second and third generation children are in danger of losing these skills if they do not have opportunities to develop their mother tongue through academic work at school. Bilingual children who learn in their family's language as well as English do better at school. It is very important that parents continue to talk to their children in their first language.
It is absurd to say that Muslim schools threaten the social cohesion of the nation. Diversity is a blessing and we should feel proud of diversity. The real threat to social cohesiondoes nt come from Muslim parents but from government that seeks to force these parents to conform with the state's ideas about how and what their children should be taught. There is no evidence that Muslim schools are undermining social cohesion.