Religious schools proposal criticised (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Religious schools proposal criticised

8:07pm Monday 1st June 2009 in Bradford By Ben Barnett

Proposals by the Conservatives to make it easier for parents, charities and trusts to open new schools have been criticised by councillors.

Shadow Schools Secretary Michael Gove said that if the Tories came to power, it would open the door for more religious schools to be created.

But Councillor David Ward, education spokesman for Bradford Council’s Liberal Democrat group, said more faith schools would damage Bradford communities.

He said: “This is segregation. The only segregation I’m willing to accept is segregation on age, not gender or religion.

“Schools should reflect the society that young people are going to live in.”

Coun Ralph Berry, education spokesman for the Labour group, said Mr Gove’s comments were “empty rhetoric”.

He said: “Central priority for me is to make sure this Council gets all schools up to the appropriate standards.”

Mr Gove accepted that the proposals could lead to an increase in Islamic state schools, but he argued they would not heighten segregation.

Sher Azam, president of the Bradford Council for Mosques, welcomed Mr Gove’s comments. He said there was no reason why more faith schools would increase segregation in society.

“Britain is becoming a multi-cultural, multi-faith society so therefore we would be better served giving room to every group that wants to do something good by providing education,” he said.

“As long as these schools were to provide the basic curriculum and the basic requirements of the state then I don’t see how it would cause any problem to the wider society.”

Mr Gove said Ofsted would be responsible for preventing people with extreme religious views from opening schools and schools would be inspected regularly and would be required to teach English history.

But Coun Ward said the Tories were overly concerned with altering the structure of the education system. Coun Berry said: “My concerns would be that by making it easier to open a school that it would be at the cost of lowering the quality threshold of accommodation and standards.”

Coun Michael Kelly, the Council’s executive member for services to children and young people, was unavailable for comment.

• Comment