Schools for Muslims
Ben Cur | 28.10.2006 19:05
LONDON - When Prime Minister Tony Blair arrived yesterday at the opening of the ultra-Orthodox girls school Yesodei Hatorah he said it contributed to what has become one of the most contentious issues in Britain – exclusive faith based schools - and declared it a "sign of separation."
These schools are committed to adopting a British curriculum and are subject to oversight by the Education Ministry.
In return, the schools receive up to 90 percent funding toward the building of the school and teachers' salaries.
Earlier the minister of education declared that religious schools must take at least 25 percent of pupils from other faiths into their programs.
But the principal of the Yesodei Hatorah school, Rabbi Abraham Pinter, said the idea that faith-based schools can include up to 25 percent pupils of different faiths cannot work in Haredi school.
He said that no parent will send their children to a Muslim or a Haredi school, nor will it be possible to impose Haredi values on pupils of other faiths.
He then invited Blair to “take a hike” as he would be out of a job in months.
These schools are committed to adopting a British curriculum and are subject to oversight by the Education Ministry.
In return, the schools receive up to 90 percent funding toward the building of the school and teachers' salaries.
Earlier the minister of education declared that religious schools must take at least 25 percent of pupils from other faiths into their programs.
But the principal of the Yesodei Hatorah school, Rabbi Abraham Pinter, said the idea that faith-based schools can include up to 25 percent pupils of different faiths cannot work in Haredi school.
He said that no parent will send their children to a Muslim or a Haredi school, nor will it be possible to impose Haredi values on pupils of other faiths.
He then invited Blair to “take a hike” as he would be out of a job in months.
Ben Cur