CAIRO,
June 28, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – A British council has presented
resource packs covering the basic teachings of Islam to primary
schools across the London borough of Harrow in an effort to provide a
better understanding of the Muslim faith, according to a local daily.
"The
new resources will help school staff further develop their approach to
high quality teaching of Islam -- a religion that is far too often
misunderstood," the Harrow Times Monday, June 27, quoted
as saying Councilor Navin Shah, leader of Harrow borough Council,
which has become the first to fully fund the teaching of Islam in
primary schools.
The
resource packs include books, artifacts, CDs, videos and teaching aids
covering the basic Muslim beliefs and practices through interactive
class projects.
Resources
for secondary schools are also being developed and will be available
to schools across the borough, according to the paper.
The
packs for primary schools were produced by the Muslim Council of
Britain (MCB), in partnership with the Department of Education and
Skills.
"We
believe education is the key to creating a vibrant and understanding
society,” MCB Secretary General, Iqbal Sacranie, told Harrow
Times.
"These
resources, developed by our team of educationalists, aim to support
the teaching of Islam in schools by making available creative,
engaging and child-friendly resources on Islam and Muslims.”
"We
want to ensure that every school child in Britain has access to high
quality Islamic resources through their schools," he added.
Harrow
is one of London's most attractive suburbs. It is located in the
northwest of London and has a population of approximately 208,000.
A
report by the Open Society Institute showed that various forms of
Islamophobia and racial discrimination have been on the swing since
the 9/11 attacks, alienating the sizable Muslim minority in Britain.
Muslims
in Britain have been complaining of maltreatment by police under the
Terrorism Act for no apparent reason other than being Muslim, citing
the routine stop-and-search operations.
Senior
British parliamentarians admitted last August that anti-terrorism laws
are being used “disproportionately” against the Muslim minority
