| Author | Topic |
Iftikhar
UNITED KINGDOM
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 Topic initiated on Saturday, November 13, 2010 - 7:53 PM 
Migration and the Changing Face of Education
Migration and the Changing Face of Education
Globalisation means that we now all live, work or communicate with people who are different. In this global village, religious faith plays a central role in the way that people understand or from their culture and identity. Human being is a product of his culture, language and faith. There is a positive co-relation between language and culture. Parents have the right to raise their children in faith based schools. Those who object to this right display their contempt for parental rights and sadly intolerance for the religious convictions of others. It is not only Muslims but other communities have been trying to set up their own schools for their children. I set up the first Muslim school in 1981 and now there are 166 Muslim schools and only 11 schools are state funded. There are four Sikh state funded schools. Hindu state funded school was set up in Harrow last year and next year a Hindu state funded school would emerge in Leicester. Even Black community is thinking of setting up its own schools for black children with black teachers.
A study by Bristol University reveals that a high level of racial segregation in Oldham schools and tension between communities resulted in recent riots in 2001. A report by the Institute for Community Cohesion found that native parents were deserting some schools after finding their children outnumbered by pupils from ethnic minorities. The native parents do not want their children to be educated along with migrant children. Schools in parts of England are becoming increasingly segregated. Many of the schools and colleges are segregated and this was generally worsening over recent years. This is RACISM. The solution is that those schools where Muslim children are in majority may be opted out as Muslim Academies. State schools with non-Muslim monolingual teachers are not in a position to satisfy the social, emotional needs and demands of the bilingual Muslim children. Majority of them leave schools with low grades. They find themselves cut off from their cultural, linguistic and spiritual identities. Muslim children in state schools feel isolated and confused about who they are. This can cause dissatisfaction and lead them into criminality.
Immigration is an unstoppable face of modern society, and immigrants will need help integrating, but the host society needs to show zero tolerance to non-EU and EU citizens who clearly don't like being here. The second generation of Muslim migrants is facing a huge challenge because they did not think even for a second before that someone would say, 'You are not welcome. Native Brits feel that their culture and language is superior and every Tom and Harry must learn English and forget their own languages, cultures, literatures and poetry. It is the native Brits who need to learn and respect those who are different. Immigrants are also human beings with social, emotional and spiritual needs and demands. They are not just economics for the economic prosperity.
British children in Spain come with this mentality, wanting to keep themselves to themselves and feel no obligation to integrate into Spanish way of life. The Brits are the most problematic minority group in Spanish schools. They are worst at learning the host language and integrating into school life than any other nationality in Spain's state schools. They have negative attitudes towards integration. They carry a strong sense of English linguistic superiority. They were embarrassed to speak Spanish because the other students laughed at them. Brit children had very little or no concept of Spanish culture or social life. They watched UK TVs and English language radios. Their parents do not speak Spanish nor have Spanish friends. In English ghettos, Spaniards fear to tread. They have no interest in being part of Spanish society.
Iftikhar Ahmad
http://www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk |
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saba2
Moderator
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Friday, November 19, 2010 - 12:36 PM 
People who immigrated from Pakistan to Britian went in search for a better future and a secure environment. What I understand is the families who had some educational background prior to immigration settled better than the ones who went with very little educational background and belonging to rural areas. The new generation is facing a huge challenge because they never thought themselves to be any other nationality but British.
I agree it is the host country's responsibility to integrate immigrants in their culture but it is also the responsibility of the immigrant to accept that part of culture which may be different but not against their religious values or beliefs. As for the native British thinking themselves superior well they were the ones ruling us so some form of superiority will always be with them.
“ A report by the Institute for Community Cohesion found that native parents were deserting some schools after finding their children outnumbered by pupils from ethnic minorities. The native parents do not want their children to be educated along with migrant children. Schools in parts of England are becoming increasingly segregated. Many of the schools and colleges are segregated and this was generally worsening over recent years. This is RACISM. The solution is that those schools where Muslim children are in majority may be opted out as Muslim Academies." Do you really think that is the solution? I don't think so the more you isolate the more wide a gap will be between Muslim families and native British. What i don't understand is why the children of immigrants are not able to score well in schools? Children learn any language quickly one year of ESL is usually enough for the foreign language student to be able to learn in that language. When children forget their parent's language is not usually because the schools are trying to make them forget it but because they are hearing English totally in their environment so unless the parents and other family members make it a point to insist to talk in their native language at home the language will be lost even as a spoken one. It is the responsibility of the parents to keep their values and culture alive and that also with an open mind. The more negativity is at home and the more hostility or resistance is there for the culture of the country the more confusion there is in the minds of the children and they grow up to be individuals who don't know where they belong.
Is there a program in British schools where students could take up a foreign language from early years? If so then muslim children can opt to take their ethnic language and formally learn to read and write in it too. It is very difficult to settle in any country I feel adults should understand and research the culture so that they are able to integrate themselves and so in turn help their children to understand and accept the values which don’t go against their religion. |
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Iftikhar
UNITED KINGDOM
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Posted - Friday, November 19, 2010 - 3:00 PM
Salaam
I am concerned with the education of Muslim schildren in British schoolings who have been mis-educated and de-educated for the last 50 years. Muslim community with Masajid and school are not going to harm English culture and language. I would like to see Muslim children learning standard English to follow the National Curriculum and go for higher studies and research to serve humanity. The problem is that they learn English in the streets and in the playgrounds. British schooling does not teach English to migrant children. The teachers let them speak the same accent in the classroom. They have no courage to stop them or correct them. This is one of the main reasons why one third of children have difficulties with reading when they leave primary schools. Majority of such children are bilingual Muslims. They often speak "street" with its own grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. In
other European countries and in the sub-continent argot and slang are not
allowed into the classrooms. In Britain primary school teachers do not feel
that it's role to interfere with self-expression in any shape or form. They
encourage children to read poems and stories written in ethnic dialects.
At the same time I would like to see them learning Arabic, Urdu and other
community languages to keep in touch with their cultural roots and enjoy the beauty of their literature and poetry.
The second generation of Muslim migrants is facing a huge challenge because they did not think even for a second before that someone would say, 'You are not welcome. Native Brits feel that their culture and language is superior and every Tom and Harry must learn English and forget their own languages, cultures, literatures and poetry.
Muslim youths are angry, frustrated and extremists because they have been mis-educated and de-educated by the state schools with monolingual non-Muslim teachers. They find themselves cut off from their cultural roots. They do not know where they belong. They are unable to enjoy the beauty of their literature and poetry. Pakistani youths suffer more than other Muslim youths. Majority of them leave schools with low grades. Majority of them are in prison.
British schooling is the home of institutional racism and British teachers
are chicken racist. Muslim children have been vicitm of Paki-bashing for the last 50 years by the majority of native children. Now those schools where Muslim children are in majority, they are doing the same what the native children have been doing in the past.
The solution is that such schools where Muslim children are in majority may be opted out as Muslim Academies. There is no place for a non-Muslim child or a teacher in a Muslim school. Bilingual Muslim children need bilingual Muslim teachers as role models during their developmental periods.
Muslim schools promote tolerance and harmony between different cultural and religious traditions. They develop self-confidence and self-esteem in Muslim children because they educate them according to their needs and demands. According to school's minister, fiath schools have more diverse intakes than other schools and are more successful than non-faith schools at promoting community cohesion.
A Muslim is a citizen of this tiny global village, he/she does not want to become notoriously Brit
Speaking English does not promote integration into British, American and Australian societies, and broaden opportunities. English speaking Muslim youths are angry, frustrated and extremist, thanks to state schools with monolingual non-Muslim teachers and English language. English language is not only a lingua franca but also lingua frankensteinia. Human right are also covers linguistic right. Cultural and linguistic genocide are very common. British schooling is murdering community languages like Arabic, Urdu and others. English is today the world killer language. Linguistic genocide is a crime against humanity and British schooling is guilty of committing this crime. Language is not just a language. It defines one's culture, identity and consciousness. It defines how we think, communicate and express ourselves. The fact is the most South Asian Muslims have come to know Islam by way of Urdu, the children's alienation from the language that connects them the heritage of their parents and grand parents is disturbing. As a matter of fact, one has to get to know his mother tongue well if one is to master any other language
Iftikhar Ahmad
http://www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk |
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safimera
CANADA
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Posted - Saturday, November 20, 2010 - 1:55 AM
I want to mention another aspect :
here in Canada to have children in Muslim school is luxury....they are paid schools and fees per month cannot be afforded by majority of muslims who are usually working very hard to make both ends meet, especially if they have 2 or more children.
Public schools are free upto 12th grade.
so all those philosophy and concerns that "Muslim children should have their good religious teachings and balla balla" could not work here.....here, it is for well-to-do families only....
or we can say ironically that to be good Muslim children/students in canada, you have to be a little rich!!!!!!!!
Edited by: safimera on Saturday, November 20, 2010 1:58 AM |
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saba2
Moderator
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Saturday, November 20, 2010 - 12:47 PM
Salam , you are right Safimera some muslim schools in north America have a high fee structure but some are charter schools in U.S.A. which are free as they get public money to run the school in a public school district. I for one don't understand why can't our children that is muslim children study in public schools? I don't know a lot about UK. but I do know about U.S.A. and Canada both these countries have a good educational system. It offers a lot to a student who wants to learn and if you compare to our own educational system...... there is no comparison. As for Islamic and cultural values are concerned it is the responsibility of the families and that community to instill them in their children. If you don't want your language to die then better be prepared as to how you are going to teach the children, no one else is going to do it for you. I was once visiting England a few years back and I met a lot of shopkeepers in South hall some women didn't know a word of English even though they had been in England for more than 20 years they understood urdu and were delighted to meet a visitor from Pakistan. The thing I found most surprising was their children who were there helping knew English and a little of the language spoken at home be it Gujrati, Maimni, punjabi or Saraiki but they didn't know a word of Urdu. In Britain the community could ask for the introduction of Urdu as a subject in those schools where they are in a majority that could be one solution. The Muslim community could request for halal meals or halal meat used in school meals.
What Muslim families need to understand is when they immigrate to Britain, U.S.A. Canada or Australia they are entering another culture the children brought up in that country are a part of that culture , they are no more Pakistanis or familiar with things we take for granted here so parents need to work twice as hard to keep those values alive for them. Elders and Parents need to show some kind of affinity or positivity towards their new homeland, always hearing negative things about the people and the culture gives mixed signals to the children , lack of knowledge about the educational system alienates the parents from the classroom and so no trust develops between the parent and the teacher. The youth of these families grow up with fear alienation and are all mixed up and don’t know where they belong with no friends unless they are Muslims too, so how can someone perform with such handicaps.
Iftekhar sahab you seem to have identified some problems like more muslim teachers in British schools so why aren’t more muslim teachers coming up from the community? As for children not being able to read and write even after high school, I had heard about that and that is why the literacy policy had come up with more emphasis on reading strategies at Key stage 1 the problem with reading in schools is a global one and I for one think the problem is that we have lost the reading habit and the children have no role models in their homes so the habit to read a book a magazine at bedtime or at breakfast is no more. |
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safimera
CANADA
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Posted - Sunday, November 21, 2010 - 3:10 AM
salam!!
absolutely correct!!!
I also always ask others and myself that what if muslim students will go in public schools??
the most common concern:
they could be involved in indecent relationship!!! because there is too much freedom!!!
OK!!! a valid reason
but the solution is to segregate??
and secondly is this not happening in muslim countries schools??
out of 100 students , may be 4 or 5 students involve in such relationship, but I saw such average in muslim schools as well where co-education system exists.(i am not defending such acts in public school..there should be zero tolerance for such activities)
but generally here, muslim girls and boys preserve their diginity and islamic morals in such public schools and parents are more aware of this drawback and they, from time to time, advice and keep an eye on the activity of their children.
You cannot stop it 100% and you cannot ignore the good education they are recieving free there to get admission in future universities and professional colleges just b/c of that .
personally, rather to have a separate islamic school, I am in favour of special classes for young students in different islamic centres from time to time in order to have revision of their islamic values as well as islamic education within home and this should be taken seriously by parents.
and most parents are doing this here.
but to isolate them from the main stream education system, in my opinion is counter-productive.
We have to accept that we all are here in these countries because we are not comfortable (for any reason) in our own "muslim" country....so we should try not to segregate ourselves from native people by such actions and
instead, let them observe our good things such as good dressing code and other moral family values (which for some reasons, not as widespread as in our culture)
and should take from them the sincerity, honesty, hard working and 100% concentration approach towards scientific education and research.
Frankly speaking, majority of muslim students have very reluctant, unprofessional and lethargic approach and less dedication towards scientific education and research,
and the result is clear in muslim countries.
In such countries our children learn the spirit, interest and dedication towards such knowledge.....
God knows better
Edited by: safimera on Sunday, November 21, 2010 3:29 AM |
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Iftikhar
UNITED KINGDOM
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Posted - Sunday, November 21, 2010 - 8:18 AM
Salaam
Children should be allowed to have CHILDhoods, and not forced into adulthood by a sex-mad society. Maybe if we didn't bombard young people with messages of how great and "perfectly safe" sex was in every television program, magazine article and new pop song, then they wouldn't be doing the things they do.
The teenager prégnances and the sheer madness of sex education teaches nothing about morality. A fifteen years girl has a child from a thirteen year old boy. They and their parent are very proud of the child and grand child. Now two more boys claimed that they are the fathers of the child. DNA test will prove the child's paternity. This means that the girl had multiple sexual relations. Britain's rate of teenage pregnancy is the highest in western Europe. This is a clear indication of broken society. It is an eye opening for the Muslim community who send their children to state schools with non-Muslim teachers.
Sex education and contraception in schools make children as quasi adults, capable of making their own life choices. Children are being taught that sexually transmitted diseases could be easily treated and there is no acknowledgement of the emotional harm of premature sexual activity. The truth is that more sex education and contraception are provided to children and teenagers, the more they fall pregant. Studies have shown that access to contraceptions and sex education, sexual activity and conception and prgnancy rates go up.
The teaching of sex education could not curb teenage pregnancies. Infact, it has simply increased it. The spectre of hidden epidemic of sex crimes inside Britain's classrooms has emerged after Scotland Yard revealed there have been nearly 900 rapes or sex attacks in schools. The vast majority of victims were school children under the age of 16. As many as one in three were under 11.
According to official figures, nearly half of babies are now born out of wedlock. They are more likely to suffer social.mental and emotional problems. Researchers have revealed the migrants in Britain are more likely to have children within marriage. If Muslim children keep on attending state schools with non-Muslim monolingualk teachers than there is a possibility that teenage Muslim girls will have children out of wedlock.
The sexualisation of children by the government, Dept of Education, 'pregnancy advice centres', social workers, school nurses, media aimed at teen girls, contraceptive industry lobbyists, fashion industry and the welfare state to name just a few, is a crime against humanity.
It is also gross hypocrisy for the police to prosecute paedophiles when the government is overseeing boy scouts being given condoms from the age 11 and girls of the same age being told it is OK to have sex if they use 'protection'. Boys and girls at age 11 are not allowed to marry but they can have sex and produce children. Every parent is worried about his child being indoctrinated into the idea that gay and sexual promiscuity is "normal" modes of behaviour. At the same time, all parents have the right to control their children and it is their Duty to control them.
It is an eye opening for the Muslim parents who keep on sending their children to state schools with non-Muslim monolingual teachers. Bilingual Muslim children need state funded Muslim schools with bilingual Muslim teachers a s role models during their developmental periods. Muslim teachers are in a better position to teach sex education to teenagers according to Islamic perspectives. There is no place for a non-Muslim child or a teacher in a Muslim school. State funded Muslim schools are crucial for social cohesion, religious and cultural harmony. They are preparing children and young people to face the challenges of life in modern Britain and to also contribute in a positive way to wider society. Muslim children will develop self-confidence and self-esteem. According to TES, pupils make more progress at Muslim secondary schools than anyother type of schools. They are promoting tolerance and support the spiritual, moral, social, linguistic and cultural development of pupils.
Iftikhar Ahmad
http://www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk |
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safimera
CANADA
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Posted - Sunday, November 21, 2010 - 3:04 PM
quote:
it is an eye opening for the Muslim parents who keep on sending their children to state schools with non-Muslim monolingual teachers.
but what if parents could not afford the fees of such muslim school..........
and it is also should be eye opener that children are not geting sex knowledge and education from schools only .....
TV, films, children or adult magazines available at your home or shop or libraries, from other friends...all thesesources are available for them...... if u r living in this country, school is not only the source...
secondly public schools are not only and only sex education centres as popular belief....it is very very small part of their education....
most of the time they teach math, english, science and sports etc....
lastly and very importantly, last time when I went Pakistan on vacation, I saw other kids of my kids' age discussing about films showing out of wedlock birth of heroines and my children were totally not aware that what is "out of wedlock"???
then I found out that almost all houses in pakistan have cable tv which shows indian films and hollywood films without censor??
so it is happening in muslim countries which is no doubt very alarming....
then all children in all world have connection with each other thru emails or facebook,
all would know such education anyway....
the only and only thing now parents can do is :
try to brainwash their children from early childhood that "kid! such things are bad and God does not like it and so and so".....
and keep eye on their activity and keep discussing from time to time in very dignified language with them such issues.....
nowadays any parent NOT TO TRY to be friendly with their kids , would regret in future......
time has gone when u have strict relation with your children and still they were obedient to you and nothing hiding to you like our generation did in our childhood....
GOD knows better... |
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saba2
Moderator
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Sunday, November 21, 2010 - 5:36 PM
Salam, what you are suggesting I believe is a solution for a few not all can benefit from this Iftekhar and as safimera asked what about those who cannot benefit or enroll their children in muslim schools? Sex education is not the only issue in Western countries what about alcohol you can go buy alcohol if your are above 18 years , eating Halal foods. In Pakistan no sex education is given in schools but the kids are aware of everything starting from homosexuality to contraceptive methods but this knowledge is not coming from schools or from the parents but from each other , the internet and tv. Everyone has cable with no less than 100 channels Indian film channels , English, European movies and with no parental controls. Everyone is watching everything surfing the net with no security codes in fact children have more knowledge on how to use the computer and the web than the parents. Teenagers in Pakistan are as aware as a teenagers in Europe, Great Brittan U.S.A. or Canada. Yes we don’t talk of safe sex or tell the students that it’s acceptable but we also don’t talk about the changes a teenager goes through we have no outlets for our youth in Pakistan no sports facility no programs so what do the students do? Go home do homework watch T.V. talk to friends on their cell phones, then sit on their computers. Parents don’t like their children to go out to be with friends this is due to multiple of reasons. These children grow up to be very frustrated and angry youth they learn to hide and do things without parental knowledge
How many sexual crimes take place in Pakistan we have no idea because they are never reported but if you talk to NGOs working for women , you will find out we have a lot of sexual crime including incest but none reach a police station a teenage pregnancy will be terminated and girl will be married off. All these things are happening but they are not reported so there is no statistics available.Are they less than Great Britain? No idea as these are things we don’t talk about you will not hear of teenage pregnancy from a parent or school, but does that mean it does not happen?
In any western country a muslim parent talks about drinking and how in Islam you are forbidden to drink so do all Muslim youth start drinking at the age of 18? Of course they don’t , so why can’t parents talk about healthy interaction between the sexes to the children and explain how it is not acceptable to us Muslims if we don’t obey the prescribed limits.Safimera is right parents need to be aware of issues going around and keep talking to their children. The future of our youth in Pakistan is as much at stake maybe more so than the future of a muslim british youth, we as a nation have lost all our values of honesty, integrity and yes morality too. They are growing up in a corrupt country where no one respects the law or respects human life. Crimes are committed starting from smallest of traffic violation to mob killings, embezzling of funds but no one is caught, sex crimes happen of course not reported. Is our youth better off than the youth of Great Britian? |
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