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LUTON – A Muslim primary school in the British city of Luton, Bedfordshire, has criticized education inspection body, Ofsted, over false claims that the school promotes “fundamentalist” Islamic beliefs.
“Nothing could be further from the truth,” Chair of governors Farasat Latif told BBC on Friday, May 23.
Ofsted and the Education Funding Agency (EFA) have been holding investigation over an alleged Islamic fundamentalist plot to “take over” schools in the city that was outlined in a document termed as Operation Trojan Horse.
Trojan Horse Probe Disturbs Muslim Students
Trojan Horse Plot, What UK Muslims Say
Although the fourp-age document was unsigned by staff, a snap inspection was undertaken.
Moreover, extremism allegations have been repeatedly refuted by the schools’ staff and governors.
Visiting Olive Tree Primary school in Luton, last week, Ofsted inspection was abandoned after parents reacted angrily to inspectors quizzing their children about homosexuality.
In the initial report, obtained by the school administration, inspectors claimed that some library books were “abhorrent to British society”.
Ofsted said its final report would be published shortly.
“We have shared a draft copy of the inspection report, in confidence, with the school for factual accuracy checking, as is our standard practice,” Ofsted spokesman said.
The school administration reacted angrily to Ofsted report issuing a statement entitled “Ofsted’s Revenge”.
In the statement, Latif, the chair of governors said the school had been “targeted”, with inspectors looking for “absolutely anything that could tarnish our reputation as a Muslim school”.
“They produced a half-baked, highly politicized report, replete with factual inaccuracies and based upon an inspection that was abandoned halfway through,” he said.
“Ofsted is now punishing the school by portraying it as a hotbed of extremism.”
The school has also written to Ofsted to counter the claims.
The ongoing Ofsted inspection has been widely criticized by different Islamic schools across UK, seeing it would have negative implication on its image and students’ future as well.
