The Muslim Community in the British Educational System. Which Challenges Have to Be Faced by State Schools?

Essay aus dem Jahr 2012 im Fachbereich Anglistik - Kultur und Landeskunde, Note: 1,7, Universität Potsdam (Anglistik/Amerikanistik), Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: Low academic achievements by Muslim pupils are still a problem in Britain at present time and this can obviously, since many have lived in England for generations, not only be justified by recent arrivals in England. Therefore, various investigations took place in order to explore other causes that might be responsible for the unequal achievements among pupils from Muslim and non-Muslim heritage. These matters call for more fundamental pedagogical and practical changes within English state schools. According to the 2001 census the Muslim population in the United Kingdom contained a total of approximately 1.6 million. In 2010 the number estimated by the Pew Forum report was around 2.9 million, which would signify that it had nearly doubled within nine years. Taking this vast growth into account, it becomes obvious that the number of Muslim pupils in English schools will increase as well. Therefore the following question arises: What challenge must the English state school system face regarding a growing number of Muslim pupils? Until the first Education Act in 1870, the Church of England mainly determined the education in England. Afterwards, the state began to take over responsibility as it demonstrated a commitment to provision of education on a national scale and financially supported various church schools. With this education act the foundation of board schools and the election of school boards took place on a local level. After another education act in 1944 major parts of the responsibility for education laid in the hands of the state. Therefore, local education authorities such as counties or district councils were supposed to organize these schools. The only obligation they had was the 'continuing commitment to religious education within the general state system' (Nielsen 54). Consequently, the teaching of religion and 'daily collective acts of worship within school' (Nielsen 54) were obligatory and determined by law. However, these local authorities set the framework whereas head teachers also had significant influence with regard to the curriculum, selection of school staffs and books.