Interesting story in the Sunday Telegraph on the curriculum of the Saudi-funded ‘King’ Fahd Academy in London.

“Former teachers and parents have come forward to criticise the academy’s religious teachings for instilling “hostility to the outsider”. They also claim that there is discrimination against female pupils. The school was opened 19 years ago for the offspring of Saudi diplomats in London. Since then, many children of British Muslims have joined the school. In 2002, only 37 per cent of the 738 pupils were of Saudi origin.”

The school’s pupils included the children of the extremist Muslim ‘cleric’ now facing extradition to the US on terrorism charges. Clearly he was happy with the syllabus.

“Originally the British and the Saudi curricula were taught side by side. Five years ago, however, the Saudi Arabian government ordered the school to phase out British lessons and to teach Saudi-style classes. The school is segregated and younger boys and girls are now taught different courses, to comply with Saudi education policy, which states that a girl’s education should “enable her to be a successful housewife, an exemplary wife and a good mother” or prepare her for work which is “suitable to her disposition as a woman”. Girls at the academy do barely any physical education and the only type of technology they will learn is “home technology”.

“Dr Mai Yamani, a research fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, had two daughters at the school, but removed them when she became uncomfortable about the education they were receiving…”The books they taught the girls from kept going on about idolatry and sin and how to avoid it. It was about the fires of hell, torture in the grave and how to make sure that your ways are not those of the infidel.

“A senior teacher at the school, who asked not to be named, admitted, however, that girls did not receive the full curriculum. “Girls will not have as much PE and they will be taught home technology, rather than any other type of technology. “The Saudi-type teaching is more didactic, with a lot of rote learning and factual stuff.”

“Factual stuff.” Really?

All schools in the UK are subject to inspection. The Sunday Telegraph report includes comments from a spokesman for the Department of Education that, “It is anticipated that King Fahd will next be inspected in 2006. Of course, if we are made aware of concerns about any independent school we would consider bringing forward an inspection.”

Well, they’ve got the concerns now. They should inspect the school and, in all probability, close it down.