Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/806571
7 PAUL COCKS THE Archbishop of Malta's quick and open approval of Islam being taught to Muslim students even in state and church schools – which attracted criticism from many quarters – even stunned the Is- lamic spiritual leader that recom- mended it in the first place. Imam Mohammed El Sadi, the head of the Mariam Al-Batool school in Paola, had said he hoped Muslim religious teaching be in- troduced in government schools, as already happens with Christian teaching, following news of the closure of his school's secondary section. Archbishop Charles Scicluna said in reply that he was open to the recommendation, insisting in- clusivity was part of the Catholic Church's ethos. But his opinion was not wel- comed by many parents, as well as some heads of Church schools, who insist that Church schools should focus on Christianity and not serve as tools for other reli- gions. And El Sadi himself, in com- ments to MaltaToday, said he was surprised by how quickly Scicluna made public his approval. "I was surprised by his noble ap- proval of Muslim students' right to learn Islam at state schools and I was stunned by his courageous openness to the recommenda- tion of offering Islamic education for Muslim students at church schools," he said. "Really he is an inspired fair and wise man." The Imam thanked Scicluna for welcoming the idea of religious teaching diversity. "It is fair, noble, courageous and shows high self-confidence to se- cure teaching of other faiths for non-Christian students who study at church schools," El Sadi said. He admitted he had never had the opportunity to speak to the archbishop about the need for Is- lamic education for Muslim stu- dents. But, on behalf of the Muslim community, he expressed "deep thanks to His Excellency". "I hope that the Maltese educa- tional system will accommodate and adapt to the teaching of Islam as soon as possible," El Sadi told MaltaToday. "Where there is a will, there is a way." The Imam said he felt the time was ripe for the introduction of Islamic education in state schools, especially having the blessing of the highest authorities. "It is a matter of time," he said. Education minister Evarist Bar- tolo cautiously welcomed the rec- ommendation but insisted that, as in the case of Catholic religion or ethics classes, these teachings in Islam would only be for those who specifically asked to attend and would not be compulsory for all students. Bartolo said that like all other subjects, Islamic studies would need to adhere to a programme ap- proved by the ministry and which would lead to SEC certification. "We will definitely not tolerate any teaching in favour of violence or of hate towards those who do not follow your own beliefs," he said. "All classes will be given by quali- fied teachers that would be ap- proved by us, and all classes would have to respect the Constitution and laws of Malta, human rights and democracy." El Sadi pointed out that the re- quest for the introduction of Is- lamic education in state schools had not been triggered by the clo- sure of the secondary section of the Mariam Al-Batool school, but that this had been first put forward in 2013. "Securing Islamic education for Muslim students doesn't concern Mariam Al-Batool students only but all Muslim students, the major- ity of whom attend state schools," he said. "Learning Islam is a right of Maltese Muslim students, just like the right of Catholic students to learn Christianity." El Sadi said that Maltese were equal in rights and obligations, ir- respective of their faiths, and that the Maltese Constitution inter- dicts all kinds of discrimination based on faith, colour or race. He acknowledged that religious schools were there to serve and promote their own faiths and said that church schools would "natu- rally" focus on Christianity. "I would like to assure the Mal- tese public that teaching Islam at state schools will contribute to safeguard the society from exclu- sion, extremism, hatred and vio- lence and will enhance integration, respect, peaceful co-existence and loyalty for the country," El Sadi said. But "peaceful co-existence" seems to be the last thing on the minds of many people who either misunderstood Scicluna's position or were insisting Church schools were not there to serve other reli- gions. The dismay expressed by many at the archbishop's apparently care- free acceptance of introducing Is- lam and other religion classes in Church schools, has now reached new heights with an online petition calling for the removal of Arch- bishop Charles Scicluna securing 2,049 signatures in eight days. The petition, launched on 22 March, calls for the removal of Scicluna "ASAP", describing him as a "black sheep", a "traitor to our Church", and undeserving of his appointment. A quick look at some of the 849 comments left by the signatories reveals that, although some were merely opposed to the idea of schools teaching other re- ligions, many still thought that all students in state and church schools would be forced to start learning Islam, despite repeated claims otherwise by all parties in- volved. pcocks@mediatoday.com.mt maltatoday, SUNDAY, 2 APRIL 2017 News Imam 'stunned' by Scicluna's openness • Hold a minimum of five (5) passes at 'O' Level Standard with ccounts and Mathematics being two (2) of the required subjects or related area with preference being given to applicants in possession of an '' Level in accounting or related area. • Preferably with two (2) years relevant work experience. • Be skilled in the use of Microsoft Office package especially Microsoft Excel. • Have a good working knowledge of SGE accounting software. Detailed CVs are to reach the Chief Finance Officer, Projects Malta Ltd, The Clock Tower, Level 1, Tigné Point, Sliema TP01 by not later than noon (Central European Time) of Friday 21 st •pril, 2017. Submissions can be also sent electronically on hr.projectsmalta@gov.mt Jobsplus Permit Number: 131/2017 Requirements: How to apply: dministrative Officer – Finance Projects Malta Ltd. a government owned company, is seeking to recruit an dministrative Officer to assist the Chief Finance Officer. Duties will include the processing of payments according to the Government's Procurement Regulations, maintaining the purchases, sales and general ledger, and provision of general administrative support to Projects Malta and its subsidiaries. C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Output file.pdf 1 28/03/2017 14:15:54 ligious education." Consequently, RE curricula will no longer be designed by the Cu- ria, but by the government. Ethics classes, currently only available to students who do not sit for reli- gion classes, will be extended to everyone. Mifsud said that his plan comes with several advantages – namely that it will keep the classroom united and intact during religion classes, allow students to expand their knowledge of different faiths, and act as an early preven- tive mechanism for fundamental- ist ideology. "Education is not only about learning but also about the class- room community, which means that classes shouldn't be split up when it comes to teaching reli- gion," he said. "The current discussion [on Islamic education] is often irre- sponsible, with faith communities protecting their own interests in- stead of the interests of the class- room community. "It will be less likely for a student to be respectful of people of dif- ferent faiths if they are segregated during religion lessons at school." Mifsud said that the Depart- ment for Inclusion has backed his proposal, and that he has re- ceived a lot of positive feedback from fellow university academics. He is currently debating it both within the Faculty for Education and with the Faculty of Theology and plans to commence dialogue about it soon with the govern- ment and religious communities. "I believe that people in Malta who want their children to grow up as mature citizens in a demo- cratic and multicultural soci- ety will respond positively to this proposal, but those with exclusive interests will resist it." In light of the impending closure of the Mariam al-Batool Muslim school in Paola, Imam Moham- med El Sadi earlier this month said that Muslim students should be allowed to learn Islam at state schools. Archbishop Charles Sci- cluna said that he would be open to allowing Muslim students to have separate classes in Islam while their peers have their nor- mal Catholic religion classes. However, Laiq Ahmed Atif, leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Malta, said last week that religious education at state schools should be secular and void of doctrine. "States and religions are differ- ent entities and each should play their own role," he said. "State schools should provide secular education to all students irrespec- tive of their faith. "Muslim students can go to imams and prayer-schools to learn about their faith, and simi- larly for Christians and Jews. The state's role shouldn't be to indoc- trinate students but to provide them with basic points about each religion." Education minister Evarist Bar- tolo was resistant when asked during a recent Xarabank inter- view whether religion at schools should be taught from a cultural, rather than a doctrinal approach. "I think religious education would be diluted if it were to be taught solely as a cultural study," Atif said. "It is important to un- derstand the historical aspect of religion, but God forbid we re- duce religious education to its cultural history. Religion is some- thing that is alive, and should also be taught through its behavioural and belief aspects." "It is fair, noble, courageous and shows high self-confidence to secure teaching of other faiths for non-Christian students who study at church schools." Imam Mohammed El Sadi