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Opening of first Hindu state school sparks fears it will fuel racial segregation
Last updated at 13:31pm on 01.09.08
Pioneering: The design for Krishna-Avanti primary school and its temple
England’s first Hindu state school opens its doors to pupils this month amid fears that it will fuel racial segregation.
Krishna-Avanti primary school will have its own temple and vegetarian catering facilities.
There will also be Sanskrit lessons and yoga classes for pupils.
The primary and attached nursery will accommodate 236 children and comes in response to demand from the Hindu community in Edgware, northwest London.
But the project has drawn criticism.
Keith Porteous Wood, executive director of the National Secular Society, warned the school would create more segregated communities.
‘Until now, the Hindu community has been a pathfinder in integration,’ he said.
‘The new school will not be diverse at all, ethnically or religiously, and its opening will make surrounding community schools less diverse.
‘This will deprive the new pupils of the multiplicity of other cultures and backgrounds and also deprive the schools to which they would otherwise be admitted of some excellent role models.’
Krishna-Avanti is the first Hindu faith school to receive central government funding.
Ministers have backed a series of Christian city academies and offered support to Muslim and Hindu groups wishing to set up state schools, arguing that it would be discriminatory to refuse.
Mr Porteous Wood said: ‘The Government’s obsession with opening Christian schools engenders a “me too” attitude, and this is the result - racial and religious segregation.’
Nitesh Gor, chairman of governors at the school, rejected the argument, saying faith schools were popular with parents and provided a good education.
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He said: ‘If we are going to continue to have faith schooling in this country then it is unreasonable and discriminatory to deny just a handful of Hindu parents the choice that is already available to much larger numbers of Christians, Jews,
Muslims, Sikhs and others.
‘Faith schools have an excellent record of providing high-quality education and outperforming comparable non-faith schools.
‘By helping children to develop strong self-identities, the best faith schools also give children the confidence to play a full part in the wider community.’
There are about 6,000 faith schools in England, the majority Church of England and Roman Catholic.
Krishna-Avanti’s first reception class will begin lessons on 15 September but the children will have to spend a year in temporary classrooms while its new £10million campus is built on playing fields.
Once the school is fully operational, it will have about 25 staff including 17 teachers and classroom assistants.
Priority for places will go to Hindu children but the school has been forced to drop plans that would have required parents to prove they were vegetarian and teetotal.
The school has reportedly sparked interest from across the world.
Some Hindu families are also said to be considering moving to London from the Continent and India in the hope of winning places for their children.
Reader views (14)
I'm neither catholic,christian, hindu or jew but I do have a strong belief in God and the love for all people and creatures. I'm trying to get my child into secondary school and as we know some faith schools tend to be better than non denomination schools in terms of giving children values, morals and good education. However both catholic and christian schools have very explicit criteria: If your not a practising catholic /christian, your not getting in! It is made very difficult unless u prove you are baptised, get the priest to sign documentation with official stamp, send a letter and provide names and addresses of the priest to the school for them to write off for a reference.... or 2. Then there are varying degrees of christian you can be; with the lowest 'not an attendee of church'. The second priority, is given to recognised faiths -even muslims get in-.So being faith based does'nt exclude others although there is empahsis on promoting and securing that of your own.
- Mary, leicester
Doh Andy, try learning some history. Roman Catholics in England were discriminated both socially and in legislation ( try looking at the Catholic Emancipation Act) and so very few of the indigenous population are catholic. Catholics are generally ( or descent) Irish, Polish, Italian, Nigerian, West Indian, Southern Indian, etc. Immigrants generally aren't white middle class. Catholic schools are pretty mixed culturally and my catholic education didn't prevent me marrying an English/French atheist prod.
- Elle, London
I went to a catholic school throughout my whole educational career and is was not populated by the "white middle-class" it nicely reflected the larger community, mixed equally by different races/culture bonded by our faith.
Hindu's have been apart of our society after decades a faith school for them is long over due. I say congratulations to them and are pleased that they will be teaching tolerance and peace to its pupils.
- Cassandra, uk
Geraldine, Hinduism is a long way from islam...get your hatred "right" before you start spouting off!!!
- Daveb, london
Why would this Hindu school create any more racial segregation than a Church or Jewish School. Hindus have mostly integrated very will into British society and have Sikhs. Let them have their school.
- Jane Bewick, London
Hindus cause no trouble and integrate well. Let them have their school.
- Jimbob, Kensington
Have you all forgotten under NuLiabour this is a multi-cultural Society even if it isn't.
- Ayliff Mcnab, Spain
I think that someone should start a school for members of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (bless his noodly appendages).
- John, London
The reason we allow 'Catholic' and 'Church of England' schools in this country is that we are first and foremost a Christian country. We are not an Islamic country. Can anyone honestly say, that if one were in an Islamic country there would be access to Christian only schools; I doubt it. Smacks to me of pandering to the every present human rights brigade.
- Geraldine, London
My Church of England high was was not full of white middle class kids, and most church schools are also over populated with foreign immigrants. This is a one way street with church and public schools ensured they are diverse with Muslim and other faith schools left alone. These schools must mirror our education system with a small emphasis on religion.
- Brandon Thomas, London SW7
Er Andy a lot of Catholic & CoE schools have Black & White kids alike, so long as this school teaches good karma and love thy neighbour then good luck to them.
Sadly a few troublemakers stirring up anti White/Black feeling are tearing down the values that unite all peoples alike and the establishment are only paying service to the wrong types.
- Gordon, UK
Andy, London
If you think that all Catholic/COE schools are 'middle class and white' then you are as woefully out of touch as the government.
Fact remains that multiculturalism has not, does not and will never work. Different groups will always gravitate towards their own. That is why we have some schools in London 95% black, some 95% white and some 95% Asian.
My school was vast majority white when i was a kid, its now about 30% and by the time my kids go to school, it'll be about 5% no doubt. Do you think I will be sending them there?
- Lb, London
Hinduism... the religion that preaches love for ALL god's creations... animals... plants and humans... and denounces any form of violence... yes I'm sure this is unheard of in this modern society and therefore it will create 'racial segregation'!
- Sanjay, Hounslow, UK
What do you think Church of England/Catholic schools do? There is supposed to be diversity but in reality they are full of white middle class Christian children. Jewish schools are full of Jewish children. Either you have to allow all faith schools or they should all be banned and racial and religious mixes encouraged in all schools
- Andy, London
