THE SCHOOL EDUCATION OF MUSLIM CHILDREN IN EUROPE: A REVIEW OF COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

Over time, the world has become a global village. People of different colors, races, religions and other identities have started living in one place in one society. Where this lifestyle has brought some advantages and conveniences to the mankind, it has also caused a lot of problems in various dimensions. Out of these challenges, religious harmonization along with other cultural issues is main concern for European immigrant Muslim children. This challenge becomes more serious for Islamic school children when they enter into secular education system which is totally different from their Islamic schools in terms of environment and spend more of their time into it. The objective of the study is to review the experiences of different societies in Europe on topic and to highlight the importance of problem to be dealt in handful way. The study submits that Muslim immigrant children faces series of problems like gender separation in coeducational environment for girls, cultural issues, language berries, and dressing codes for girls. The study concludes that children whether they be Muslim or belong to other religious or cultural communities, are fully entitled to grow up in a healthy way, harmoniously developing their personal skills, in the context of the frame of reference envisioned for them by their parents or by those with parental responsibility, who have the onerous task of ensuring their smooth transition towards adulthood.