| The Muslim school for girls in Broughty Ferry, Dundee, has been closed by its trustees after more criticism by the schools’ inspectors, writes Andrew Argo.
Speculation mounted today the Imam Muhammad Zakariya School, the only one of its kind in Scotland, was shut by its trustees ahead of being forced to shut by the Scottish Executive. This followed the serving of a notice of complaint by Scottish Ministers.
The closure of the school in Strathern Road was said in a statement by the Executive today to be temporary.
No one was available at the school today to say if the trustees had plans to reopen it.
The establishment, opened in August 2001 in the building of a former nursing home, fell foul of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education when they carried out their first review in August 2004.
The inspectors delivered a damning judgment, finding its 20 girls were receiving a very poor and restricted education in secular and religious subjects. They ordered it to carry out urgent improvements or be closed.
At the end of September, Scottish education minister Peter Peacock said progress had been made following the appointment of a new head teacher, Gaye Nicolson. He asked the inspectors to go back in December to check on the situation.
The inspectors made that visit, and also checked to see if the school met a new range of criteria for independent schools.
Today a spokeswoman for the Scottish Executive said, “The trustees of the school informed the Registrar, the Care Commission and HMIE by letters it had temporarily ceased the provision of secular education and boarding facilities.”
The spokeswoman declined to comment on whether there was a connection between the school’s closure and the latest HMIE report. |
