In a bid to take over private Muslim schools in the country, the British government has offered money to the religious institutions, which largely operate behind closed doors.
Schools Secretary Ed Balls has assured funds to more than 100 private Muslim schools if they become state-run, the Daily Mail reported in London on Tuesday.
'There are 115 or 116 independent Muslim schools and seven maintained Muslim schools. All of those seven have transferred into the maintained sector from the independent sector. It should only happen if in the broadest sense the local community wants it. Where that is what the local community wants, it will provide the capital to make that possible,' Balls was quoted by the daily as saying.
Warning that minority religions currently did not have enough free faith school places in Britain, he said the religious institutions could definitely become a force for improving community relations
While the government argues that bringing private faith schools into the state system will give ministers greater control over the Muslim schools, opponents said it could entrench segregation.
'Faith schools make existing racial segregation worse and when you adjust for social class their results are no better than community schools,' Liberal Democrat MP Dr Evan Harris was quoted as saying.
However, Dr Mohamed Mukadam, chairman of the Association of Muslim Schools in the UK, said: "There is demand from the Muslim community for state faith schools but it will take time for this to develop. In the fullness of time, we will see many more."
It may be mentioned that a third of England's 21,000 state schools are faith schools but the vast majority are Anglican or Catholic. There are 37 Jewish, seven Muslim, two Sikh, one Greek Orthodox and one Seventh Day Adventist. A Hindu school is due to open next year.
Nearly 15,000 Muslim pupils and 11,000 Jewish ones are currently taught in fee-paid faith schools across Britain.
Moreover, in its report in April, the Commission for Racial Equality had said that the UK was in danger of becoming a 'mini America,' with schools separated along religious and ethnic lines. Britain's segregated schools were a 'ticking time bomb waiting to explode,' it said.
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