Press Release: Uk Imams and Madrassah teachers offered Qualified teacher status

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Imams and Madrassah teachers offered a pathway to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) with an option to receive a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE).

House of Lords London, May 15, 2014: Lord Patel of Bradford hosted the launch of the University of East London (UEL) CASS School of Education and Faith Associates’ new initiative to support Imams and Madrassah teachers, to achieve Qualified Teachers Status (QTS) in the UK. The initiative will give graduates from Islamic seminaries (Dar Alumum) or Islamic colleges access to prestigious qualifications provided by the CASS School of Education and Communities; to start their journey towards becoming qualified teachers. The course will start in  September 2014 and enrollment for the course has already started. The launch was well attended by over 80 academics, community leaders and Islamic Scholars from London, Birmingham, Bradford, Oxford, Nottingham, Southampton and other major cities.

 UEL Vice Chancellor Professor John Joughin said “UEL has always innovated and following our success on developing a master’s programme in Sharia Finance, developing the teaching qualities of Imams and Madrassah teachers is an exciting offer. We have always supported and worked closely with our communities and this course has been requested by senior Islamic figures and our partnership with Faith Associates has been crucial in developing the programme.”

Lord Noon a member of the House of Lords and the Chancellor of UEL commented on the need to address the inequalities within the Imam profession and he believed that this course developed by Faith Associates and UEL would help to address these matters. 

Lord Sheikh a conservative peer spoke at the launch event of reviving Islamic scholarship and supporting the development of becoming effective teachers.

Shaukat Warraich the CEO of Faith Associates and co-founder of the UEL course spoke of his admiration for the team at UEL and discussed the “Trust, commitment and passion” of the senior leadership team in developing the new course. He was also keen to point out that the “University course was a 1^st in the West, where Imams and Madrassah teachers would be seen as specialist in their religious fields and would receive complementary knowledge in the latest teaching and learning techniques.” He also said, “If we are to develop 21^st century learners from our Madrassah and Mosques we need to develop 21^st Islamic teachers and the University of East London is seeking to develop those very people.”

Full community support

Dr Shahid Raza of MINAB (Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board) and the British Muslim Forum (BMF) spoke of how these new qualifications could revolutionize the entire Madrassah culture in the UK and the West. He said “Children in the UK who go to mainstream schools during the day but in the evening they enter a different world called Madrassah, which can be unfamiliar, Madrassah teachers developed by UEL who teach in the evenings and weekends in Madrassah will bring these two worlds together.”

The University of East London is launching the course Certificate of Education: Developing as an effective Madrassah Teacher. This is equivalent to 120 credits, it is a one year full time course (up to two years part-time). Upon completion will give students access to the 2^nd year of a Bachelors of Education (B.Ed.) degree, which would lead to accessing qualified teachers status (QTS). On completion of a Bachelors of Education degree, students would have the opportunity to apply for the globally recognised Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE).

Funding

The course can be fully funded through the Student funding route and can attract grants to support living costs.

The University will be holding an open day for Madrassah teachers and Imams on the 4^th of June at the CASS School of Education and Communities at its Stratford campus. The open day will run from 10am to 1.30pm. To attend the open day contact Faith Associates on 0845 273 3903 or email them on info@faithassociates.co.uk

Editors Notes

Madrassah are evening or weekend Quranic teaching and learning centers either run in Mosques, community centres, schools or in a teacher’s home.

It is believed that there are over 4000 Madrassah in the UK, with almost 250,000 children attending these facilities on a weekly basis

For further information and to arrange an interview with the CEO of Faith Associates, Mr Shaukat Warraich, Please contact:

Iqra Rahim-Babar on        01494416202

Faith Associates                  08452733903

E-mail                                    Iqrarb@faithassociates.co.uk