Education

France Pushing Back On Growing Muslim Schools By Offering Arabic Classes

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Neetu Arnold Contributor
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France is considering to add Arabic classes in its public schools to provide students a religious free alternative to Muslim affiliated schools in the country.

French President Emmanuel Macron’s government is thinking of encouraging schools to offer Arabic lessons to students as little as 6 years old, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. The idea comes as some French officials find the lack of teaching the language in public schools has led to a cultural divide between the Muslim-minority community and the country.

The French government says that thousands of children attend classes funded partially by Arabic-speaking countries, according to WSJ. Some attend private schools affiliated with mosques where students may learn Arabic if the teacher has a full understanding of the language while others are encouraged to memorize verses from the Quran.

Algerian, Moroccan and former French colony governments partially take care of teaching Arabic by sending and paying teachers to teach the language in France to help immigrant children remain in touch with their original culture, WSJ reported. Such classes are held outside of school hours with some government oversite. Over 40,000 children in France attend these classes.

SHUTTERSTOCK/ Yusnizam Yusof

France is considering to add Arabic classes in its public schools to provide students a religious free alternative to Muslim affiliated schools in the country. (Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK/ Yusnizam Yusof)

“Teaching Arabic will create more ghettos,” said Béziers, France, Mayor Robert Ménard, WSJ reported.

Béziers is a town close to the Mediterranean coast.

France has 5.7 million Muslims as of 2016, the largest Muslim population in the European Union.

Over 80,000 young French citizens are taught Arabic in mosques and other religious-affiliated institutions, according to a September 2016 report from the French and European public policy think tank Institut Montaigne.

France has experienced a slew of Islamist terror attacks in recent years. The November 2015 Paris attacks killed 130 people and the 2016 Bastille Day truck attack killed over 80. (RELATED: Man Shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ Stabs Mother, Sister To Death In France)

France announced some measures to curb Islamic extremism in the country on Feb. 23, according to a separate WSJ report. The plan included training teachers to recognize radicalized teenagers and closing private schools believed to be indoctrinating students with extremist ideas.

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