Home schooling is an option that is available to all parents and is a right that is established in English Law. The rights and responsibilities of parents are outlined in the 1996 Education Act in Sections 7 and 9 (similar provisions exist in Northern Ireland and Scotland) which state that:
The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable (a) to his age, ability and aptitude, and (b) to any special educational needs he may have- either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.
In exercising or performing all their respective powers and duties under the Education Acts, the Secretary of State, local education authorities and the funding authorities shall have regard to the general principle that pupils are to be educated in accordance with the wishes of their parents, so far as that is compatible with the provision of efficient instruction and training and the avoidance of unreasonable public expenditure.
Parents are given the legal right to educate their children according to their own beliefs and values. This means that as Muslim parents we can make the decision to keep our children at home to be educated or seek other alternatives to mainstream education in order to ensure they receive a correct Islamic education in a secure environment. Obviously parents must ensure that their children are literate, numerate and have knowledge of other important subjects such as science, history and geography but parents are free to choose the most appropriate and effective way to educate their own children and an Islamic education easily encapsulates all these subjects. Parents who are home educating may choose to follow any learning method, from autonomous schooling or ‘Unschooling’ – where children are allowed to guide their own learning through their inquisitiveness and curiosity about the world around them - to following the National Curriculum at home. It should be stated clearly however that parents do not have to follow the National Curriculum as it merely exists as a guide for schools and there is no legal obligation or necessity for a home educating parent to follow it unless one wishes to do so. Also, there is no obligation to educate your child in English if you would prefer to pursue some or all of their education in another language.
A common misconception about home education is that children do not have the same opportunities to become ‘socialized’. However, research and experience has shown that home-educated children often have greater social skills and maturity than children who have attended school. This is due, in part, to the fact that schools are often inflexible and based on standards; children are segregated into separate age groups in school whereas home-educated children are more likely to interact with a variety of age groups; and home-based education emphasizes self-directed learning and self-discipline. Opportunities for social interaction can easily be created, such as by arranging to meet on a regular basis with other families so that children can play, socialise and learn with each other. As Muslims we must also consider who we want our children to be socialising with. Unfortunately many of us have become blind to the many detrimental influences which surround us and we send our children to have the same training that we have had, to accept the system and compromise our Deen.
It is not necessary for a home educator to have formal qualifications and parents should not have the preconception that they have not got enough knowledge to home educate. Most home educating parents will tell you that they learn along with their children and that the whole experience is as enriching for them as it is for their children. Also, there are vast amounts of educational resources and many organizations that exist to assist home educators in a variety of ways. Many thousands of families with all sorts of backgrounds are currently home educating their children with great success.
As Muslim parents we should be looking to Allah (swt) and his Prophet (saw) for guidance on how to educate our children. We should do our utmost to educate our children Islamically, to follow the Shariah without compromise and to ensure that we are not exposing our children to un-Islamic environments.
The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable (a) to his age, ability and aptitude, and (b) to any special educational needs he may have- either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.
In exercising or performing all their respective powers and duties under the Education Acts, the Secretary of State, local education authorities and the funding authorities shall have regard to the general principle that pupils are to be educated in accordance with the wishes of their parents, so far as that is compatible with the provision of efficient instruction and training and the avoidance of unreasonable public expenditure.
Parents are given the legal right to educate their children according to their own beliefs and values. This means that as Muslim parents we can make the decision to keep our children at home to be educated or seek other alternatives to mainstream education in order to ensure they receive a correct Islamic education in a secure environment. Obviously parents must ensure that their children are literate, numerate and have knowledge of other important subjects such as science, history and geography but parents are free to choose the most appropriate and effective way to educate their own children and an Islamic education easily encapsulates all these subjects. Parents who are home educating may choose to follow any learning method, from autonomous schooling or ‘Unschooling’ – where children are allowed to guide their own learning through their inquisitiveness and curiosity about the world around them - to following the National Curriculum at home. It should be stated clearly however that parents do not have to follow the National Curriculum as it merely exists as a guide for schools and there is no legal obligation or necessity for a home educating parent to follow it unless one wishes to do so. Also, there is no obligation to educate your child in English if you would prefer to pursue some or all of their education in another language.
A common misconception about home education is that children do not have the same opportunities to become ‘socialized’. However, research and experience has shown that home-educated children often have greater social skills and maturity than children who have attended school. This is due, in part, to the fact that schools are often inflexible and based on standards; children are segregated into separate age groups in school whereas home-educated children are more likely to interact with a variety of age groups; and home-based education emphasizes self-directed learning and self-discipline. Opportunities for social interaction can easily be created, such as by arranging to meet on a regular basis with other families so that children can play, socialise and learn with each other. As Muslims we must also consider who we want our children to be socialising with. Unfortunately many of us have become blind to the many detrimental influences which surround us and we send our children to have the same training that we have had, to accept the system and compromise our Deen.
It is not necessary for a home educator to have formal qualifications and parents should not have the preconception that they have not got enough knowledge to home educate. Most home educating parents will tell you that they learn along with their children and that the whole experience is as enriching for them as it is for their children. Also, there are vast amounts of educational resources and many organizations that exist to assist home educators in a variety of ways. Many thousands of families with all sorts of backgrounds are currently home educating their children with great success.
As Muslim parents we should be looking to Allah (swt) and his Prophet (saw) for guidance on how to educate our children. We should do our utmost to educate our children Islamically, to follow the Shariah without compromise and to ensure that we are not exposing our children to un-Islamic environments.
