Leadership in Muslim Schools Presented by Edris Khamissa

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES-AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE Edris Khamissa

1. Giving children and young people an understanding of the role of Islam in the modern world. The main challenge is to present a range of Islamic perspectives on local and global issues in a holistic and comprehensive manner without prejudice. 2. The quality of teachers in terms of their Islamic and wider knowledge and commitment to the holistic Islamic development of children. Contemporary Issues

3. Teachers feeling overwhelmed by government initiatives and losing the essence of their teaching. Managers being driven by national policy as opposed to implementing an Islamic approach in terms of curriculum and pedagogy. 4. Bringing Arabic and Classical Islamic texts into our educational approach is a challenge. 5. Providing adequate facilities for Physical Education 6. Absent parent syndrome

Contemporary Issues 7. Do we teach Arabic as a language to be spoken, and written as well as read, or do we focus on the students reading the Qur'an with understanding? The result for most students at the present time is that they are learning neither. 8. In many Islamic schools there is a lack of organization, a lack of higher priorities, and a lack of professionalism. 9. Teachers ill-equipped to reach out to students –

Contemporary Issues 10. We need to motivate, to help sculpture, and most of all to inspire. But this should not be done on an individual basis as an educator, but as part of a system that endeavors to provide an atmosphere where the best, most comprehensive Islamic learning can take place. 11. Educators never give up on any student. 12. Board Members lacking cohesion and commonality of purpose-well meaning but not educationalists.

Contemporary Issues 13. Money is tight, so staff are recruited on a 'can afford' rather than on a 'can-do' basis. 14. Lack of qualified teachers 15. Inadequate resources and insufficient funding 16. Weak leadership and management 17. Lack of coherent and Islamic and Arabic curriculum 18. Social,personal and spiritual development relegated to the background-vision often ignored

Contemporary Issues 19. Limited parental engagement 20. Curriculum lacks Islamic focus and no standard definition of Islamisation 21. Unclear measures of determining true achievement 22. Lack of clear vision,ineffective leadership and weak organisational structure. 23. Inadequate curriculum resources and provision for teaching and learning. 24. No emphasis on independent thinking.

Contemporary Issues 25. Methodology and content not aligned to address the needs of students. 26. Learning and teaching for examinations and assessments rather than empowering for life. 27. Motivating students at a time when many of their hearts and minds are seduced by the world. 28. Promoting excellence in all aspects of education especially when mediocrity has become a norm. 29. Using modern day technology in our classes as a means and not as an end unto itself.