Crackdown on ‘home school’ madrassas

PARENTS who want to homeschool their children could be forced to register with the authorities or face prosecution as part of a crackdown on extremism.

The move – mentioned in a Government document released yesterday – would be aimed at stopping hardline Muslims and other fundamentalists sending children to secret madrassas where they are at risk of radicalisation.

anyone taking their child out of mainstream schooling would have to say why and show they were providing an adequate education at home.

it comes after Ofsted chief amanda Spielman warned that islamic hardliners are running underground schools across the country which preach extreme doctrines. Parents are able to enrol children by exploiting home-schooling rules.

The Government will seek views over the next 12 weeks on how to toughen up these rules. The document suggests ‘sanctions’ could be imposed on those who do not register – including prosecution.

Lord agnew, minister for school systems, said the plans would help identify the ‘rare instances’ where a ‘suitable and safe education’ is not provided.

however, it also emerged yesterday that ministers have abandoned a proposal to regulate religious out-of-school clubs – meaning madrassas could be inspected – after Christian Sunday schools complained.