David Cameron, British Prime Minister on Monday authorized no-notice raids in schools to deal with the threats of extremism after a plot by Islamist extremists to take over the running of some schools across Birmingham was confirmed.
A query in 21 schools in the city revealed that five did not do enough to protect students from extremism and put on “shows of cultural inclusivity “during inspections. The country’s schools inspectorate, the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted), confirmed the so-called `Operation Trojan Horse’.
Cameron said the education secretary would send a letter to Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw to ask him to “examine the practicalities of extending the use of unannounced inspections so that any school can be inspected at no notice.Not every inspection would be any notice, but every school would be aware that they could face a no-notice inspection at any time.”
Protecting children was one of the first duties of the government and “that is why the issue of alleged Islamist extremism in Birmingham schools demands a robust response,” Cameron said.
A special meeting of the government’s Extremism Taskforce was also called by the PM to discuss the implications arising from the findings of the Ofsted review and the wider situation in Birmingham.
UK, last week saw a public spat between home secretary Theresa May and education secretary Michael Gove, with the former criticizing the education ministry’s failure to act on Operation Trojan Horse in schools.
A `Trojan Horse’ plot in Birmingham was bring to light the last month that had put schools under pressure to illegally separate out classrooms and change teaching to reflect radical Islamic beliefs.
The National Association of Head Teachers had confirmed “concerted Islamic efforts” to gain access to at least six schools in Birmingham.