Family & Education
Westminster protest against yeshivah regulation planned for later today
Schools Bill would compel unregistered religious educational institutions to offer secular lessons and undergo Ofsted inspections
June 15, 2022 09:00
Schools Bill would compel unregistered religious educational institutions to offer secular lessons and undergo Ofsted inspections
June 15, 2022 09:00A public protest against the government’s move to regulate yeshivot is being planned to take place outside Parliament later today (Wednesday).
It reflects mounting concern within the Stamford Hill Strictly Orthodox community over measures included in the Schools Bill which was recently introduced into Parliament.
Yeshivot that teach only a religious curriculum currently do not count as schools under the law as it stands and are therefore not subject to inspections from Ofsted.
But the proposed new legislation would compel them to register with the Department for Education and undergo inspections as independent schools.
Some 1,000 to 1,500 boys from the age of 13 are estimated to be learning in unregistered yeshivot by Hackney Council, which for several years has been pressing the government to bring them under greater scrutiny.
Meanwhile, some 20 Holocaust survivors have signed a letter appealing to Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi to rethink the proposal. The signatories include one of Stamford Hill’s most prominent figures, the former chief executive of the Agudas Israel Housing Association, Ita Cymerman (Symons).
If the Bill became law, yeshivot would, the letter said, be required “to teach secular subjects that are contrary to our customs and beliefs; if they do not, they will ultimately fail Ofsted inspections who will forcibly close our yeshivas as they already threaten faith schools.”
There was “no suggestion yeshivas are currently breaking any laws whatsoever, nor is there any evidence that the home schooling that Charedi families give to their children in the secondary schooling age is in any way inadequate or failing.
“So, the law has no clear educational purpose. These proposals do little to protect children and forcibly fuels a process of subtle indoctrination of our children’s minds by requiring our yeshivas to teach in a manner in direct contradiction to our religious beliefs.”
The signatories said they remained among “the dwindling number of survivors and can testify how the fierce determination of the refugees and survivors with minimal resources rebuilt the past which enabled Orthodox Jewry’s continuity in GB”.
But the Bill, the letter said, brought up “haunting memories of the past and we are extremely concerned about our and our children’s future in Great Britain which weaponises legalism."