The first Islamic school in the Northern Territory opened its doors in March 2022 with 35 primary school students with plans to expand rapidly during the next few years.

    The Darwin school is part of the Queensland based Australian International Islamic College (AIIC) that runs a number of Islamic schools at various campuses.

    The campus sits on a 50-acre block at Berrimah, an industrial suburb in Darwin’s east, with several semi-permanent structures acting as classrooms.

    The inauguration of the school named Australian International Islamic College, NT was held earlier in the year on 22 January 2022 in the presence of government ministers, officials and educationists.

    In addition to teachers and parents, the invited guests at the inauguration included Honourable Ms Eva Lawler, Minister for Infrastructure and planning, Honourable Lord Mayor of Darwin Mr Kon Vatskalis, Honourable Lord Mayor of Palmerston Ms Athina Pascoe-Bell, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Hon Ms Ngaree Ah Kit, Former Education Minister Honourable Syd Steirling, Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police Mr Sachin Sharma, and the Indonesian Consulate Mr Gulfan Afero,

    The founder of AIIC Sheikh Abdul Quddoos Al Azhari, The National Grand Mufti of Australia gave a detailed account of the development of various campuses of the schools.

    “From its humble beginning with 20 children at our Woolloongabba Campus in 2002, The Australian International Islamic College has seen miraculous transformation and growth to establish our main campus in Durack in 2005, our third campus at the Gold Coast in 2009, our fourth in Logan in 2021 and today, 2022, in Darwin, the first place that I worked when I first came to Australia three decades ago,” Sheikh Azhari said.

    “This project of establishing an Islamic school in Darwin has been in the planning for many years, when I first came to Darwin in the early eighties, it was my dream and aspiration, today, this dream has, Alhamdulillah, become a reality for me, for the 3000 strong NT territory Muslims and for the people of Darwin, Sheikh Azhari further added.”

    AIIC has established four International schools in Tamil Nadu, South India recognised by Central Board Secondary Education in Delhi.

    AIIC also has sister schools in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore. all sharing curriculum ideas and experience in order to provide best education for their students.

    AIIC has been faithfully teaching the Australian curriculum from Kindy to year 12  with the support of the Australian government and the dedication of teachers, parents and students,  delivering excellence in education.

    The AIIC ensures that the teachers hold up to date statutory registrations and continue to professionally develop to so that they can deliver the best quality education in a safe, caring and respectful environment that encourages student curiosity, learning and achievement.

     

    Sheikh Abdul Quddoos Al Azhari, appointed by the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC) last year as The National Grand Mufti of Australia has been a veteran community leader and Islamic educationist for almost four decades.

    Originally from India, he obtained Bachelor of Arts in Arabic Studies, Bakiyathus Salilath Arabic College, Vellore in 1974, Master of Arts in Arabic and Islamic Studies from Darul Uloom University, Deoband, India in 1975 , Master of Art in History, Culture and Civilisation from Al Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt in 1977, Certificate in ESL Teaching English as a Second Language from Massey University, New Zealand in 1983, Advanced English from Darwin Institute of Technology in 1986 and Graduate Diploma in Education from Northern Territory University, Darwin in 1990.

    He has been involved in community as Imam, teacher, mentor, educationist in India, Egypt, Fiji, New Zealand and in various states of Australia at various stages in his life.

    His work experience can be summed up as follows:

    2022                Opening of the first Islamic School in Darwin,  Australian International Islamic College  – Darwin Campus

    2021                Appointed the National Grand Mufti of Australia

    2021                Opening of the Australian International Islamic College – Logan Campus

    2010                Opening of the Australian International Islamic College  _ Gold Coast Campus

    2005-2010      Founder & Administrator of Australian International Islamic College – Durack

    2002-2005      Founder & Principal of Brisbane Muslim School – Brisbane

    1994-2002      Principal of Darul Uloom Academy of Brisbane – Brisbane

    1991-1994      Imam, Arabic and Islamic Studies Teacher for Islamic Society of QLD. Holland Park. QLD

    1983-1991      Imam, Arabic and Islamic Studies Teacher for Islamic Society of Northern Territory, Darwin

    1982-1983      Co-ordination work for Islamic Dawa with Pusat Islam, Kualal Lumpur- Malaysia

    1977-1982      Imam, Director of Education, Arabic and Islamic Studies Teacher for Fiji Muslim League at Sabeto Centre, Nadi – Fiji Islands