The Islamic Schools Association of Australia (ISAA) Victoria Branch hosted their first meeting at Al Siraat College on Thursday 13 June, a pivotal event marking a significant milestone for the association in unifying and advocating for the interests of Islamic schools in Victoria.
The meeting was chaired by Mr Fazeel Arain and attended by representatives from eight different Islamic schools in Victoria spanning across 17 different campuses.
The program began with a heartfelt Islamic story about management shared by Mr Arain setting a reflective tone for the meeting. His narrative emphasised the importance of effective leadership and community cooperation, aligning with the core values of ISAA.
New member schools were welcomed, highlighting the expanding reach and inclusive nature of the association. Mr Arain introduced ISAA’s mission and vision, emphasising the Victorian Chapter’s commitment to advocacy, connection, collaboration, service, and representation.
A significant portion of the meeting focused on discussing current pressing issues facing Islamic schools, particularly regarding the challenges being faced by overseas teachers and religious educators in gaining registration to teach in Victoria., and the employment of international teaching staff.
Participants discussed the challenges of Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) registration processes, highlighting how overly qualified Islamic studies educators face discrimination due to the non-recognition of prior Islamic scholarly studies. This issue, stemming from broader concerns of Islamophobia, affects the approval of teaching registrations, creating barriers for our religious educators.
The association is actively engaging with the VIT and the Minister of Education to address these concerns.
Advocacy efforts include meetings with key figures such as Federal Education Minister, the Hon Jason Clare MP and upcoming discussions with the Victorian Education Minister, the Hon Ben Caroll MP. The group stressed the importance of collective action and planned to submit a formal complaint to the VIT, documenting specific cases of concern.
Mr Arain proposed action items to tackle these issues, urging schools to unify their efforts.
Reference was made to a roundtable discussion which was hosted earlier in the year which included a broader initiative to secure and manage dedicated government funding for Islamic schools, with a proposed allocation of $30 million dollars.
ISAA members discussed and suggested the equitable distribution of these funds among all Islamic schools in Victoria.
Looking forward, there was a strong consensus on establishing an ISAA-led Islamic Schools Resources Centre to collectively provide relevant services to Islamic schools.
Moving forward, the ISAA Victoria Branch plans to host two international delegates at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in August, including Dr Farah from the University of Cambridge. The event will include forums and school visits and opportunities for networking and international collaboration.
The next meeting of the ISAA Victoria Branch is scheduled for Term 4, in October, hosted at the MCG by Ali Fahour on behalf of the Islamic College of Sport; a college recently pioneered by Muslim AFL legend, Bachar Houli.
ISAA Victoria Chapter aims to invite the CEO of Independent Schools Victoria (ISV), to discuss how ISV can better meet the needs of Islamic schools, all of which are members of ISV.
The first meeting of the ISAA Victoria Branch set a robust foundation for future efforts in advocating for and supporting Islamic schools across the state. Through unity and collaboration, the association is set to enhance the educational landscape for Muslim students, ensuring their needs are met with fairness and equity. The commitment to shared values and collective action signifies a promising future for the ISAA Victoria Branch.
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