The Council Of European Jamaats

This is the second year that the Madressa is offering classes to students in years 10 and 11 at their secondary schools (Madressa classes 12 and 13) the opportunity to be taught the curriculum for two units which when combined account for one GCSE grade. This year a total of 18 boys and 15 girls sat the exam having been taught the syllabus at the Madressa.

Students broadly sit the two papers in consecutive years but some sat both this year. The first unit concentrates on articles of faith and practice and is generally viewed as the easier paper for our students who are broadly familiar with most of the subject material from their Madressa studies. The second unit taught in the second year at the Madressa looks at the application of the beliefs and practices in modern British society. This does require much more contextualizing for the candidate and enables them to explore how, as Muslims, they are able to contribute positively to the local society over and above performing the obligatory acts of ritual worship.

As a teacher, the skills that one tries to nurture are looking at what the question is asking and applying relevant material whilst working under time constraints. The longer questions required two separate concepts to be analysed in the way they interact with each other, for example the belief in Tawheed and the practice of Hajj.

The students by the end felt much more confident in their own understanding of their religion and will, Insha-Allah, be more capable at practicing their faith in daily lives and articulating their beliefs both to other Muslims, people of other faiths and
people of no faith. After all, that is the make up of the external examiners employed by the examination board to mark the candidates’ responses.

This also nurtures an invaluable sense of security in the individual leaving them better to propagate their faith.

Our experiences in getting students registered to sit the exams at the schools they attend, were also quite informative of the school's attitude. Some schools unequivocally refused to allow their students to sit the paper at the school. We hope the achievement of the students this year will be sufficient to persuade the schools to respond differently if and when they are approached again having seen the advantage of a student with an extra curricular grade and having the assurance of the Madressa's ability to adequately coach the students in the subject.

The Madressa is grateful to the Islamic Education Board of the World Federation for facilitating a meeting with the chief examiner in the subject at the examination board for Madaris across the UK who can now co-operate in their efforts at teaching the subject. The Madressa is also grateful to the IEB for working with Tabassumbai Bachoo, who is an accredited examiner for the subject, in putting forth a set of
comprehensive notes for both units. Tabassumbai followed this by coaching the students in exam technique, marking and analysing the candidates' attempts at a mock paper.

Alhamdulillah the results were astounding with every candidate scoring at least an A grade with the majority scoring A*s. For many students this was the first experience of sitting an exam at national level and the confidence boost of getting the top grade can only help them for the remainder of the subjects that they attempt next year.

The whole process of studying for the exams and the resulting outcome is consisted with the intention of seeking the divine pleasure even if the candidate sits the exam to add another grade to the subjects that they sit as part of the school curriculum. This will assist them in their higher education and ultimately their marketability in the competitive employment market. At the deeper level having rationalised the articles of their faith and their religious practices before a non-Muslim audience in a controlled environment they will insha’allah be better equipped for their undergraduate days and as Muslims living in the West.