First UK Hindu school in London

vijay · 10-12-2005, 12:59 PM

Please give us your blessings.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...on/4334330.stm

First UK Hindu school in London

The school will have at least 240 children
The UK's first state-funded Hindu school will be opened in London, the government has announced.
The Department for Education and Skills said it would give £9.8m to Harrow Council in north-west London, for the single faith school.

The borough, which has the highest percentage of Hindus in the UK, hopes the school will be open by 2010.

The I-Foundation, a Hindu charity that has campaigned for the school, said it was "delighted".

A spokesman for the council said it would begin the consultation process soon but that the location of the school was commercially sensitive.

Hindu population

She said in its first year there would be just one year group. More year groups would be added later until the school had its full complement of eight.

"We are doing this to minimise the effect on other schools in the area," the council spokeswoman said.

"If we opened the school with all eight years, other schools, especially primary schools, may suffer gaps in their places because of parents taking them out to go to the Hindu school."

About 20% of the population of the borough of Harrow is Hindu.

Our intent is to ensure that the school is fully integrated and working in synergy with the local community and schools

I-Foundation's Nitesh Gor
When all eight years are filled the school will have at least 240 pupils.

Nitesh Gor, spokesman for the I-Foundation, said: "Our intent is to ensure that the school is fully integrated and working in synergy with the local community and schools.

"To this end, over the coming months we will be working closely with Harrow Council to begin a rigorous programme of community and local school consultation to enable us to make this project successful."

Cllr Navin Shah, leader of Harrow Council, said: "The Hindu faith school will be yet another piece in the jigsaw of our culturally diverse and united communities."

10-13-2005, 04:49 AM

I don't believe that it is a cause for celebration, when a single religion school opens. A single religion school by it's very exisistence promotes sectarianism, by creating a culture of them and us. In this case we are Hindus and all others are not.

I went to a Catholic school and learned nothing about other cultures or religions, until I left school. We were encouraged not to enquire about non catholic cultures.

As I live in N.Ireland, I have witnessed first hand how single religion schools fuel sectarianism, which is the reason that I now work, as a teacher, in an integrated school where we teach our children to respect others.

If you opened a school where only white children were allowed to attend...what would you call it?

10-13-2005, 05:48 AM

yeh thats a good point previous poster.

Its fine goin to a so called Hindu School - the kids will get to hear the Maha-mantra and make spiritual progress but then I all the imports from Hare Krishna philosophy are kind of undermined because we have not understood that we are not this body so why label it a Hindu School?

Maybe a more appropriate name wud have been vedic school etc? I guess maybe term Hindu was used to attract crowds, in which case maybe it thought whether we are watering down the philosohy to get what we want in spiritual life? in which case this is prob jus greed but in the form of a "spiritual" purpose.

anyway food for thoughts - and well done!

Hare Krishna

vijay · 10-13-2005, 06:06 AM

Unfortunately the government wouldnt of recognised a vedic school. Considering the secterian argument, firstly the school is tolerant of other cultures as its not based on we are the only ones that are right which is prevelent in the other 3 main religions. Srila prabhupada wanted gurukulas which to some may seem more secterian than normal schools. Unfortunately most parents are reluctent to send their children to gurukuls after whats happened it will take some time to build that faith again.

Gaea · 10-13-2005, 09:40 AM

i don't think this school is such a bad idea... i mean, i understand your views, Vijay, but i don;t think there's anything wrong in the kids saying "we are Hindu and they are not" so long as they are also taught to think "they are lovers of God as we are" too. Afterall, Muslim, Hindu or Christian, the underlying message is always love, love, love. At least, i hope it is.

i am also happy that Hindus are beginning to show some face. Muslims, Christians, Buddhists and Jews all have a definate face in Britain but Hindus don't seem to gel together like they, except perhaps on festival days. But you are right, as soon as there is a feeling of separationism and non-integration (and that is KEY) then there is precedent for worry.

10-13-2005, 10:33 AM

I posted the second posting on this issue.

I should point out that in my school we have the following mix:

Catholics
Protestants
Muslims
Vaisnavas

WE've 6 kids from Iskcon, 5 started this year and they are happy here. It's beautiful seeing them mix with the other members of the school community.

Our school motto is: Where everyone is valued equally.

One person above mentioned gurukulas. Mmmmm....I know most gurukulas are not integrated schools. Some kids have been kicked out of gurukula because they took harinama, diksha from another institution. In a truly integrated school this just wouldn't happen.

I believe that gurukulas like all single faith schools are sectarian. I wouldn't send my child to a single faith school.

Pankaja_Dasa · 11-07-2005, 03:05 AM

Prog on ZeeTv called 'Out and About' wanted to watch it for Diwali Celebrations. I saw that Gauri dasa was at a Government Function and he said the School was a good idea, didn't catch everything he said word for word. I was a bit shocked. But if you can't get Hindus to practice Krsna Consciousness? Prabhupada Put 1st Stone inside, now His disicples are making it happen for Hindu Community, maybe it's ok what they are doing.