ENGLISH SCHOOLS BAN MUSLIMS FROM FASTING DURING RAMADAN

London, 25 Sha’ban 1436/12 June 2015 (MINA) – Four primary schools in London, run by the Lion Academy Trust, announced the controversial ban in a letter to parents earlier this week.

Barclay Primary School in Leyton said that pupils have “fainted” and “became ill” after fasting for 18 hours in previous years.

The school added: “We are reliably informed that in Islamic Law, children are not required to fast during Ramadan, only being required to do so when they become adults.”

The other schools affected by the ban are Sybourn Primary School in Waltham Forest, Thomas Gamuel Primary School in Walthamstow, and Brook House Primary School in Tottenham.

The move has been slammed by the Muslim community, including the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), which said there are “sufficient and stringent rules within Islam” protecting those who are too young to fast.

The group added: “MAB ascertains that the final choice of whether or not to fast should be the right of the parents, who should in turn encourage their children to fast without forcing them to do so.”

Last year the Express revealed that the timing of GCSE, A-level and university exams could be brought forward under controversial plans so they do not clash with the Islamic month of Ramadan.

Teachers and lecturers in England and Wales are lobbying for the changes for 2016 when Ramadan, which falls earlier each year, starts to clash with the exam season.

If approved, schools, colleges and universities would set the exams earlier so Muslim students would not be fasting during daylight hours when they sit them.

In 2013 ­a primary school in Portsmouth reportedly denied a child water on one of the hottest days of the year to avoid upsetting pupils observing Ramadan.

And in 2007 it was claimed that doctors and health workers were banned from eating lunch at their desks – in case it offended their Muslim colleagues.(T/R04/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)