ITALY: UNAUTHORIZED ISLAMIC SCHOOL IS CLOSED DOWN

ITALY: AUTHORITIES CLOSE CONTROVERSIAL ARAB SCHOOL

Milan, 12 Oct. (AKI) - Local authorities in Milan have closed a controversial Arab school just three days after it opened. On Thursday the 130 elementary and middle high school pupils of the Italian-Egyptian Nagib Mahfouz school were not allowed to attend their lessons - which had begun Monday without the necessary local and national certification. An inspection by the fire brigades Wednesday declared the building unsafe and the school said it was ready to conform by Monday to safety standards - which would however reportedly require extensive work.

The school's announcement it was opening without the appropriate certification sparked a major controversy in Milan - with local conservative authorities calling for its immediate closure and the institute's director accusing the city of using red tape to stop a school destined to Muslim immigrants.

Though the school claims to be secular and to also follow the Italian programme, its pupils mostly come from religious, conservative families of Egyptian origin who refuse to send them to Italian schools.

The city council has denied however the school's claims that the city had taken too long to give the authorization in time for the beginning of the school year and insists that, with the required certification, the Nagib Mahfouz will be allowed to open.

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The original story can be found here: ITALY: SCHOOL OPENS TEACHING ITALIAN & EGYPTIAN CURRICULA

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1) ITALY: AUTHORITIES CLOSE CONTROVERSIAL ARAB SCHOOL