Muslim School in Essonne Closed Over Safety Concerns and Curriculum Issues

In a decree dated June 18, the prefecture of Essonne decided to close the private establishment for non-compliant learning "with regard to the requirements of the common core of knowledge, skills and culture" and "persistent shortcomings concerning the safety of students", indicates a press release published on Monday, cited by Saphirnews.

The services of the National Education and the prefecture had carried out a check within the establishment on December 14 last and found that the latter had not "improved the quality of the teaching provided to the students, despite the formal notice of March 13, 2023", as well as "persistent shortcomings concerning the safety of students", informs the prefect of Essonne, Frédérique Camilleri.

The bilingual Franco-Arab school group, which opened its doors in 2013 and has nearly 300 students from kindergarten to high school, denounces a "politically motivated decision on specious grounds" that comes in the middle of the school exam period (brevet and baccalaureate). The management of La lumière du Savoir rejects these allegations, assuring that "the requirements of the common core are perfectly respected".

Regarding the safety of students, the school group specifies in its response to the state services that its "perimeter is completely secure, with a camera system and an access protocol preventing any external intrusion". For the establishment, "the State is instrumentalizing the delicate political situation the country is going through, taking hostage nearly 300 French students [...], their families and some thirty employees".

The board of directors of the La Lumière du Savoir school group intends to challenge this "iniquitous decision" which marks "the arbitrariness of the State". "After more than ten years of existence, proud of its very good results in national exams, the La Lumière du Savoir school group is confident in the administrative justice of our country to assert the law, justice and the best interests of children".