Islamic Religious Education in the Netherlands

In Dutch primary schools, students choose from among several options for their religious education. In addition to the compulsory “spiritual movements” course, students can either study Islamic religious education (offered in 7 percent of public schools) or Christian religious education. The public and political debates surrounding the 41 Islamic primary schools has shifted over time. Whereas earlier on the debate focused around the merits of, or prejudices against these types of schools, more recent debates have looked at how these schools may impact the integration of Islam students into Dutch society. Most recently, management and quality issues plaguing these schools has been the focus of debate.