Harun Nasrullah
France will terminate state funding for the last Muslim school under contract starting in September. Fabienne Buccio, the prefect of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France, announced on January 10 the decision to end the contract between the state and the Al-Kindi school group, located in Décines-Charpieu, on the outskirts of Lyon.
Authorities defended the decision to withdraw funding from the academically successful Al-Kindi schools—encompassing elementary, middle, and high school programs with approximately 620 students—by claiming the institution had violated administrative, pedagogical, and “republican” values. The move has sparked concerns over its impact on the local community and broader consequences for private Muslim institutions across France.
The school, however, has criticized the decision as politically motivated rather than academic. “Since the school group’s opening, there have been 11 inspections between 2007 and 2023, whereas the average for private institutions under contract in France is one inspection every 15 years,” the school’s communication team stated, adding, “There was a breaking point in 2023 with inspectors adopting a highly uncooperative attitude.”
The French Council of Muslim Worship (CFCM) expressed “a profound sense of injustice and discrimination” in response to this and similar actions. The council also criticized the termination of state contracts with Lycée Averroès in Lille, one of only two Muslim high schools in the country to have a state contract.
According to the CFCM, these measures are “widely perceived as disproportionate and unjustified” by affected communities. The Council accused authorities of unequal treatment, pointing to perceived leniency toward other institutions with controversies. “For example, the Lycée Stanislas de Paris, which makes headlines for multiple controversies, has not faced comparable sanctions,” the statement noted.
The decision to revoke state funding for Lycée Averroès has sparked particular alarm. The school, ranked France’s top high school in 2013 and boasting a 95% baccalaureate pass rate in 2023, now faces an uncertain future. Tied to suspicions of fostering Islamic separatism—a central focus of President Emmanuel Macron’s administration—the loss of funding threatens the institution’s survival.
The school will need to double its annual fees, currently under €1,500, to cover operating costs. This increase is a significant burden for a community where over 61% of students come from low-income families. Without government support, the school may face closure, potentially displacing its 473 students and leaving its 37 teachers without jobs.
The CFCM warned of what it described as a “broader and worrying trend of generalised suspicion towards Muslims in France.” It criticized the use of terms like “separatism” and “communitarianism” as tools to stigmatize the Muslim community, exacerbating tensions and feelings of marginalization.
Highlighting a recent legal victory in Nice, where a court overturned the closure of Collège Avicenne, the Council urged schools to challenge decisions through legal channels. “This precedent shows that the justice system remains an essential and effective recourse for defending the rights of these institutions,” the statement emphasised.
Photo: The Al-Kindi School, the last Muslim school under state contract, located on the outskirts of Lyon, is set to lose its state funding.
(Credit: Feza Ben Mohamed/AA)
