The Islamic Schools of Victoria, or otherwise known as Al-Taqwa College, is a primary and secondary school located on Sayers Road, in
Truganina, Victoria, outside
Melbourne,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
.
The College was built on a 50-acre property on the western side of Melbourne. The College was established by the Islamic Trust fund in 1986. The name was changed to Al-Taqwa College in 2010. Next to the main campus on Sayers Road, a mosque (
masjid
A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, i ...
) was built. Al-Taqwa College is a member of ''Independent Schools Victoria'' which is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to Independent education.
When the school was first established, classes ranged from Prep. to Year 10. As the school grew it expanded and added on VCE (Years 11 and 12). The school has another campus called the Olive Branch, which runs occasional classes in Agriculture and Horticulture. The school has a branch in
Indonesia, named the ''Al-Taqwa College, International Islamic School of Indonesia''.
In 2015, the number of students at Al-Taqwa College - is close to 2,000 with numbers expected to reach 2,500 students in 2018. Subjects taught at the college include English, Maths, Languages other than English (L.O.T.E.), Information Technology, Business, Art and Physical Education.
Controversy
In 2005 there were a number of issues of concern raised involving the school, including a visiting imam's public antisemitic comments.
In 2015, the school principal Omar Hallak was reported to have told students that the terrorist group
ISIS was part of a Western plot. The principal's comments were condemned as "reckless and dangerous if true" by
James Merlino, Victoria's Education Minister.
COVID-19 cases
During the 2020
COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, Al-Taqwa College was one of the biggest case clusters in Victoria, and the second biggest cluster outside of public housing and aged care, with 210 confirmed cases linked to the college as of mid-August.
Again in 2021, the school was closed after a teacher tested positive for COVID-19. This later lead to statewide lockdowns in Victoria.
See also
*
Islam in Australia
*
Islamic organisations in Australia
*
Islamic schools and branches
References
External links
www.al-taqwa.vic.edu.au al-Taqwa website
Islamic schools in Australia
Private schools in Victoria (Australia)
Islamic Schools of Victoria
Educational institutions established in 1986
1986 establishments in Australia
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