UK STUDENTS FAULT EXTREMISM GUIDE

The higher education ministry of United Kingdom issued guidance for university and college campuses to combat “the threat of violent extremism.” It urges academics to cultivate cohesion among students in order to prevent young Muslims from becoming radicalised. However, it advises universities to avoid “segregation” of pupils by declining requests for Muslim prayer and ablution facilities. The ministry also calls universities to have a clearly publicised code of practice on freedom of speech and share information with security services regarding suspicious pupils and external speakers. But the British students, both Muslims and non-Muslims, do not agree with the government’s argument about mounting extremism on campus and warn that its new guide would provoke suspicion and animosity towards innocent students. Faisal Hanjra, spokesman for the Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) in the UK and Ireland said that there was no evidence pointing towards the suggestion that universities became arenas for violence and extremism. Other groups saw the guidance confusing, particularly concerning the section about freedom of speech. Gemma Tumelty, President of the National Union of Students (NUS), described the guide as “contradictory”. She believes the guide failed to define what should be considered views of an extreme nature.