THE HAGUE, 29/10/03 - The conservative (VVD) party cannot count on the support of a Lower House majority for its plan to tackle Islamic schools more severely. Nor is its own Integration Minister Rita Verdonk enthusiastic.

The Netherlands now has 43 Islamic schools. VVD MP Hirsi Ali wants to remove their government subsidy if they incite the pupils to intolerance against the indigenous population, Jews, women and homosexuals. But the VVD's Christian democratic (CDA) coalition partner sees nothing in this, as it fears that a debate would also arise on Christian schools. The leftwing opposition considers that the VVD is in any case making much too much of a fuss about Muslim schools.

Verdonk stressed that Islamic schools are allowed to propagate their own views as long as they proceed with respect and understanding and oppose intolerance. She is willing to discuss this with the Education Minister, but a separation in funding between Islamic and other schools would be in conflict with the constitution.

Hirsi Ali sees that differently. According to the Somali MP, the legislative amendment she has in mind would come within the constitution. Hirsi Ali criticized the fact that lessons are mostly in Arabic, and suggested that history lessons on the holocaust are no good.

The other parties referred to a recent report from the Education Inspectorate that education in Islamic schools is not in conflict with the basic values of Dutch society. Hirsi Ali advised her fellow-MPs to read the whole report and not just the conclusions. However, Verdonk also pointed to the relatively positive conclusions of the report.