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Islamic Education in Belgium and the Netherlands, Challenging and Promising

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Migration, Religion and Early Childhood Education

Part of the book series: Wiener Beiträge zur Islamforschung ((WSI))

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Abstract

In this contribution we will describe the domain of education as an important contextual domain for the development of Islamic religious identity for Muslim youngsters in a western context. This article is about the state of the art of Islamic religious education in Belgium and the Netherlands in formal and informal education. An impression of teaching material for Islamic religious education in primary education is also given. Research findings and findings of investigative journalism on Muslim identity are presented and will lead to the question in which way and to what extend Islamic religious education in Belgium and the Netherlands (‘the low lands at the sea’) include diversity in their teachings to prepare their students for a participative citizenship as a Muslim in societies characterized by plurality regarding religious and secular life orientations. Practical research by academic scholars on religious identity development and pedagogy of religion is recommended on one side, in close cooperation with Islamic religious education practitioners on the other side, to explore possibilities of a constructive match of Islamic religious education with the needs of youngsters for the development of a flexible religious identity—embracing valuable and useful elements from the past, welcoming the fullness of an unknown future.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Recognized are: Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, Orthodox Christianity, Anglicanism, Islam, Judaism and non-confessional ethics.

  2. 2.

    Recently in the ‘Vereniging van Docenten Godsdienst/Levensbeschouwing’ (VDGL, Society of Religious Education teachers) a discussion started to develop and implement a national curriculum ‘Godsdienst/Levensbeschouwing’ (Religious Education/Worldview Education/Life Orientation) in secondary education (Visser 2017; Visser et al. 2018).

  3. 3.

    For a description of the foundation of this interreligious school (the primary school Juliana van Stolberg), and the developed curricula and lessons see Ter Avest (2003, 2009).

  4. 4.

    Diyanet is the Directorate of Religious Affairs, under the responsibility of the Ministry of General Affairs, chaired by the Turkish prime minister.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ede, The Netherlands

    Ina Ter Avest

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  1. Ina Ter Avest
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Correspondence to Ina Ter Avest .

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  1. Universität Wien, Wien, Austria

    Ednan Aslan

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Ter Avest, I. (2020). Islamic Education in Belgium and the Netherlands, Challenging and Promising. In: Aslan, E. (eds) Migration, Religion and Early Childhood Education. Wiener Beiträge zur Islamforschung. Springer VS, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-29809-8_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-29809-8_10

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