Constructing the Informal Curriculum of Islamic Schools in Australia: Contribution of Contextual Factors and Stakeholder Experiences

Abstract As a controversial schooling system, critical analysis of the informal curriculum of Islamic schools in Australia is timely for dispelling assertions and counter-assertions with evidence. This project employed a collective case study methodology to understand how broader contextual factors—that is, an Australian landscape shaped by neoliberal engendered market forces and racialisation—and stakeholder experience contributed to the construction of the espoused purpose of Islamic school. Drawing on data from a survey of stakeholders from three Islamic schools, analysis of documents and a leadership qualitative questionnaire, the findings reveal, by providing an alternative educational experience: Islamic practices; the space for religious expression; and, extra-curricular programmes to connect students with society, schools create a community and a sense of belonging. By doing so, they contribute to social cohesion. Consistent with Apple and Zine, an understanding of Islamic schools cannot be detached from the cultural climate. This paper contributes to debates of divisiveness charged at Islamic schools.