Al-Taqwa College

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

{{Infobox school

| name = Al-Taqwa College

| image = Al-Taqwa College.jpg

| image_size = 200px

| motto = Quality education, for quality life.

| established = {{Start date|1986|06|df=y}}

| website = http://www.al-taqwa.vic.edu.au

| type = Independent primary and secondary school

| denomination = Sunni Islam

| slogan = Quality Education For Quality Life

| gender = Co-educational

| founder = Omar Hallak

| principal = Omar Hallak

| students = 2,000{{cite web|url=http://www.al-taqwa.vic.edu.au/index.php/about-us/history |title= al-Taqwa: About Us History |work=Al-Taqwa|access-date=3 May 2015}}

| staff = 200

| years = PrepYear 12

| tuition = $2,485–$3,885

| address = 201 Sayers Road

| city = Truganina

| state = VIC

| postcode = 3029

| country = Australia

| coordinates = {{coord|37|51|14|S|144|43|19|E|type:edu_region:AU|display=inline,title}}

| colours = Blue, red, white
{{color box|#000080}} {{color box|Red}} {{color box|#White}}

| newspaper = Al-Hidayah

| houses = Omar
Ali
Othman
Abu Bakar

| campus_size = 51 acres

}}

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.

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) was built.{{cite web |url=http://www.al-taqwa.vic.edu.au/index.php/masjidactivities |title=Al-Taqwa Masjid Activities |access-date=4 April 2015 |archive-date=9 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150409054346/http://www.al-taqwa.vic.edu.au/index.php/masjidactivities |url-status=dead }} Al-Taqwa College is a member of Independent Schools Victoria which is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to Independent education.{{cite web |url=http://www.is.vic.edu.au/teachers/pubs/al_taqwa_college.pdf |title=Al-Taqwa College: Valuable Lessons |work=Independent Schools Victoria |access-date=3 May 2015 |archive-date=12 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150312080656/http://is.vic.edu.au/teachers/pubs/al_taqwa_college.pdf |url-status=dead }}

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.{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/war-on-terror/muslims-sound-alarm-over-schools/2005/07/30/1122144058379.html |title=Muslims sound alarm over schools |author=Skelton, Russell|date=31 July 2005|work=The Age|access-date=2 April 2015}}

In 2015, the school principal Omar Hallak was reported to have told students that the terrorist group ISIS was part of a Western plot.{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/christopher-pyne-asks-altaqwa-principal-to-explain-himself-after-islamic-state-comments-20150401-1md0vg.html |title=Christopher Pyne asks Al-Taqwa principal to explain himself after Islamic State comments |author=Cook, Henrietta|date=1 April 2014|access-date=4 April 2015}} The principal's comments were condemned as "reckless and dangerous if true" by James Merlino, Victoria's Education Minister.{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/comment/the-dangers-of-feeding-lies-to-muslim-children-20150325-1m70ba.html |title=The dangers of feeding lies to Muslim children |author=Szego, Julie|date=26 March 2015|work=The Age|access-date=2 April 2015}}{{cite news|url=http://www.themercury.com.au/news/breaking-news/vic-islamic-college-bans-running-for-girls/story-fnj6ehgr-1227316457985 |title=Islamic principal says reports untrue |first1=Melissa |last1=Meehan |first2=Angus |last2=Livingston|date=23 April 2015|work=The Mercury|access-date=3 May 2015}}{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-23/girls-at-islamic-school-banned-from-running-over-virginity-fears/6414622 |title=Girls at Islamic Al-Taqwa College banned from running over virginity fears, teacher claims |date=23 April 2015|work=ABC News|access-date=3 May 2015}}

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.{{cite web |title=Coronavirus update for Victoria - 18 August 2020 |url=https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus-update-victoria-18-august-2020 |website=Department of Health and Human Services |publisher=Victoria State Government |access-date=22 September 2020}}

Again in 2021, the school was closed after a teacher tested positive for COVID-19. This later lead to statewide lockdowns in Victoria.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/coles-listed-as-an-exposure-site-after-altaqwa-teacher-tests-positive/news-story/6d07bd2d35e7ba24597327f524a191e7|title = Footy player tests positive after Vic case|date = 4 August 2021}}

See also

References

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