Examining the Potential of a University-Accredited Islamic Education Teacher Training Program: A Conceptual Exploration

Abstract

Public schools (K-12) are experiencing a remarkable decline in enrollment across Canada. More and more parents are choosing independent schools for their children’s education. Muslim parents, in particular, are transferring their children to Islamic schools as they are increasingly losing faith in public schools. Muslim students in the public school systems, wherever they are on the continuum of practice—from secular to orthodox—do not perceive their schools to be responsive to their religious beliefs, values, behaviours, and practices. However, Islamic schools are stuck in normative, secular, and reductive pedagogies, with most, if not all, Islamic teachers lacking training in Islamic pedagogy. This article is a conceptual exploration of various approaches to offering an Islamic teacher training program in Canada by an accredited university, including reintroducing the Islamic Teacher Education Programme (ITEP), which offered a one-year professional learning certificate. Another approach is establishing a stream in teacher education programs similar to the Catholic stream. The article serves as a stepping stone to initiate dialogue and collaborative efforts toward creating a comprehensive approach that includes all stakeholders tailored to the unique needs of Islamic school teachers in Ontario, Canada.

1. Introduction

Public schools (k-12) are experiencing a remarkable decline in enrollment across Canada (Fraser Institute, 2021). More and more parents are choosing independent schools for their children’s education. Muslim parents, in particular, are transferring their children to Islamic schools as they are increasingly losing faith in public schools. Muslim students in the public school systems, wherever they are on the continuum of practice, from secular to orthodox, do not perceive their schools to be responsive to their religious beliefs, values, behaviours and practices (Elnour & Bashir-Ali, 2003; Collet, 2007; Sarroub, 2005; Zine, 2008). Data from the Islamic Schools Association of Canada (ISAC) shows that enrollment in Islamic schools is rising.

Furthermore, the rise in documented incidences of Islamophobia does not help the Muslim community feel a sense of belonging and safety in their community public schools. For example, a 2020 ministry review of the Peel District School Board, where approximately 25% of the students identify as Muslim, revealed that Islamophobia is prevalent both in the curriculum and among teachers (Chadha et al., 2020). The 2021 Integrity Commissioner’s report demonstrated that the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), one of Canada’s largest district school boards, had significant learning when it comes to Islamophobia (Brown, 2021). Granted, the rise of Islamophobia is part and parcel of a bigger issue in Canadian society. A recent study from the Angus Reid Institute (2024) found that 39% of Canadians hold views that are negative about Islam, and in Quebec, the numbers are higher, at 52%. Islamophobia has been on the rise, despite Islam reportedly being the second-largest religion in Canada as of 2021. Muslims are the fastest-growing religious group in Canada (Stewart, 2022). In the past 20 years, the Muslim population of Canada has more than doubled, from two percent in 2001 to 4.9 percent in 2021, now totalling nearly 1.8 million Muslims (Statistics Canada, 2022). Muslims are the fastest-growing religious minority in Canada (Statistics Canada, 2022)—for example, 20% of students in Ontario are reported to be Muslim (Logan, 2022). Muslim youth do not feel a deep sense of belonging in their public schools (National Council of Canadian Muslims [NCCM], 2021; Amjad, 2018; A. Ahmed, 2021). Therefore, parents take an active role in their children’s education to cultivate a strong Islamic identity and preserve their religious values (Berglund, 2019). Building schools that are a safe haven for Muslims, away from discrimination and the experiences of being “othered”, has become a priority for the Muslim community.

Although Islamic schools are witnessing a spike in demand, with many schools in Canada having significant waiting lists of over three years for admission (OGS Olive Grove Elementary School, 2023), they are encountering their own challenges. Muslim youth may experience an absence of Islamophobia from their teachers and in the curriculum; however, these schools are failing to provide a holistic and immersive Islamic experience (A. Ahmed & Choudhary, 2024). A perennial question asked by Islamic school leaders and educators is: What makes an Islamic school “Islamic”? Indeed, it is not the absence of Islamophobia or merely the predominant presence of Muslim educators and teachers. Mabud (2018) suggests that Islamic schools are spaces “where all subjects are taught from an Islamic perspective and where an organically developed, unified system of Islamic education operates at all levels of the educational structure” (p. 12).

Currently, schools are stuck in normative, secular, and reductive pedagogies, with most, if not all, of the Islamic teachers lacking training in Islamic pedagogy. The renewal of Islamic schools begins with incorporating Islamic pedagogy—a philosophy of education that transcends normative instructional methods (Brifkani, 2021). This journal is an attempt to conceptually explore this shortcoming by providing some approaches to offering an Islamic teacher training program by an accredited university, including the reintroduction of the Islamic Teacher Education Programme (ITEP), which offered a one-year professional learning certificate. Another approach is the establishment of a stream in teacher education programs similar to the Catholic stream. It serves as a stepping stone to initiate dialogue and collaborative efforts toward creating a comprehensive approach including all stakeholders tailored to the unique needs of Islamic school teachers in Ontario, Canada.

2. Beyond Islamophobia: Challenges Faced by Muslim Students in Public Schools

While Islamophobia was outlined earlier, this section discusses additional challenges faced by Muslim students: the disparities in funding across Canadian provinces and the complexities surrounding the secular nature of public schools. In Canada, education is the responsibility designated to each province. Although “secular” public schools are provided for free to all residents of Canada, funding for non-public or independent schools varies from province to province. For instance, Alberta is the only province that funds Catholic education and charter schools free of any tuition, providing them with the freedom to operate while offering some guidelines (Fraser Institute, 2021). Other provinces provide some financial support to independent schools. Quebec and Western Canada provide at least 50% of the operating expenses per student (Van Pelt, 2016). Conversely, Ontario funds separate Roman Catholic schools but does not extend such funding to other faith-based schools. Ontario’s inequitable funding policy was deemed discriminatory by the UN Human Rights Committee in 1999 (CBC News, 1999). While “secular” and Catholic schools in Ontario are tuition-free, Islamic schools charge $450 to $850 per month for grades 1 to 8. Kindergarten and high school tuition fees are much higher. Tax-paying parents who choose to enroll their children in Islamic schools feel the burden of the additional financial strain of having to pay for tuition. Moreover, Islamic schools are typically not within walking distance for most Muslim parents, necessitating them to drive far to and from the school, which further exacerbates the disparities and privileges between families of different faiths.

There is a common belief that public schools are secular spaces, understood as places without religion (Keddie, 2018). However, such a “secular” definition may not apply to public schools as it violates one’s constitutional rights. Ontario schools must have policies or guidelines relating to religious accommodation (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2009, p. 9). With respect to Muslim students, for instance, some schools have created schedules to facilitate the noon prayers of Muslim students, while others are still struggling to provide prayers or allow class time for students to perform their obligatory prayers. There is often a wide gap between policy rhetoric and implementation (Morrison et al., 2019). Another understanding of secularity implies that no one religion is privileged over another (Berglund, 2015). The enactment of this secular definition is also not the reality for schools in Canada, as school systems and calendars are mapped out according to Christian holy days and celebrations, with holidays aligned with Christian Holy days.

While there is a scholarly shift in defining secularism not as the absence of religion but as the inclusion of both religious and non-religious identities and knowledge (Chown et al., 2024), the provision of multi-faith calendars on school websites does not mean that other religious groups’ holy days become holidays. Muslim students still miss instructional time during their two Eid holidays if they can afford to take the day off. One aspect of a strong public education system is to work toward supporting all students, including Muslim students, regardless of personal circumstances, background, and religious affiliation (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2014). However, there is a gap between policy rhetoric and the lived experiences of Muslim students.

Public schools vary in their responsiveness to their Muslim students. As Muslim parents become more outspoken and advocate for their children, there have been some changes in the schools to accommodate their needs. However, Muslim students continue to yearn for spaces where they can practice their beliefs without the need for additional efforts to go through the lengthy process of requesting accommodations and potentially facing systemic or instructional repercussions. Consequently, Muslim parents and children are choosing to enroll their children in Islamic schools, where they are able to practice their faith and live by their ethos. Islamic schools are increasingly seen as a solution that provides a safe haven for Muslim students. Below is a brief exploration of how Islamic education within institutions evolved over the past five decades.

3. Current Landscape of Islamic Education in Canada

Muslim parents seeking supplementary and alternative educational options for their children engaged in discussions to establish and teach in such capacities due to a dire need. Islamic education in Canada started as one-room basement spaces in mosques or community centres. Arabic and Islamic studies classes were held for children on weekends, evenings, and during the summer (Haddad et al., 2009; Merry, 2005; Zine, 2008). At the time, funds were awarded to new immigrants in Canada through the Canadian Multiculturalism Policy to establish cultural programs such as heritage language programs (A. Ahmed & Memon, 2023). Muslims utilized such funds to promote the teaching and learning of Arabic and Islamic studies. One of the mosques known for establishing such programs was the Jami Mosque in Toronto. Sheikh Abdalla Idris, a resident of the Greater Toronto Area and one of the pioneers of Islamic schools in North America, led learning spaces outside of school hours at the Jami mosque. The demand for these programs grew unprecedentedly, contributing to the establishment of the first Islamic school in Canada, now known as the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) Elementary School. Founded in Mississauga, Ontario, in 1982 (ISNA Schools, n.d.). The school secured an actual building three years later (Memon, 2021). ISNA became an exemplar for the inception of other Islamic schools in Canada.

Thereafter, Islamic schools began to spread across Canada. According to documents from the Islamic Schools Association of Canada (ISAC), there are 139 schools in Canada as of 2022. These schools vary in affiliations, with some associated with mosques or Islamic organizations, while others are family-run establishments. The requirements for opening a school differ in each province. In Ontario, a Notice of Intention (NOI) must be completed to establish a private school, and a non-refundable fee of $300 is required (Ministry of Education, n.d.). Schools are then required to provide certain materials, such as pre-inspection reports, an eight-page template with information on policies and procedures, and management of the Ontario Student Record (OSR), as well as school course calendars and weekly timetables. After its inception, every year, an NOI is expected to be completed, with members from the Ministry visiting the premises to review teachers’ day plans, long-range plans, and assessments and meet teachers and students. All independent schools, including Islamic schools, across the country are mandated to follow the curriculum of their respective province with the addition of extra subjects. Islamic schools typically teach three extra subjects: Arabic, Quran, and Islamic studies. Most Islamic schools have teachers who are certified by the province’s college of teachers. The non-provincial extra subjects are taught by experts within the field, not necessarily certified by the respective province.

Teachers in Islamic schools across various subjects face challenges in teaching from an Islamic worldview. Each tradition has its own epistemology, which in turn necessitates a unique pedagogy (Ogunnaike, 2018). Many of these educators have been trained in normative and reductive pedagogies within the secular framework during their teacher education programs. Hence, they encounter difficulties in providing a holistic and immersive Islamic educational experience in their classrooms (A. Ahmed & Choudhary, 2024). Finding educators trained in Islamic education or Islamic pedagogy is very rare.

4. Significance of Islamic Pedagogy in Islamic Schools

Islamic schools struggle to provide Islamic pedagogy that illustrates to Muslim youth how to “live Islam” (F. Ahmed, 2014) in the modern era. Enrolled in Islamic schools but taught subjects from a secular perspective, students face confusion regarding their Muslim identity. Traditional teaching and learning in Islamic schools often lack relevance to the real-life experiences of youth, leaving them ill-prepared to navigate the complexities of the modern world. While Islamic schools have made great progress in constructing facilities and recruiting qualified teachers, teaching from an Islamic worldview using Islamic pedagogy is still a significant challenge (Abdalla et al., 2018). Most subjects are taught identically to the provincial curriculum. Although there have been attempts to “Islamicize” the dominant curriculum, integrating Islamic concepts into the secular curriculum, such an approach is not sufficient (Qureshi, 2021). Students are stuck between the confessional Islamic rote memorization of Islamic concepts and the liberal/constructivist approaches of the curriculum, leading to a troubling identity crisis in Muslim learners. Islamic education from the ground up is required to support Muslim youth living in liberal and secular societies.

Islamic education has been a widely contested, controversial, and misunderstood topic in the West. Modern perceptions in the West characterize Islamic education as backward, traditionalist, and in direct contrast to Western values of democratization, freedom, and autonomy (Halstead, 2004; Boyle, 2006). Muslim-majority countries have also internalized pejorative perspectives on Islamic education. In the past few decades, however, Muslim educators and scholars worldwide have taken it upon themselves to reclaim the conceptualization of Islamic education, moving away from Islamophobic, colonial, and neoliberal narratives and centering the Islamic worldview. The most noteworthy and significant endeavor was at the first World Conference on Muslim Education (WCOME), held in Mecca in 1977. The conference’s main objective was to define the principles, aims, and methodology of the Islamic concept of education (Mabud, 2018). The other eight subsequent WCOME conferences held between 1980 and 2009 in different Muslim-majority countries, such as Indonesia, Egypt, Pakistan, and Malaysia, continued to affirm an understanding of Islamic education based on the Quran and the life (sunnah) of Prophet Muhammad.

Islamic education and pedagogy are used interchangeably in common parlance. “Islamic pedagogy” has become a widely used phrase among leading scholars in Islamic education and Islamic schooling (Memon, 2011; Alkouatli, 2018; Memon & Alhashmi, 2018). Pedagogy is usually associated with methods of instruction, teaching strategies, and the “how” of teaching, whereas education is attributed to the “what” of education, mainly referring to content. Recent discourse about Islamic pedagogy has moved beyond the “how”, referring to it as an “educational philosophy” (Memon et al., 2021). In another scholarly work, Memon and Ajem assert that “every approach to teaching is influenced by a worldview or an orientation, perspective, or philosophy of education” (p. 1). A growing body of literature recognizes Islamic pedagogy as a broad overarching term defined as “the educational values, concepts, and perspectives rooted in the Islamic tradition that inform educational praxis for Muslim educators” (Memon et al., 2021, p. 634).

Scholars view pedagogy’s “Islamic” aspect as including moral and spiritual development (Tauhidi, 2001; Trevathan, 2018). Prophet Muhammad summed up his message of Islam as the “elevation of character and morality”. But which morality? And who decides the expectations of morality? The Prophet Muhammad said, “My Lord educated me and perfected my education”. He is seen by Muslims as a role model (qudwa). The Quran and Hadith provide the authoritative body of knowledge on “what is moral” and “what is right and what is wrong” in different aspects of life. Memon et al. (2021) emphasize that Islamic pedagogy is not seen as imparting knowledge exclusively; it requires the enactment of prophetic behavior. Who the educator is and how the educator conducts themselves both during school hours and outside of those hours are essential to the development of the learner (Mabud, 2018; Memon & Alhashmi, 2018). Neoliberal education views focus on an individual’s cognitive and intellectual development (Entwistle, 1997). Islamic pedagogy focuses on the whole-child education model, involving a more holistic upbringing of the learner (Al-Attas, 1979; Mabud, 2018; Sahin, 2018; Brifkani, 2021), who sees in their educators a model they can follow.

4.1. Islamic Pedagogy: Tarbiyah, Ta’aleem, and Ta’adeeb

Current Islamic education discourses around the world are centered on renewal and the continuation of empirical research on Islamic pedagogy aligned with the Islamic vision of education (Abdalla et al., 2018). The essence of this renewal is captured in three interrelated and intertwined concepts of Islamic education: tarbiyah, ta’aleem, and ta’adeeb. Tauhidi (2001) defines tarbiyah as causing “something to develop from stage to stage until reaching its completion” (referring to full potential). He also provides synonyms for the Arabic word tarbiyah as “increase, elevation, growth, development, nurture, and upbringing” (p. 6). Some refer to it as a transformative process (Sahin, 2021). Ta’aleem mainly relates to the acquisition of knowledge as the building block for growth (tarbiyah) (Hassan et al., 2010). Ta’adeeb is the manifestation of ta’aleem that “guides all thoughts, sayings, and actions of a human being” (Memon & Alhashmi, 2018, p. 171). These three overlapping spheres of Islamic education are rooted in a theocentric worldview and the building of human beings’ capacities to fulfill their covenant with God (Iqbal, 2013).

4.2. Storytelling in Islamic Pedagogy

Trevathan (2018) posits that “Muslim educationalists need to venture out of current educational models to create a pedagogy that is more inherently reflective of classical Muslim thought and culture, including approaches to the spiritual” (p. 129). Islam originated in an oral society, and storytelling is a fundamental dimension of the Islamic pedagogy used in the Quran and by Prophet Muhammad (F. Ahmed, 2014; Sahin, 2021). Stories of the prophets in the Quran are deemed as “the best way to calm and keep the human heart steadfast” (The Quran, n.d.). Half of the Quran consists of a series of stories (Sinaga et al., 2020), and some say there are over twenty stories in the Quran. Storytelling of the Prophet’s way of life helps provide a vision of morality and high character.

Prophet Muhammad was known to use past or future stories, like those of the Day of Judgment, as opportunities to inculcate tarbiyah, ta’aleem, and ta’adeeb. His stories were a means for holistic education that transformed hearts, minds, and souls. Storytelling, in liberal and neoliberal school contexts, is underutilized and underrecognized. Islamic school teachers are no different in their lack of storytelling usage due to colonial and imperial influences.

After exploring the concept of Islamic pedagogy and the challenges Islamic schools face in its absence, it is clear that Islamic pedagogy is a complex philosophy of education that requires training from experts well-versed in theory and practice. Despite the growth and challenges of Islamic schools in Canada, there are no provincially accredited courses for teachers. Currently, Islamic schools often rely on brief workshops or professional learning communities (PLC) to assist teachers in implementing teaching from an Islamic worldview. The following segment begins by highlighting successful programs from other Western countries that have addressed the aforementioned predicament, then proceeds with examples from Canada.

5. Approaches to Establishing University-Accredited Islamic Education Teacher Training Programs in Canadian Institutions

Other nations worldwide demonstrate various examples of establishing accredited programs or institutions to enhance Islamic pedagogy and teaching from an Islamic worldview. In the West, three post-secondary institutions offer Islamic education programs: (1) The University of South Australia (UniSA) has its Centre for Islamic Thought and Education (CITE), which offers the first graduate certificates in Islamic education globally (CITE, n.d.). This certification, similar to those offered by Catholic schools in Ontario, was launched in 2018 by Dr. Nadeem Memon, Dylan Chown, and Professor Mohamad Abdalla. It is a one-year online program that attracts Islamic school educators from across the world. Dr. Nadeem Memon was also one of the founders of the ITEP program, which will be discussed in this section (CITE, n.d.). (2) The University of Warwick, UK, offers a course that bridges the gap between dominant cultures and Islamic education, recognized as an interdisciplinary field of research, scholarly study, and professional development (Sahin, 2018, p. 20). This one-term graduate studies course integrates the theory and practice of education. (3) Bayan Islamic Graduate School offers accredited master’s degrees in Islamic education. Based in Orange, California, with a campus in Chicago, Illinois (Bayan Islamic Graduate School, n.d.), the concentration focuses on classroom dynamics, student assessment, and curriculum design.

Despite being from the past, another notable effort that was considered a post-secondary institution was the Muslim Teachers College, established over 30 years ago. Although no longer in operation, it was under the jurisdiction of the Clara Muhammad School System in America in the mid-1980s (Memon, 2011). The Clara Muhammad Schools were initially founded within the framework of black nationalism before transitioning to an Islamic ideology. They aimed to provide degrees for pre-service teachers and training in Arabic and Islamic Studies for in-service teachers (Rashid & Muhammad, 1992).

Unlike the other major Western countries, such as the US, Australia, and the UK, Canada has no programs or courses affiliated with universities or operating as standalone accredited educational institutions for Islamic education. The following segment discusses four approaches that were either offered in the past and discontinued or should be offered in the future to provide Islamic pedagogy at accredited institutions:

• 1.. Additional Qualification (AQ) Courses: A One-Semester Online Course Offered to Those with a Bachelor of Education

An Additional Qualification (AQ) course, also known as professional learning, is provided by provincial colleges of teachers to certify teachers who hold Bachelor of Education degrees from accredited universities. These courses aim to furnish qualifications in specific subject areas or teaching divisions (primary, junior, intermediate, and senior). While this model may not prioritize research or scholarly study, it offers practical theories that teachers can promptly implement in their classrooms. These courses may be offered by colleges, universities, teacher or principal associations, school boards, subject organizations, or community organizations (Ontario College of Teachers, n.d.). They vary in duration, ranging from one session to three sessions or honors specializations. Typically, courses are scheduled three times a year, aligning with the fall, spring, and summer semesters.

AQs are typically developed by teachers and reflect the expertise and pedagogy characteristic of the profession. In Ontario, Canada, AQs serve as a pathway to prepare for leadership roles or to progress on the pay scale. One of the commonly offered courses in most continuing education departments of faculties of education is “Religious Education in Catholic Schools.

• 2.. A Continuing Education Certificate: A One-Year Online Teacher Education Program:

Similar to the graduate certificate model at the University of South Australia, Canada used to have a one-year high-calibre online professional learning program developed in collaboration with Razi Education and the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE/UT) Department of Continuing Education. The Islamic Teacher Education Program (ITEP) was a successful educator preparation initiative that aided Islamic school teachers in implementing Islamic pedagogy in their schools. ITEP was the program that provided a framework rooted in the objectives of education within the Islamic tradition (Memon et al., 2021). ITEP helped teachers understand their roles as educators within the broader context of Islamic pedagogy. However, ITEP had a short lifespan. The program began in 2010, with 300 graduates recorded over its six years of operation until 2017. The program facilitated educators globally in implementing teaching and learning through Islamic pedagogy.

ITEP was locally and globally recognized as a certificate program that equips Islamic school teachers with the preparation they need to align their philosophies and pedagogies with Islamic principles. Graduates of ITEP also benefited from the extensive network established through the program. Even the founders, such as Dr. Nadeem Memon, connected with colleagues at universities that would consider offering similar certificates at the graduate level for Islamic school educators. A year after the closing of ITEP, in 2018, a similar program was co-founded by the founder of ITEP at UniSA’s CITE department called the Graduate Certificates in Islamic Education.

One-year certificate programs are not uncommon in Canada, with provinces like Alberta offering a certificate in Catholic education with the University of Alberta. The certificate is offered to in-service and preservice teachers who are interested in working in Alberta’s Catholic school districts. It constitutes 150 h of instruction on religious education courses, teaching religion to K-12 cohorts, including the basics of catechetics (University of Alberta, n.d.).

• 3.. A B.Ed. Stream: Islamic Education Stream within Bachelor of Education Programs

Teacher education programs in Canada have a unique approach, embedding certain ideologies and faith-based education within mainstream, publicly funded bachelor of education programs affiliated with universities. Roman Catholic and Jewish teacher training are two examples of faith-based education acquired by preservice teacher candidates. Furthermore, alternative programs, such as indigenous education, are also offered.

Catholics in Canada have a constitutional right to found a separate Catholic school system in some provinces. The Catholic stream is sometimes condensed into a course with varying titles, such as “Religious Education: Teaching in Catholic Schools”. Teacher candidates can enroll if they are interested in applying to the Catholic School Boards (CSB). The course prepares students to understand what they need to know to teach in Catholic schools. Often, there is a requirement that teacher candidates be practicing Roman Catholics.

Some Bachelor of Education programs in Canada also provide streams and pathways for Jewish education. The two universities offering Jewish Teacher Education programs are York University (JTE) and McGill University (JTTP), located in Ontario, Canada. The courses offered focus on pedagogy, Hebrew, and Jewish studies. The Jewish Teacher Education program at York University began by offering a variety of Hebrew courses in 1968 and subsequently established a Jewish Studies Center in 1989 (Kirshner, 2001). The Jewish Teacher Training Program (JTTP) at McGill University was established in 1973 and has since produced over 200 graduates (McGill University, n.d.). These training programs prepare educators for Jewish schools, summer programs, and youth groups.

Universities across Canada have institutes of Islamic studies, such as McGill (Montreal) and the University of Toronto (Toronto), with undergraduate and graduate programs offering programs on Islamic studies. However, no programs focused on teacher education or teacher training.

• 4.. A Program within a Muslim Post-Secondary Institution: Islamic College

Recently, Canada established its first Islamic college called the Canadian Islamic College (CIC), owned by one of the grassroots Muslim organizations, the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC), which is accredited by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities. MAC owns 28 Islamic day schools and weekend schools across the country. In Fall 2024, CIC will provide a four-year honors Bachelor of Arts in Islamic Studies with five potential minors. As it stands, none of those minors are focused on teacher training. The college advertises its courses as “epistemological foundations in the Islamic primary sources of the Qurʾan and Sunnah” (MAC, 2024).

Similar to the US model of Bayan Islamic Graduate School discussed above, there could be potential for this college in the future to provide a master’s degree in Islamic education. Furthermore, akin to the “Muslim Teachers College”, the college can utilize another approach by providing teacher education training to support Islamic schools nationwide. The program can become a significant asset to Islamic education in Canada.

6. Conclusions

While Muslims are the fastest-growing religious minority in Canada (Statistics Canada, 2022)—for example, 20% of students in Ontario are reported to be Muslim (Logan, 2022)—Canada lacks strong support systems to help build a robust Muslim identity. With the rise of Islamophobia and the support for Muslim students being confined to religious accommodations rather than nurturing their religious identities, public schools are not meeting the demands of Muslim parents and students. On the other hand, enrollment in Islamic schools is soaring (A. Ahmed & Choudhary, 2024).

However, Islamic schools are also struggling to meet the complex needs of Muslim students. In the past forty years, Islamic schools have shifted from treating Islamic identity as an add-on to their non-religious subjects to Islamicizing the secular curriculum and, in the past decade, a strong commitment to teaching from an Islamic worldview. Islamic school teachers are not trained to teach or provide Islamic pedagogy for their students. Currently, Islamic pedagogy is provided in workshops and PLCs, in fragmented silos, for those schools that can afford it.

This paper is a conceptual exploration of offering an Islamic teacher education program in accredited universities in Canada. The approaches highlighted in this journal include: (a) an Additional Qualification course following teachers’ graduation from their Bachelor of Education program; (b) a continuing education certificate; (c) a Bachelor of Education stream within an established teacher education program; (d) a teacher education program within a Muslim context college/university.

It proposes establishing a more comprehensive program that is recognized by universities as a legitimate teacher education program, using the respective curriculum in each province to train teachers on how to establish a fully immersive education experience for Muslim students.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement

Not applicable.

Data Availability Statement

Data contained within the article.

Conflicts of Interest

The author declares no conflict of interest.

Footnotes

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