Islamic watchdog calls for madrassa reform after teacher found guilty of child cruelty in UK

London : An Islamic watchdog has called for reforms of madrassas after a teacher was convicted for child cruelty in the United Kingdom. The Mosque and Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB) said that it is aware of rampant cases of abuse in after school classes.

"We are working to raise standards and want the teachers to be qualified,” Ahmed Beg, a member of the board, said.

According to the BBC, Irfan Patel, 33, was found guilty of cruelty against children at a Lancashire mosque.

A Lancashire mother, who wanted to remain anonymous, was horrified to discover her son’s madrassa teacher had been hitting and abusing him.

"I never sent him to be beaten – I sent him to learn the Koran,” she said.

He was not the only one to suffer at the hands of a teacher at a madrassa, an after school class, where children learn about their faith, the report said. (...)