Islamic school closure a warning to others

The closure of a Muslim school by the West Australian government was a warning to other Islamic schools, the former head of Australia's peak muslim body says.

Education Minister Mark McGowan yesterday shut down the Muslim Ladies College in Kenwick for a series of "serious concerns" revealed during a departmental investigation.

It was found the school failed to follow the State's curriculum, it employed unregistered teachers, there were serious questions about the school's financial viability and some school buildings consisted of sea containers.

A spokesman for the minister said at one time, students at the school were being given religious instruction 43 per cent of the time.

In addition, the school's acting director Zubair Sayed has been arrested and charged with fraud over the alleged theft of almost $356,000 in federal funding from the school.

Ameer Ali, an academic at Murdoch University and former president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, said the government took the right step in closing the school.

"After several warnings, the government has taken action. No one can blame the government for this," Dr Ali said.

"I think it's a good lesson for the other (Islamic) schools across the State.

"They want to enter the field of education and provide some services to the community, they must be up to scratch.

"They should follow the rules of the State to the word and they should not exploit the community."

Dr Ali said Australia's Muslim community already was under the spotlight and this had not helped.

"This is completely tarnishing the image of the community, and already we are in the hot seat ... and this adds to our predicament.

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