First State funded Hindu school to start in Britain

First batch of students in September 2008

Britain's first state-funded Hindu school has been granted planning permission by the London borough of Harrow, and the first batch of students is expected to start in September 2008. The 236-capacity, one-form entry school is located in Edgware, which is in the heart of the highest concentration of Hindus in Britain. About one third of the local residents practice the Hindu faith.

The school, named 'Krishna Avanti Primary School', will be built at a cost of $10 million English Pounds and is being built by the I-Foundation, a leading Hindu charity organization. The plan for the Hindu school was announced by the Department of Education and Skills in November 2005, as stated by indiaedunews.com. The school received overwhelming support from the local Hindu community.

Nitesh Gor, director of I-Foundation said, "This is an incredibly exciting moment for the UK's Hindu community," adding, "It is the first time the choice of a faith-based education will be extended to Hindus alongside Christians, Muslims, Jews and Sikhs." According to Gor, all major Hindu groups in Britain have expressed support to the school, including the Hindu Forum of Britain, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the Chinmaya Group and the Hindu Council. Gor stated that, "The primary school aims to give Hindu parents a choice of school that is consistent with their faith. At present, voluntary aided schools exist for every other major religion in the UK and it is right that the Hindu community is not denied this option in the education of their children."