Muslims Australia – AFIC is pleased to see reports today that the Commonwealth has agreed to re-instate funding to the Malek Fahd Islamic School (MFIS). MFIS is an important community institution and for it to have its immediate future secured through this decision is the right outcome.

Muslims Australia – AFIC notes the conditions to the funding that have been reported.

We note that MFIS has been completely independent of Muslims Australia for nearly 2 years and Muslims Australia does not, and can not, play any role in the administration of the school. The new Executive Commitee of Muslims Australia, that was appointed in May 2017 in response to the significant historical failures relating to MFIS, has been focused on reforming the governance, and other processes, of the organisation to ensure that such issues do not arise in the future. President of Muslims Australia, Dr Rateb Jneid stated, “We have been working tirelessly over the last 15 months to rectify the internal frameworks and structures that contributed to the events of the last few years. I am confident that we have now put in place the appropriate policies & procedures to address those issues.”

Muslims Australia stands ready to support all Islamic schools in their growth and development to ensure they continue to play the important role that they do for the community. We wish MFIS the best for its future growth and development now that this issue has been resolved. Dr Jneid stated, “We look forward to rebuilding a positive relationship with MFIS and supporting them as we do with the other schools that tenant our properties.”

Muslims Australia is pleased that this remaining matter has now been finalised and that the staff, students and parents of the MFIS community now have some certainty about their future.