Counter-extremism lessons should be on national curriculum, says Islamic scholar

Qadri said that 'Peace', 'Deradicalisation' and 'Counter-Terrorism' should all be taught as individual subjects in schools. He claimed that these lessons should be compulsory for Muslim pupils and optional for non-Muslim pupils.

The suggestion comes after 700 Britons are believed to have travelled to the Middle East to fight alongside ISIL.

Speaking on BBC Radio Four’s Today programme, Dr Qadri said: “It should be on the curriculum. Peace should be taken as peace studies as a subject. Deradicalisation should be taken as a subject. Counter-terrorism should be taken as a subject.

“The problem is that we have not been addressing this issue on the theological front and on the ideological front. We have been taking it just as a political, economic and social issue.”

He added: “We should try to influence the generations – whether second or third of fourth – to always be peaceful and always condone the act of extremism, act of terrorism wherever it is.

“It should be put on the curriculum, it should be made compulsory for Muslim generations, Muslim students, and it should be made optional for non-Muslim students. They should be taught the actual real teachings of the Koran… based on love and tolerance and coexistence and togetherness.”

Read more