The Development of Islamic Education in Islamic Primary Schools in The Netherlands

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

1. The article raises an important issue on the development of Islamic schools in the Netherlands. It is considered important because since its inception in 1987, the number of Islamic schools in the Netherlands continues to grow. It is important for the Dutch government to pay closer attention to the development.
2. The article is supported by reliable data sources including school principals, educators, and school observation.
3. However the author needs to improve the article by using a certain theoretical framework. The author does not provide any education or social theory to help him/her structure the findings and analyze the findings. As a result, the author does not provide a deep analysis in the discussion section.
4. Page 4 line 156 to page 6 line 240, the use of term “Development of Teaching Methods” is confusing. It is better to use curriculum or teaching materials, as the author discusses the development of the use of teaching materials. It is also important to explain at this point the content of Islamic education being thought to students.
5. Page 6 line 241 to 255. Explanation about time of instructions and assessment is insufficient compared to other aspects.
6. Since the author does not provide any theoretical framework, the “Result” and “Conclusion and Discussion” sections are not structured within the same perspectives. The result explains about purpose and vision, language development, development of teaching method, instructional time, Assessment and Evaluation, and Integration of identity across subjects. The “conclusion and discussion” section discusses topics on Political and Social relevance with religious education, Integration of identity, Sexual education, and broader mission.

Author Response

Thank you very much for taking the time to review this manuscript. Please find the detailed responses below and the corresponding revisions/corrections highlighted/in track changes in the re-submitted files.

• However the author needs to improve the article by using a certain theoretical framework. The author does not provide any education or social theory to help him/her structure the findings and analyze the findings. As a result, the author does not provide a deep analysis in the discussion section.

I added: Line 99 – 102: Although the paper does not employ a formal theoretical framework, it follows a historical-sociological approach aimed at descriptive analysis and contextual understanding rather than hypothesis testing.

• Page 4 line 156 to page 6 line 240, the use of term “Development of Teaching Methods” is confusing. It is better to use curriculum or teaching materials, as the author discusses the development of the use of teaching materials. It is also important to explain at this point the content of Islamic education being thought to students.

This is a valid point. It is indeed better to speak about curriculum and educational material instead of method. This is a translation error. I have adjusted the entire paper accordingly.

• Page 6 line 241 to 255. Explanation about time of instructions and assessment is insufficient compared to other aspects.

The section sufficiently reflects how instructional time and assessment are organized in Islamic primary schools in the Netherlands. Since time allocation is largely standardized (30–90 minutes weekly) and follows national inspection norms, additional elaboration would not provide significant analytical value.

• Since the author does not provide any theoretical framework, the “Result” and “Conclusion and Discussion” sections are not structured within the same perspectives. The result explains about purpose and vision, language development, development of teaching method, instructional time, Assessment and Evaluation, and Integration of identity across subjects. The “conclusion and discussion” section discusses topics on Political and Social relevance with religious education, Integration of identity, Sexual education, and broader mission.

The discussion section extends beyond the descriptive results by situating them within the broader social and political context of religious education in the Netherlands.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Argument:

This article examines the development of Islamic education in the Netherlands. It argues that, while Muslims in the Netherlands turned to both the traditional madrasa and the Turkish Imam-Hatip programs for inspiration, they ultimately created their own Islamic education methods and pedagogies to adapt to the legal and cultural context of the Netherlands.

The author does a good job of showing how Islamic education developed in the Netherlands. If I have one question, it would be: how is Islamic education in the Netherlands different from Islamic education elsewhere? The author states that educators eventually deviated from the Turkish model. They also mention that religious education takes place in Dutch, which would likely be unique to the Netherlands. However, it would be nice if the author would add a few sentences in the conclusion to make clear how this Netherlands system is different from Islamic education elsewhere in Europe.

Secondary Literature: The secondary literature cited here is appropriate to the topic.

Methodology: The author uses interviews with subjects involved in Islamic education (teachers, principals, etc.) during the period under study. This methodology is appropriate to the author's project.

Structure: The structure and organization of this article are generally good. The article is easy to follow.

Contribution: The article makes an original contribution to our understanding of the development of Islamic education in Europe's Muslim communities.

Author Response

Thank you very much for taking the time to review this manuscript. Please find the detailed responses below and the corresponding revisions/corrections highlighted/in track changes in the re-submitted files.

• How is Islamic education in the Netherlands different from Islamic education elsewhere? The author states that educators eventually deviated from the Turkish model. They also mention that religious education takes place in Dutch, which would likely be unique to the Netherlands. However, it would be nice if the author would add a few sentences in the conclusion to make clear how this Netherlands system is different from Islamic education elsewhere in Europe.

A valuable comment to refine the article. Thank you for this. I have added the following paragraph in the conclusion: 5.5. Comparison with Islamic Education Elsewhere in Europe.