Muslim students at a college in Oldham say they took to praying outside in protest over a lack of space and dedicated prayer room provided by the sixth form.

A video circulating on social media shows students at Oldham Sixth Form College have been standing outside for their religious prayers on a Friday.

The pupils claim they had been "praying in corners of classrooms and in a tiny cupboard room" until they took a stand to call on the college to provide space. 

The college said in a statement that new arrangements have now been made to accommodate additional space for prayer.

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The footage posted on the Instagram page 'Oldham Bantz', which has reached thousands of people, was posted in late December and revealed the issue had been "going on for so long" while "nothing has been arranged".

Text posted along the video reads: "Muslim students protest outside OSFC.

"College leaders show no attention towards Muslim students' needs.

"The majority of students are Muslim and all they ask for is a Jummah facility.

"Jummah will be prayed outside every week until a college leader facilitates one."

The Oldham Times: Dozens of Muslim students have taken a stand and called on the college to create adequate spaceDozens of Muslim students have taken a stand and called on the college to create adequate space (Image: @Oldhambantz)

It was also alleged the college used to provide a dedicated prayer room but that it was "removed".

Comments posted on the video from former students claimed the college used to facilitate a room for Jummah from at least 2005 to 2020, with many asking: "Why don't they provide one now?"

Another wrote: "No one is asking for anything to be built. There has been a big enough prayer room available for years which for some reason has been removed over the past few years.

"As someone who attended the college for two years, I know they have many free rooms."

A pupil said there is a space but "it fits like 15 people max when there are 2,300 students - and most are Muslim".

An Oldham Sixth Form College spokesperson, said: “We’ve had a really positive relationship with our diverse community for many years and we work hard to meet the needs of all individuals, particularly when it comes to people’s religion.

“We welcome everybody equally and work closely with our students and local leaders, including the Interfaith Forum and Oldham Council, to ensure our students and staff can observe their religion in the best possible way.

“This includes having our own ‘Multi faith and reflection’ (prayer) room, which has a segregated facility, is easily accessible, available at all times in the centre of our campus and is monitored by staff.

“Our students regularly attend local mosques in their lunchtimes too and we have worked hard with community leaders to facilitate this.

“This academic year, some students did request additional space in college to facilitate communal prayer on Fridays and our leadership team have worked closely with our students and representatives of the Interfaith Forum to resolve this, despite our challenges with limited room availability. 

“Following an initial trial, new arrangements have now been made to accommodate additional space for prayer, including a second space on Fridays that is available before exams start next term.

“While we cannot afford to make alterations to our timetables due to the significant disruption this would cause to the college day and to people’s learning, we realise the importance of Jummah prayers, and facilitate them where we can.

“Students achieve fantastic results here at Oldham Sixth Form College, with around 80 per cent of students progressing to Higher Education, and close to a fifth of those students entering Oxbridge or a Russell Group University.

“At the college’s most recent Ofsted inspection, inspectors said: ‘Students speak highly of the inclusive culture at OSFC. They describe how diversity is celebrated and everyone is welcomed.”

Councillor Arooj Shah, leader of Oldham Council, said: “It’s so important for our young people to have an appropriate space where they can observe their religion and it’s great Oldham Sixth Form College already has a dedicated area in place for its diverse students and staff to use for prayers.

“Some students already choose to observe prayers in mosques close to the college, but extra efforts have also been made by the college, in conversation with students, to identify additional space inside the college which anyone can use.

“The Interfaith Forum has also been on hand to offer its support with this and it’s great to see everyone working together to enhance this provision.”

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