The charitable trust planning to establish a boarding school in Dunedin for senior Muslim boys also wants to open an out-of-school programme for younger Muslim children here.
The Christchurch-based Al-Noor Charitable Trust announced two weeks ago it had bought the former St Patrick's Catholic Primary School in South Dunedin and intended to open a boarding school for about 100 year 11-13 boys by 2014.
To be known as An-Nur Kiwi Academy (AKA), it will be the South Island's first Islamic school and will accept pupils from overseas as well as those living in New Zealand.
Trust chairman Dr Mohammad Alayan yesterday said the trust wanted to begin education services on the site as soon as possible and planned to establish an Out of School Care and Recreation (Oscar) programme on the site early next year. Oscar offers before-school and after-school care and school holiday programmes.
Depending on demand, the programme could cater for up to 50 children, he said.
The trust was completing its boarding-school plans and would begin construction of a masjid (school mosque), recreation centre and cafeteria on the site as soon as Dunedin City Council consents were approved. That was likely to be some time next year, he said.
It was not yet known whether dormitories would be sited at the school or elsewhere.
The reaction to the trust's plans had largely been positive, he said.
"There has been an excellent response from Dunedin [Muslim] parents ... but I have to say the number of Dunedin boys who might attend is small, probably only 10 to 20."
There are more than 36,000 Muslims in New Zealand, including more than 500 in Dunedin. Most of those are University of Otago students or staff and their family members.
