Principal of New Madinah College at Young, Sheikh Abdulghani Albaf. Photo: New Madinah College.
New Madinah College in Young faces mounting uncertainty after education authorities confirmed the school’s principal has stood aside, with regulators warning the school risks deregistration if compliance concerns are not resolved.
The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) has confirmed the principal of the independent K–10 Islamic school, Sheikh Abdulghani Albaf, will stand aside while an investigation into his conduct continues, following an initial response from the school that failed to satisfy regulatory concerns.
In a statement, a NESA spokesperson said the school’s response to a formal show cause notice, “does not satisfactorily address the compliance concerns raised by NESA”.
“The principal will now stand aside while the investigation into his conduct is completed,” the spokesperson said.
“NESA’s registration committee will consider the school’s submissions and make a determination in February regarding the fit and proper assessment of the principal.
“The safety and wellbeing of students is our highest priority”.
The review centres on whether Mr Albaf meets the statutory, “fit and proper person” requirements for school leadership under NSW education law – a finding that could ultimately affect the school’s registration.
All schools in NSW must meet registration requirements to operate and where concerns are raised about a “responsible person” – a category that includes school principals – proprietors are required to demonstrate that those concerns have been adequately addressed.
Where compliance issues are not remedied, schools may face deregistration.
The regulatory action follows social media posts linked to accounts bearing Mr Albaf’s name, first reported publicly in early 2025.
Posts attributed to the principal included statements that “Zionists should burn in the pits of hellfire” and that the “Zionist Terrorist State of Israel needs to be destroyed”.
The comments drew widespread condemnation from political leaders and community organisations and triggered scrutiny at state and federal levels, reflecting the school’s obligations under NSW and Commonwealth education legislation.
Federal Education Minister Jason Clare said there was, “no place for the poison of antisemitism” in Australian schools and directed his department to examine whether New Madinah College was complying with national standards, including fit and proper person provisions under the Australian Education Act.
NSW Education Minister and Deputy Premier Prue Car said she had requested NESA assess the concerns raised and report back on the regulator’s findings.
Mr Albaf was appointed principal of New Madinah College in July 2024.
NESA confirmed it has been monitoring the school since early 2025, including through a mid-year inspection focused on governance arrangements and compliance with registration requirements.
Following an 11-month investigation, NESA issued a show cause notice to the chair of the school’s board, requiring the college to provide evidence addressing concerns about the principal’s conduct and leadership suitability.
The authority warned that failure to resolve those concerns could place the school’s registration at risk.
The matter has also been raised in submissions to the NSW Parliament’s ongoing inquiry into antisemitism.
In April 2025, the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy Australia (ISGAP) analysed the social media posts and warned that educators using violent or extreme language in positions of authority could undermine student safety and community confidence.
The submission recommended robust enforcement of fit and proper person standards in school leadership, a process that remains underway.
Jewish community groups have expressed concern about the length of time taken for the investigation to reach its current stage.
Australian Jewish Association chief executive Robert Gregory previously said the delay meant students had remained under the leadership of a principal whose conduct was under serious question.
Some local Muslim community figures have defended Mr Albaf, arguing he met professional requirements at the time of his appointment and that some posts predated his leadership role.
Those claims have not altered NESA’s regulatory assessment, which focuses on ongoing compliance and conduct.
New Madinah College combines core academic subjects with Islamic studies, Qur’an instruction and Arabic language education.
The school was contacted for comment but no response was forthcoming.
