New Madinah College principal Sheikh Abdulghani Albaf. Photo: New Madinah College.
New Madinah College in Young faces an uncertain future as the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) formally reviews whether the school’s principal meets the statutory “fit and proper person” requirements for leadership, a process that could threaten the college’s registration.
The review has entered a decisive phase, with New Madinah College required to provide evidence to NESA showing that principal Sheikh Abdulghani Albaf meets the standards expected of school leadership by 19 January.
A NESA spokesperson said the independent K‑10 Islamic school must also demonstrate adherence to governance policies and codes of conduct, and warned that failure to provide satisfactory evidence could lead the authority to consider cancelling the school’s registration, preventing it from operating as an accredited school in NSW.
The review follows a series of social media posts linked to accounts bearing Albaf’s name, first reported publicly in early 2025.
Posts attributed to Mr Albaf on his Facebook account, which has more than 2000 followers, 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 were widely condemned by community leaders and political figures and triggered regulatory scrutiny at the state and federal level, reflecting New Madinah College’s obligations as an independent school under NSW and Commonwealth education legislation.
Hilltops Mayor Brian Ingram described Albaf’s posts as “highly inappropriate”, warning they could undermine trust and inflame tensions in the town’s multicultural population.
Federal Member for Riverina Michael McCormack also condemned the reported comments, calling them “unacceptable” for a school principal and emphasising the importance of social cohesion.
Federal Education Minister Jason Clare said there was “no place for the poison of anti‑Semitism and this sort of hate, plain and simple” in schools, and instructed his department to investigate whether New Madinah College complied with national standards, including the fit and proper person provisions under the Australian Education Act.
Deputy Premier and NSW Education Minister Prue Car also weighed in, saying she had asked NESA to examine the concerns raised by the principal’s social media posts and report back to her.
Following an 11-month investigation, NESA issued a show cause notice to the chair of the college’s board about the conduct of the principal, giving the school fewer than 28 days to provide evidence that Albaf meets the fit and proper person requirements.
“As is the case for all schools, there is no tolerance for non-compliance with registration requirements, including the expectation that all responsible persons meet fit and proper requirements,” a NESA spokesperson said.
“Our priority remains the safety and wellbeing of students.”
Under NSW law, a school principal is legally considered a “responsible person”, meaning the proprietor of a school must have policies and procedures to ensure leaders are fit and proper at appointment and throughout their tenure.
These frameworks include codes of conduct and internal mechanisms to identify and address any concerns that could affect registration.
NESA confirmed it had been monitoring New Madinah College since early 2025, and a mid-year inspection assessed governance arrangements and compliance with these obligations.
The controversy has also been examined in submissions to the NSW Parliament.
In April 2025, The Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy Australia (ISGAP) analysed Albaf’s posts and warned that educators using violent or extreme language in positions of authority could compromise student safety and community confidence.
Their submission to the ongoing Inquiry into Antisemitism in NSW recommended robust enforcement of fit and proper person standards in school leadership.
Albaf was appointed principal in July 2024, prior to which he had a valid working with children check and a clear police record.
New Madinah College, which combines core academic subjects with Islamic studies, Qur’an instruction and Arabic language education, has not issued a detailed response to NESA’s latest action.
