BRISBANE, Australia, Dec. 5  -- An Islamic school in Australia announced Friday that it has dropped its ban on singing the national anthem at assemblies.

The decision to ban the anthem at assemblies at the Australian International Islamic College had been made by the principal, who is leaving, school spokesman Keysar Trad told The Courier-Mail newspaper in Brisbane.

"I personally value the Australian national anthem and respect it and do sing it myself," Trad said.

The principal, Azroul Liza Khalid, said she was advised by a member of the board that the anthem shouldn't be sung on Fridays, the Islamic holy day and the day that the school has its assemblies. Singing the anthem isn't compulsory at Australian schools.

The flap over the anthem came as the school in Durack, Queensland, proposed opening another campus in Carrara. Local residents have protested the expansion.

One teacher claims he was fired from the college for requesting the anthem, the newspaper said. Pravin Chand was told in a letter from the board last month that he was "not fitting into the school's ethos." (UPI)