LONDON: The government has ordered inspections of 15 schools in Britain’s second biggest city after allegations that they are being taken over by hardliners, officials said on Sunday. A row has been brewing in Birmingham for weeks since the local council received an anonymous letter alleging a plot to force a change of leadership at four state-run schools.

The aim was apparently to impose a conservative religious agenda, turning parents against head teachers by telling that the school is corrupting their children with sex education, promotion of homosexuality and making them take part in Christian prayers. Unnamed school staff have since made accusations about gender segregation and the bullying of non-Muslim staff.

The central English city has one the highest Muslim populations in the country. The 2011 census found 22 percent of residents were Muslim, compared to 4.8 percent nationwide.

Birmingham City Council has been trying to get to the bottom of the alleged plot and this week froze the recruitment of school governors pending the outcome of its inquiries.

Education Secretary Michael Gove has now ordered formal inspections by the Ofsted watchdog of 15 schools across the city, a spokeswoman for his ministry said.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister David Cameron warned that “we will not accept any school being run by extremists or promoting extremist views.”

Speaking on a visit to Birmingham, he said: “It’s not acceptable, we can’t have that happening in our country and Ofsted have all the powers they need to intervene.”

Ofsted monitors educational standards but the Sunday Times newspaper said it would also look into whether religious conservatism was getting in the way of learning in Birmingham.