‘Branding madrasas as non-schools is illegal’
Muslim scholars, experts who support reform of madrasas in general, said such a move contradicts provisions of the Right to Education Act.
The Maharashtra government’s decision to classify select madrasas as non-schools has not gone down well with top Muslim bodies, who have called it illegal. Scholars and experts from the Muslim community, who support reform of madrasas in general, said such a move contradicts provisions of the Right to Education Act and will make minorities lose confidence in the ruling party.
“This move is illegal. The RTE explicitly exempts madrasas and pathshalas from the rules and regulations for ordinary schools. So the government does not have any right to say that madrasas are outside the education system,” said Zafarul Islam Khan, president of All India Muslim Majlis-E Mashawarat. Khan, who had led a delegation to former HRD Minister Kapil Sibal to secure special status for madrasas, said the institutions enjoy the prerogative of course management and choice of syllabus under the 2009 RTE Act.
The Maharashtra Government recently announced that madrasas that do not teach science and mathematics would no longer be recognised as schools. The government defended the move, saying it wants to bring students from the minority community into the mainstream, for which access to modern education is a prerequisite. The government had clarified that it harbours no intention to impeding madrasas from imparting religious education. “We want to bring subjects like science, social science and maths to the madrasas, with no interference in their religious education,” state Education Minister Vinod Tawde told reporters.
But scholars point out that most madrasas already teach science, maths and even computer science, and are not averse to modernisation. They also said that modernisation should be the outcome of long-term state assistance, greater funding and improved infrastructure, rather than stringent measures as in Maharashtra. The Rs 100-crore package earmarked by the Centre is inadequate for the purpose, they said.
“There are 33,000 listed madrasas in the country. Rs 100 crore will not modernise anything, as it would come down to Rs 1 lakh or Rs 2 lakh per madrasa, which will get consumed just in paying the teachers’ salaries,” Zafarul Khan said. Inam ur Rehman, editor and member of JamaatE-Islami Hind, said the package was a good gesture from the Centre, but there should be a planning committee consisting of top Muslim scholars and activists to monitor the modernisation process. “Views of the members of well-known Muslim organisations should be sought, so that the problems faced by the minority community and students from such communities are adequately rep- resented. They should also be actively involved in the process,” Rehman told this paper, adding that he fully supports the view that madrasas need to modernise.
India Islamic Cultural Centre dismissed the argument put forward by Maharashtra State Minister for Minority Affairs Eknath Khadse that madrasas restrict access to students belonging to non-Muslim communities. Khadse had recently said “if a Hindu or Christian child wants to study in a madrasa, they will not be allowed to study there. Thus madrasa is not a school, but a source of religious education.”
IICC vice president Safdar Khan said that many nonMuslim students are enrolled in the madrasas of Assam, West Bengal and Bihar. Rehman added that there are many places where madrasas, in the absence of government or private schools, are the sole source of education for people of all faiths.
“In some areas of Assam and West Bengal, there are no schools except madrasas. Here, all students get their degrees from the madrasa,” Rehman said, adding that an abrupt de-recognition of madrasas without establishing ordinary schools would impact the education of many children.
Most madrasas that assert they are open to modernisation, however, are loath to come under the RTE. Muslim bodies have argued that as 96% of Muslim students in the country opt to attend regular schools, there is no real need for madrasas to be regulated under the RTE. “The madrasas have less than 4% of all Muslim students studying in their campuses. We support the move for advancement but there should not be any imposition,” said Mohammad Salim Engineer, secretary general of Jamaate- Islami Hind. He argued there is nothing wrong if a handful of madrasas teach arts subjects.
“Although I support science education, are the faculties of arts and theology outside education?” he asked.
While many Muslim bodies are planning to move court against the Maharashtra government’s decision, none of them seem to disagree that there is a need for madrasas to keep pace with the rapidly advancing education system. “Many madrasas are trying to incorporate technical courses in their curriculum. Madrasas themselves are willing to modernise,” said Safdar Khan. Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Mahesh Sharma will be available in the Prime Minister’s Lok Sabha constituency, Varanasi, on the first Saturday of every month to listen to the grievances of the local people and review the status of various welfare projects being carried out there.
Sharma has been designated as the point person of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for coordination of all projects there. He is currently in South Africa, but his close aide, Vaneja Unnikrishnan, while confirming the development said that the minister has already established contact with the locals of the holy city.
Sharma visited Varanasi on 4 July as part of this new assignment and has submitted a detailed report based on his assessment. The report to the PMO outlines the objectives that can be achieved immediately and those which have to be pursued on a long term basis. He has also identified the agencies which could be used to implement the projects and shall in addition be coordinating with the State government. Most of these issues are concerning development of the constituency.
There have been various suggestions like setting up of a women’s self-defence institution in memory of Laxmi Bai and improving the lighting at the Ganga Ghat, which is expected to promote tourism in the city.
Sharma has been given the special assignment in addition to his duties as a minister since the Prime Minister is not able to visit his constituency frequently. He has been directed to keep a close track of all the projects, suggestions and complaints and forward them to the PMO for faster implementations. Sharma has been also asked to keep the Prime Minister informed about the constituency on a regular basis.
Varansi has also been the focus of cleanliness drive ‘Swachcha Bharat Abhiyan’. Sharma has been instructed to coordinate the campaign as well and ensure its success
Varanasi is getting considerable attention, with a number of government schemes focusing on it. Sharma, in his new role, is expected to address those issues coordinate with ministries to ensure that these are implemented efficiently.