Wafaq-ul-Madaris Reservation Over Madrassah Authority
Authority should provide funds for education
Islamabad, Sep 16: The Wafaq-ul-Madaris-ul-Arbia expressed its reservation over the establishment of Madrassah Education Authority by Ministry of Interior and said that it should be set up by Ministry of Religious Affairs or Ministry of Education.
The Chapter Four titled 'Islamic Education' of National Education Policy (NEP) 2009 says that Madrassah Education Authority shall be established by Ministry of Interior in order to provide an opportunity for all existing and future 'madaris' to excel and enhance the services they already provide to the nation.
It is further stated that the authority should provide funds for education and socio-economic welfare of students, provide infrastructure and equipment for improvement of existing facilities, provide further training to enhance skills of teachers, provide support in vocational training to equip students to generate income and to provide advice and assistance in streamlining policies, objectives and syllabi to give graduates a competitive edge in the job market and for placement in institutions of higher education.
However the Wafaq-ul-Madaris-ul-Arbia is of the opinion that there was no point in handing over all seminaries to Ministry of Interior as it has nothing to do with education.
Wafaq-ul-Madaris-ul-Arbia spokesperson Maulana Abdul Qudus said that the decision of the regulatory authority has been taken without taking religious organisations into confidence. "The decision of handing over the authority to Ministry of Interior is above understanding, especially when religious quarters are not taken into confidence," he said.
He, however, hailed the decision according to which 'madrassah' students would be provided advice and assistance in streamlining policies, objectives and syllabi to give graduates a competitive edge in the job market and for placement in institutions of higher education.
"It has been for the first time that 'madrassahs' have been given such importance in any education policy till now," he said while adding that they would be more than happy if they were taken into confidence before giving a final shape to the policy document.
He demanded that amendments made in curriculum during Pervez Musharraf regime should be undone. "We do not accept any such amendments which are made in the name of moderation during a dictator's regime," he said.
It is worth mentioning here that in a high-level meeting held on September 9 in the cabinet room, the Prime Minister's Secretariat, in response to a query with regard to 'madrassah' reforms, explained that working of all seminaries would be streamlined by introducing contemporary studies. It was also explained that the Turkish government had successfully modernised their religious institutions and Pakistan may benefit from its experience.
The policy document also states that the objectives of teaching of Islamiyat shall be to ensure that all Muslim children are provided opportunities to learn and apply the fundamental principles of Islam in their lives with the purpose of reformation and development of society on the principles of Holy Qur'aan and Sunnah.
It further stated that the Islamiyat Curriculum shall be divided into five main topics - Al-Qur'aan Al Kareem, Imaniyat and Ibadat, Seerat-e-Tayyaba, Ethics and Good Behaviour (towards others) and Prominent Personalities of Islam.
Ministry of Education Deputy Education Adviser (DEA) T M Qureshi said that the decision of setting up the Madrassah Education Authority was taken by the prime minister and the ministry has nothing to do with it.
"It is not that we have compiled the policy in the drawing room. Religious organisations were also taken into confidence in the process," he said.
While Federal Minister for Education Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, on one occasion, has said that the authority would jointly work under the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Interior.
