Madrassas

Ever since the Right To Education (RTE) Act has come into being, it seems the government is busy sandpapering the rough edges with some or the other amendment to its provisions in its bid to strike the right balance with all stakeholders. They hope these amendments will finally pacify the unruffled feelings and eventually set the ball rolling for India’s most ambitious step in the educational arena. But, is it the right approach is the big question. If yes, then for how long?

Minister of State for Minority Affairs Salman Khursheed denied that the Right to Education posed any threat to the existence of madrassas. Reacting to news reports that Muslim clerics look at the RTE Act as a ploy to get backdoor entry into religious seminaries and thereby take away from the minority community the freedom to run its own institutions guaranteed by the Constitution, Mr. Khursheed said:

With the word ‘madrassa’ emerge in the mind images of students clad in sectarian attires, complete with a quintessential skull cap on the head, reciting verses from the Holy Koran. Going by the results of Bihar State Madrassa Examination Board the traditional roll model is a part of the truth and not the whole truth. 

Moving in leaps and bounds the HRD minister Kapil Sibal is fast covering all points highlighted in his 100 day agenda. Next target on his ‘to-do’ list is the centralisation of all madarsas through the setup of a Central Madarsa Board (CMB). Not lagging behind will also be the agenda of broader reforms, which he intends to broach soon.

Squarely blaming successive education ministers of the state for educational backwardness among Muslims, members of the All Goa Muslim Jamaat, Association on Monday and All Goa Urdu Teachers' Association feted Babush Monserrate as the only education minister who had announced grants for the educational institutions run by the community.