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Download PDF Patrons and leaders of Qawami madrasas yesterday said they will not allow any government interference in formulating curriculum or functioning of their madrasas even if the government commits funds for them.
“We won’t let the government interfere in formulating syllabus for our madrasas,” Chairman of an Islamic Oikya Jote (IOJ) faction Mufti Fazlul Huq Aminee MP told The Daily Star yesterday.
“However, if the government has any suggestions in this regard, we will take those into account,” he added.
Aminee is the chairman of one of the four boards tasked with drawing up curriculum and overseeing examinations for the Qawami madrasas.
Echoing the view, Ahmed Abdul Quader of Ishaak faction of IOJ said the Qawami madrasas will operate on their own. “Alems and ulemas will not tolerate government controls on the madrasa education,” he told The Daily Star.
Replying to a query, Aminee said they do not want any financial assistance from the government.
Abdul Quader said, “Even if the government provides us with financial aid, we won’t budge on our stance. All we [the Qawami madrasas] want from them is a recognition.”
Prime Minister Khaleda Zia on Monday said her government will do everything necessary for the development of Qawami madrasas. She particularly pledged to recognise Dawra degree, which is equivalent to a master’s degree in Islamic studies or Arabic literature.
She announced the decision at a function of the Qawami madrasa teachers at the International Conference Centre (ICC). The same day she met the representatives of Qawami madrasas at her office. The meeting discussed ways to implement the government’s decision.
Leaders of the IOJ, a component of the four-party ruling alliance, meanwhile said they have no objection to being part of the proposed committee for carrying out the government’s decision.
The committee will frame necessary rules and regulations and lay groundwork for implantation of the government move to recognise Dawra degree.
Currently, the government has no control over Qawami madrasas and neither does it have any say in syllabus formulation. These madrasas run independently with their own curriculum and system of education.
The IOJ leaders, who have been campaigning for the last four years for recognition of the Dawra degree, said they were informed that the education ministry will form the committee in a couple of days.
“We will propose some names to be incorporated in the proposed committee,” Aminee said.
IOJ leader Abdul Quader said at the meeting with Khaleda, they congratulated her for the government’s decision. “Had the government taken the decision much earlier, it would have been easier for them to implement it,” he observed.
Asked whether the decision has any political significance, he said the ruling BNP will benefit immensely from it in the next parliamentary election.
The education commission of Moniruzzaman Mia in its report in 2004 made a number of recommendations for Alia madrasa education system. But no suggestion has been made with regard to over 15 thousand Qawami madrasas across the country.
The reforms committee formed in 2002 for madrasa education too did not come up with any recommendation for these madrasas.
Presently, there exist four boards for Qawami madrasa education. It has yet to be clear whether those will be merged into one single entity.
Qawami madrasas came to the fore after August 17 serial blasts across the country last year. A number of militants were rounded up from these madrasas.
But in the face of growing pressure from various Islamist groups including ruling coalition partner IOJ factions, the law enforcement agencies had to stop raiding the madrasas.
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