For too long, many madrasas have played by their own rules, refusing to follow the curriculum laid out by the education board.
That is why it is a commendable and overdue initiative on part of the government to give madrasas a three-month deadline to sign up under the Madrasa Education Board if they have not done so already.
No matter what madrasas may claim, many of these institutions do not provide well-rounded educations suitable for the modern world, and the need for oversight simply cannot be ignored.
As Islamic education need not conflict with standardised tests and a more robust scientific education, and though madrasas may be resistant to change, ultimately it would do them a world of good.