A platform of teachers and students of the Qawmi madrasas on Tuesday threatened tough movement if the government moved to regulate the education system in these madrasas.
The Qawmi madrasas, which run their own system of education, said their way of teaching would lose its “uniqueness” if it was merged with the mainstream government-regulated system.
“We are ready to sacrifice our blood if necessary but we will not tolerate any government intervention with the Qawmi madrasa education system,” said Mawlana Abdul Jabbar, convener of the Qawmi Madrasa Protection Council, in a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity on Tuesday.
Jabbar, who is also the general secretary of the Qawmi Madrassa Education Board, said: “We have learnt that the government is planning to form an authority to formulate a law in this regard. We call upon the government to retract the move. We will resist any such move.”
On April 13, a government committee, led by Mawlana Farid Uddin Masud, handed over its recommendations – titled “Qawmi Madrasa Education Policy” to the prime minister.
The recommendations included a six-tier education system for the Qawmi madrasas: primary, junior secondary, secondary, higher secondary, under graduate and graduate. The committee also recommended inclusion of Bangla, English, mathematics and social science, at least up to the higher secondary level, in the syllabus that the Qawmi madrasas follow.
The committee also endorsed the accommodation of a provision for women’s education in the Qawmi madrasa system.
Jabbar alleged that the government had never discussed anything with the authorities of the Qawmi system before coining a policy. He claimed that on September 9, they had informed the prime minister about the matter.
He also said they had an authority of their own and did not need any other authority.
The government, or for that matter any other authority of Bangladesh, does not recognise the certificates that the Qawmi madrasas award the students. As a result, the graduates cannot get mainstream jobs in the country. They mainly work as Imams in the mosques.
Qawmi madras teachers said the textbooks are mostly written in Urdu which mainly teach religious conducts, rules, regulations and laws. The students are given elementary lessons on English, Bangla and mathematics.
Although there is no provision for girls to pursue higher studies in the Qawmi system, in some places, girls are allowed to attend the primary classes.
Mufti, a Qur’an expert, is the Qawmi equivalent of a mainstream graduate.
Hefazat-e-Islam Chief Shah Ahmed Shafi is the supreme leader of the Qawmi system. He is also the chairman of the Qawmi Madras Education Board which operates completely on its own terms.
The highest degree that the system offers is equivalent in stature with a PhD and Shafi is the supreme authority who awards it which, however, is not recognised in the mainstream arrangements.
According to the Qawmi Madrasa Education Board, at present it has 2.8 million students in the country. However, there is no definitive count of the number of such madrasas in Bangladesh.
It is also said the Qawmi education is funded mainly by the Middle Eastern countries, especially the Saudi Arabia. Qawmi education systems are also found in Pakistan and India.
During Tuesday’s press conference, Mawlana Abdul Jabbar claimed that the leading Islamist leaders were on their side. He also said the government claim that Shah Ahmed Shafi had actually given consent to the committee’s recommendations, was not true.
The Awami League-led government in 2009 formed a commission, led by Shafi, which was tasked with proposing reforms in the Qawmi education system so that its graduates could be recognised. However, that commission never worked out in the end because Shafi resigned after attending only one meeting.
