New Delhi 1st Sept. 2020: The Markazi Taleemi Board, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, conducted an online meeting on the impact of the new education policy on madrasas on 1st September, 2020.

 

Mr. Syed Tanveer Ahmed, Director of the Board, said in his inaugural address that reviewing the new education policy regarding madrasas is the most important issue today. He further said that this policy is not a law, but there may be laws on it in the coming days. “Now these are the suggestions, and in the light of this we have to consider what are the positive, negative aspects and concerns of this policy on govt. approved madrasas and especially on independent madrasas,” he added.

He raised some questions on draft of NEP – 2020 regarding madrasas like:

  1. “The policy states that within ten years, all educational institutions will be brought to a standard, so what will happen to madrasas at that time?
  2. Similarly, there is a talk of accreditation for all educational institutions, so will independent madrasa come under it?
  3. Children would be linked to the school and given a code number or smart number named (STC). This number will be useful for children’s career and will it also apply to madrasas?
  4. One the basis of degree of some large madrasas, students get admission in many universities. Will the status of these degrees remain or not?
  5. The policy speaks of alternative schools, what will be the method and will it also apply to madrassas?
  6. According to Articles 29 and 30 of the constitution, the minority has been given the privilege to open its own educational institution. Will this remain?
  7. Will the madrasas qualify for the bridge course? There is no explanation in the policy.

Talking about many more points, Mr. Tanveer Ahmed said that this policy has raised many concerns among minorities, especially people associated with madrasas.

Prof. Mohammad Akhtar Siddiqui, former Chairman, ACTE, while presenting his keynote, said that there is no explicit mention of madrassas in this policy; the madrassas cannot be easily ignored. This gives an idea of ​​the approach of the government.

“We also get positive indications in the policy. It has been admitted that the educational standard of the backward group is declining. The programs that were created for them in the past were better, but the gap will be bridged. Of course, Muslims are also included in the backward group, but it is not yet clear what the nature of the gap will be,” he added.

He further said that non-inclusion of Urdu in the trilingual (policy) or formula is a matter of concern as it includes Sanskrit. Although Sanskrit is a classical language, but by including it in trilingual it has been giving the status of both classical and modern languages. Arabic also has no place in this policy, as it is very helpful in stabilizing our economy due to ancient trade relations with Arab countries.

Addressing the meeting, former chairman of Madhya Pradesh Madrassa Board Prof. Abdul Haleem said that this policy mentions the ancient educational culture, but does not mention the important role the madrasas have played in the field of education over the last eleven hundred years, as acknowledged by Lord Macaulay during the British rule.

Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani, Director, Islami Fiqh Academy, said in the meeting that we need a report on the positive and negative aspects of NEP-2020 on madrassas and other minorities and general educational institutions.

He further said that we should start talking to the government now by preparing a report on the positive and negative aspects of the draft of NEP – 2020 on the institutions.

Apart from them, Maulana Jalal Naqvi, Maulana Tahir Madani, Maulana Yahya Nomani, Maulana Shibli Qasmi of the Imarat-e-Shariah, Maulana Ahmad Siraj Umri, Maulana Tariq Ayubi Nadvi, Maulana Shees Nadvi and Janab Waheed-ud-Din Umri expressed their views.

Jb. Nusrat Ali, Chairman of the Board delivered the Presidential Address. Commenting on the views of the speakers in his sermon, he said that the Markazi Taleemi Board had organized a meeting in early August on the impact of this policy on the nation and communities. And since Christians and other minorities are as concerned as we are, a meeting with representatives of all minorities has been scheduled on September 6, in which the future course of action will be worked out. As far as madrasas are concerned, its scope is very wide and at present we are focusing only on non-affiliated madrasas.  A letter will be given to the Minister of Education containing all concerns raised in these meetings, and a team of delegation will also meet him. He emphasized that talks with the government in this regard should be held by all sections and religions of the country. At last, he said that the solution of the problem will be find out after mutual consideration of those suggestions which have come from the federation.  It is proposed to evolve a federation of consultation for madrasa issues, and this co-ordination committee may play this role. It will be discussed with the participants, and then finalized.