THIS is with reference to the editorial ‘Streamlining madressahs’ (Jan 28). According to the agreement between the Wafaqul Madaris and the Ministry of Education representatives, all madressahs in the country are to be registered only with the Ministry of Education. To ask them now to register themselves with the local administration seems discriminatory and uncalled for.
It will be appropriate to ascertain the viewpoint of the Wafaqul Madaris representatives on this point and have it published in mainstream media for the benefit of the general public.
There is a tendency in certain quarters to associate madressahs with sectarianism, violence and terrorism.
Although most madressahs are graciously excluded from the odium, the list of the culprits amongst them is never made public. How would the people then know the black sheep and keep away from them?
In fact, such madressahs deserve to be prosecuted under the law. While the government’s eagerness to reform religious schools is laudable, it must also be realised that streamlining government-owned schools and colleges is also called for, particularly concerning the quality of teaching material, mode of delivery and evaluation process.
With crumbling walls and floors, broken windows and furniture, absence of toilet facilities and non-availability of drinking water, etc., especially in far-flung areas of the country, the quality of education in state-run schools cannot be expected to be satisfactory.