MADRASAS : NATIONAL

NEWS :  Madrasas ‘unfit’ for proper education, child rights panel tells Supreme Court

 WHAT’S IN THE NEWS ?

Merely teaching a few NCERT books in the curriculum is a mere guise in the name of imparting education and does not ensure that children are receiving formal and quality education, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights says

Concerns Raised by NCPCR:

  • Inadequate Education: Focus on religious texts over comprehensive education.
  • Curriculum Issues: Textbooks promote Islamic supremacy, with insufficient integration of broader content.
  • Teacher Quality: Teachers rely on traditional methods, leading to irregular education.
  • Lack of Extracurricular Activities: Absence of social learning opportunities like field trips.
  • Constitutional Violation: Teaching Islamic education to non-Muslims violates Article 28(3) of the Constitution.
  • Operational Issues: Opaque funding, non-compliance with land laws, and lack of a conducive learning environment.

Way Forward:

  • Curriculum Reform: Introduce a balanced curriculum aligned with national standards.
  • Teacher Training: Regularise teaching practices and enhance teacher training.
  • Extracurricular Activities: Implement structured extracurricular programs for holistic development.
  • Regulatory Oversight: Ensure transparency in operations, funding, and land law compliance.
  • Constitutional Compliance: Safeguard the rights of non-Muslim students.
  • Monitoring: Regularly assess madrasas for educational standards and rights compliance.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/madrasas-unfit-places-for-children-to-receive-proper-education-ncpcr-submits-in-supreme-court/article68629355.ece