Right to Education Act and Muslims’ concerns
Submitted by admin4 on 19 August 2010 - 1:24pm
By Abdul Hannan Siwani Nadvi,
There is no doubt over avails of this law. It provides children between 6 to 14 years of age with the right to get education. If we take a look at this law, it clears central government's intention in educating every child whether he is from tribal caste or from minority communities. However, some concerns raised by the Muslim community are genuine and need to be addressed.
According to this Right to Education Act, government will take all responsibilities of education of the 6 to 14 year old children. The government will make arrangement and will make sure in providing education to every child. Muslim community's children can make their future bright under this law.
In spite of appreciating government's move in eliminating illiteracy from the country, this bill is a killer of minority community institutions and their schools. Surely, madarsas and their modern institutions will be affected more if the law is implemented in its present form.
There are some points below that show how this law can affect Madrasas and the schools run by Muslims.
1. This law is silent on Madarsas, its education, syllabus and the students studying there.
2. Government's approved education which is being imparted in government-run schools or in government-affiliated schools, is acceptable only as stated in the adjectives of the Education in this law. Such as, government’s approved and prepared syllabus will be acceptable only under this law.
Question arises here; will government accept the Madarsas syllabus? Will the education being delivered in these Madrasas be acceptable? What's the future of Madarsas students according to this law?
3. According to it, nobody can open schools without government's approval.
4. The adjectives and the conditions of schools are stated in this bill. Madrasas are unable to fulfill these conditions.
5. Who violates it will be punished in terms of Rs one lac as fine for the first time, after that they will be given three years to correct their mistakes, and Rs 10 thousand as fine everyday if they do not follow government's guidelines.
6. According to it, other private schools, private Madrasas and private institutions run by Muslims will be closed automatically. Their independence is unacceptable by this new law.
7. Government will prepare the syllabus and finalize which kind of education to be taught in the schools. In that situation too, Muslims children will be deprived from their religious education. They cannot access to study and read their history.
8. This bill not only destroys Muslim's centuries-old, religious education system, but also forbids them from opening their schools or Madarsas and teaching there the syllabus prepared by them only.
In a conference held by Jamiat Ulema-I-Hind earlier this month, Mr. Kapil Sibal had said that government will not interfere in Madarsas education. It is possible that current government will not obstruct in these institutions, however, is there any guaranty that next government will not intrude in Madarsas education in the garb of this law?
As the bill has become a law now are only assurance and guidelines can take the place of law? Or can it be accepted in the court if it is challenged by anyone in the future?
Everyone knows that various governments have tried to take Madrasas in their control. This law facilitates such efforts and provides a way within the law to stop Muslims from running the Madarsas.
In future, when Hindutva sympathizers will come to power in center, as we have experienced in past, why will their government protect Madarsas which have been a big hurdle in their eyes from the beginning.
If UPA government is honest in its work, then why is it hesitating in bringing amendment in the law to eliminate Muslims' doubts? The current government can take any legal step to clear the air over rights of minority education which is granted under section of 29 and 30.
Muslim leaders should oppose this law and try to convince the government to make amendments in it to keep state or central government in future from encroaching upon Minority's right of education and opening their schools and Madarsas.
(The writer can be contacted at ahannan111@yahoo.in)
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Standardized Curriculum
A standardized curriculum with emphasis on English, science and mathematics is a must for all students right upto high school graduation. Religious instruction can be provided either in Sunday schools, or in after-hours classes in madrasas which have been approved to provide the standardized curriculum, or at home by parents or private tutors. The goal of primary and secondary school education is to prepare students for college admission or for the world of work or business. Parents can further enrich the education of their children as they wish.
Forget education, lets dance.
I wrote and wrote and wrote... on the need for Indian Muslims to take to Secular Education on a war footing. Maths., Physics., Chemistry., Biology (Botany+Zoology)... At their homes... in their hearts.. they can have a temple or a mosque.. its a personal domain... but i want them to take to Secular Scientific Education.
But its not working. Im feeling frustrated. Maximum number of muslim students must admit themselves (NGOs., Social Workers., must visit jhopad-pattis... and take the kids... and get them admitted into the Govt. School. Their parents lack the confidence to admit their wards).
I felt so frustrated.. that for a moment i felt.. forget education... let's dance SALSA to unwind... and relax.
Howzatt ? (for a change). Or do muslims still prefer to live in a tent.. beside a palm tree.. to which a goat is tied ???
RTE act really violates our
RTE act really violates our fundamental right to get education.what type of education we desire to impart our children is our own right.It should not be any govt.'s compulsion to learn so and so things.It should not be monopoly of the govt which is being tried to impose through this ACT.Govt can't say that education will be valid only if it is approved and controlled/regulated by it.Govt has totally failed to regulate IB/international board/curriculum run schools wich are mushrooming rapidly.Several litigations are pending regarding harassment of students/parents by such pvt, unaided schools in different high courts.Govt has totally failed to improve quality of education.Although govt records it's flagship program Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan upon which thousands of crores has been expended in last 8 years,which is also included in PM's 15 point programme for welfare of Minorities.Acording to which at least 15% of financial allocations are to be targeted for minorities.It means when Rs.13000 crore were expended on SSA last year it's 15% i.e.,1950 crore rupees should have been utlised for minorities under this scheme but very unfortunately in Maharastra when more than 1100 crore rupees were expended, 10-12 crore in a district hardly an amount of just 15 lakh rupees is utilised for minorities(Repor collected under RTI). In this way it will be useless to imagine fruitful outcomes of RTE.
in Metro cities as well as in rural areas thosands of schools didn't fulfill ifrastructure facilities.therfore madarsas need not to be bothered about this.According to Sachar report hardly 4% of school age students attend madarsas.last year PRAThAM an NGO has revealed that it is not 4 but hardly 2%.In this scenario parallel Proposed National level board of Muslims educational institutions similar to ICSE(which is controlled by Christians)should be the way out as per our constitutional rights to impart education as per our needs.
Apart from this, we must utilise the govt funds at optimum level to achieve our targets.and in that way RTE will be a boon to get grants for minority run unaided schools.THIS IS THE TIME TO SYNCHRONISE MODERN EDUCATION WITH RELIGIOUS VALUES TO PRODUCE IMANDAR NON CORRUPT LEADERS,JUDGES,SCIENTISTS,DOCTORS,ENGINEERS,SOCIAL WORKERS......WHO CAN LEAD THE WORLD!
I thought twocircles is
I thought twocircles is promoting betterment of muslim community. How can twocircles allow such articles by who ever this person Abdul Hannan is. Muslim need modern education. Iman is part and parcel of muslim life and muslims can get religious education from unlimited places. People like Abdul Hannan are worried about themselves and how they will make money as they have no skills in real life to make money. I will strongly discourage such articles by people who are only religously educated and no experience of real world. If not then I am sure your readership will decline.
right to education
Saw this website for the first time. It seems every second person is opening a website in Indian Muslim's name though the thoughts of ordinary Indian Muslims like us have hardly been taken into consideration. Anyways let it be but I would like to clarify that all these websites are personal point of view of the website owner and not the words of ordinary Indian Muslims. An educated Indian anyways never introduces himself as a Muslim or Hindu or Sikh easily as for us we all know that we are Indians thats it.
Regarding this right to education applied to madrassas I really hope that govt. wont do any such thing. I also dont want it to be implemented for Hindu or any other religious institutions. I want modern education to be implemented to every Indian and I want only modern scientific education to be promoted by the govt. The main reason is because if they want to thrive and succeed in this competitive world then they need modern education rather than religious education. Religious education should only be taught by their mom and dad and religion should always remain a private matter for every human and not be involved in public life of a person.
Madrasas and the Right to Education Act
The Right to Education Act provides an excellent opportunity for opening up of quality schools in Muslim areas which now often lack such facilities. Madrasas which can provide education as per Government approved syllabus may become government accredited schools. Those madrasas which cannot provide such education may become part-time schools, e.g. Sunday schools, to provide religious instruction to students who attend regular secular schools on weekdays. Madrasas which prepare students to become maulvis should admit only those applicants who have completed their high school education or, preferably, have a college degree.
right to edu
Well, Muslims better not complain in future about jobs and discrimination if they are not willing to study in a normal school.
What is wrong with muslims, that a plan to educate every child in the country is not acceptable to them?
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