By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Hyderabad: The fromation of Telangana has not brought any good news for the Madrasa teachers as instead of increasing the salaries of the Madarsa teachers as promised; their salaries have been stopped from the month of June without any reason and information.
The Madarsas are the schools where Urdu and Arabic along with English, Maths and computers are taught to the Muslim children. A large strength among these Madarsas is the children who cannot afford to go to the English Medium schools and some are poor children as well.
Earlier before the bifurcation of the state, the Andhra Pradesh government under the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, paid the salaries of teachers of the Madarsa, though the salaries were very low. Every year the Madarsa used to get confirmation of the continuation of salaries to the Madarsa teachers. Even the mid-day meals were provided to some of the Madarsas.
File photo of charminar for representation purpose
Few months before the formation of Telangana state, the present Deputy Chief Minister had called for an informal meeting of all the heads of the Madarsas and had assured them the Madarsas would be encouraged, so and so facilities will be given and also the salaries of the teachers would be increased from Rs.5000/ to Rs.10000/ per month.
But after the formation of Telangana state, instead of increasing the salaries of the Madarsa teachers as promised, the salaries were stopped from the month of June without any reason and information. Even the Madarsas did not receive any information of confirmation or cancellation of salaries under Sarva Siksha Abhiyan.
Moreover, when the heads of the Madarsas complained about the non-receipt of salaries, the District Project Officer of SSA, Hyderabad district asked them to enroll the Madarsa students into the nearby government school. When the government school was approached by the head of the state, the head of the government school refused to enroll the Madarsa students.
Then again the head of Madarsa approached the Officer, SSA he handed over one circular and asked him to show that to the head of the government school. On seeing the circular, the head of the school expressed her ignorance of such circular and asked the person to come after few days, till then she meets the officer of the SSA.
This was the grievance of some of the heads of the Madarsas. According to the circular Rc.No.347/B5(B3-I)/RVM(SSA)/HYD/13 dated 28.01.2014 issued by the Office of the District Project Office, Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, Hyderabad District, which says, “The State Project Director, SSA Telangana State Hyderabad has issued instructions, guidelines with norms for extending support to the religious Madarsas. The Madarsas seeking support shall be treated as Special Training Centres and children must be first enrolled in the neighborhood schools whose Head Master must periodically supervise the STC. The enrolment of Madarsa children is a pre-condition for extending support to Madarsa from SSA as per the norms”.
Hyderabad based Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee (CLMC) has expressed its concern over what it termed as the “step motherly treatment” of Telangana government towards the Madarsas.
CLMC stated that instead of providing relief and benefits to the Muslim community as was promised before the formation of Telangana, the government of Telangana is behaving in a “fascist manner,” while for the namesake a post of Deputy Chief Minister has been given to a Muslim, who does not even have any power.
“Giving a post to a Muslim on one hand and withdrawing the meager benefits which already exist is a dual game and double standard of the KCR government with the Muslim community. The Telangana government is going back with its words of assurance of benefits to the Muslim community in the newly formed Telangana state,” CLMC Joint-Secretary Kaneez Fathima said in a statement.
“The instructions and guidelines that have been issued by the director, SSA is almost impossible both for the schools as well as Madarsas. If the Madarsas are treated as Special Training Centres, why should they enroll their students in the government schools?,” CLMC wondered.
CLMC has demanded from the Telangana Government to withdraw the circulars issued in this direction and to not only restore the salaries of the Madarsa teachers but also increase their salaries from Rs.5000/ to Rs. 10,000 per month and provide the arrears as well.