Guwahati: In a major development, all government-run Madrasas in Assam will be converted into general schools from April 1. The Law to this effect was passed by the state Assembly on December 30, 2020, while it got the Governor’s assent yesterday. “Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi has given his assent to The Assam Repealing Act 2020′ and with the enforcement of the said act, over 620 Madrasas would be converted into general schools from April 1.” an official of the Education Department said.
Meanwhile, the status of hundreds of privately-run Madrasas across Assam is not known as the Assam government has not taken any specific decision on it so far.
Here’s what we know so far:
1) Amid protests by the opposition parties, including the Congress and the All India United Democratic Front, the state Assembly had passed the Assam Repealing Bill 2020 on December 30 last year, seeking to abolish the Assam Madrasas Education (Provincialisation) Act, 1995 and the Assam Madrasas Education (Provincialisation of Services of Employees and Re-Organisation of Madrassa Educational Institutions) Act, 2018.
2) Education department officials said that with the enforcement of the act, the State Madrasas Education Board in Assam would also be disbanded.
3) The Education Minister had earlier said that the 97 government-run Sanskrit tols (centres of Vedic education) would also be shut as the government cannot fund religious education because it is a “secular entity”.
4) He had said that these 97 Sanskrit tols would be handed over to the Kumar Bhaskarvarma Sanskrit University. The tols will be converted into centres of learning and research where Indian culture, civilisation and nationalism will be studied.
“Irrespective of religion, Indian culture, civilisation and nationalism will be taught in these converted educational institutions, making Assam the first Indian state to teach on these themes,” Sarma told the media.
5) Sarma had said that the state government had been spending Rs 260 crore annually for running the Madrasas and “the government cannot spend public money for religious teaching”.
6) A survey conducted by a Gauhati University professor, who happens to be a Muslim, found that the parents and guardians of most Madrasas students are not aware that their children are not taught regular subjects but imparted lessons mostly in theology.
7) Sarma claimed that most Islamic scholars are also not in favour of Madrasas run by the government, and added that these were a legacy of the Muslim League.
8) The Education Minister had said that Madrasa education had started in Assam in 1934 when Sir Syed Muhammad Saadulla was the Prime Minister of Assam during the British regime.
(With agency inputs)