Schools in Muslim-majority areas in Jharkhand get Friday holidays

RANCHI: Students of 100 primary schools in Karmatand, Narayanpur and Jamtara blocks in Jamtara district of Jharkhand are being given holidays on Fridays instead of Sundays, citing the Muslim population in such schools. About 70% of the students in these schools belong to Muslim community. 

Recently, similar attempts were made in Garhwa to impose Sharia and Islamic practices on minor school children by changing the traditional school prayer pattern and forcing children to not join hands during the prayer, but after the intervention of district administration, it was restored after four months.

According to some of the teachers posted in those schools, despite making written complaints to Block Development Officer (BDO), District Education Officer (DEO) and Deputy Commissioner, no action was taken and hence they had to stick to the arrangement made by the locals.

“Despite being a High School, I was surprised to see that weekly holiday was observed here on Fridays instead of Sundays after I joined here as a teacher in 2019. I wrote to the District Education Officer, who told me to give holidays as per the rules, and then I started giving it on Sundays, which continued for a
few months,” said a school teacher posted at one of the Utkramit High School under
Karmatand Block. 

One morning, villagers came to the school and asked me why I changed the weekly holiday, to which he replied that it was done following the order of the DEO, he added.

“They went back without saying anything, but again, after a month on October 1, 2021, which was a Friday, I found the villagers have put a lock on the school gate. I informed my seniors immediately and briefed them about the incident, but all in vain. After none of my seniors turned up or took cognizance into the incident, I met the Block Development Officer, informed him about the incident, and then went to the Deputy Commissioner with written complaint who assured me to look into the matter,” said the aggrieved teacher. He went back to school next day and found that the lock was opened, he added.

The teacher further added that later the DEO called him back and asked him to manage the school as it was being done earlier. Then, took approval from the Gram Shiksha Samiti for the same and submitted it to the district office, he said.

The teacher informed that since then, Friday is being observed as weekly holiday on Friday instead of Sunday. Recently, when he got the school painted, one fine morning it was found that Urdu was added before the name of school as if it is an Urdu School, he said.

Another teacher posted at an Upgraded High School under Narayapur Block, said that since, more than 70 per cent children studying there belong to Muslim community; they say that the school should also be run accordingly.

“These schools are being closed under the garb of the notification which allows Urdu schools to remain closed on Friday, but even schools which are not notified as Urdu schools, are also being forced to observe holiday on Fridays,” the teacher said.

Shahjad Ansari from Nawadih village under Karmatand Block asserted that all the schools in the Muslim dominated villages in the region have been observing holidays on Friday instead of Sundays and their week starts on Saturday.

“I have been watching it at least for the last 15-20 years. Why it is being done, could be told by the education department only, as villagers never interfere in the matter of school management,” said Shahjad Ansari.

Jamtara Deputy Commissioner Faiz Aq Ahmed Mumtaz, however, said that he has sought a report from the DEO after the matter was brought into his notice.

“I have told the DEO to look into the matter and submit a report in this regard. It has to be seen, whether any violation of rule has been done or not,” said the Deputy Commissioner. Only after the investigation report, he would be able to say anything in this regard, he added.

Meanwhile, taking a swift action after the matter came into light, School Education and Literacy Minister Jagarnath Mahto has called a meeting with Jharkhand Education Project Council Director, District Education Minister and other block level officers on Sunday and sought a detailed report within a week in this regard.

According to the information received from the Education Department, there are 1,084 primary schools operating in the district, of which only 15 schools are registered in the name of Urdu schools.