With a section of the Muslim community expressing reservations about the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act for fear that it would eventually end the autonomy of madrasas, Minister of State for Human Resource Development D. Purandeswari has clarified that these institutions had been kept outside the purview of this law.
Speaking at the All-India Editors' Conference on Social and Infrastructure Issues, organised by the Press Information Bureau here on Tuesday, Ms. Purandeswari said the Right to Education (RTE) Act was not binding on madrasas and only those voluntarily opting to impart modern education under the Act, apart from religious education could do so. But the government would not make it mandatory.
Among other things, a section of clerics has expressed fear that all madrasas imparting full-time elementary education to children in the age group 6-14 could be “prosecuted” by the government for obstructing the right of children to attend recognised schooling. This issue was also raised at a recent meeting of the National Monitoring Committee on Minority Education of the Human Resource Development Ministry.
Ms. Purandeswari said the government was dovetailing the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan into the Right to Education.
Keywords: Right to Eduction, RTE Act, Purandareswari, Muslim community, Madrassa education
Right to compulsory education would be more meaningful if madrasas also acquired it .Anyhow one positive point is that the government has given a vountary option to madrasas instead of keeping them completely out of the purview.
It's really sad. Congress is becoming communal day by day by.
It is not favouritism, we're just trying to be secular and accommodate all religions in our country; Islam is no exception; I am a christian not a muslim by the way
unification in educational system is the need of the hour. when the question of primary education comes there is lot of ambiguity and confussion in the definitions:
> which classes belong to primary section?
> who is to teach at various levels- teachers basic qualifications? differs board to board, state to state, etc.
> no. of exams to be conducted per term and per unit?
> mark distribution of the subjects? internal/external examinations, etc.
> the education authority differing on languages being imparted- state to state?
unless the state and central goverment slowly phase out the burdens on the younger minds and cream of future INDIA the question of one INDIA would always be in doubt? the demands and issues of protecting culture(which is so weak)and projecting INDIA as a one solid nation is the need and cry of future and young INDIA.
It is really sad to see the favoritism which has been/is being shown to Muslims. It's time the Uniform civil code be passed which will bring the entire country on one platform.
Please Email the Editor