The question of religion studies at primary level
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Tayeb Husain
RECENTLY Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina announced that "the government will introduce religion studies at primary level through the new education policy and raise allowances for the Imams". She further went on to say that "The government will also chalk out plans and programmes for creating employment opportunities for all who are educated on the basis of Madrasa and other religious curricula".
No doubt she chose a very simple way to attract support of a particular group of people without clearly understanding the full implication of her commitment. Madrasa education itself is outdated, primitive, backward-looking and against all progressive thinking that helps a society to move forward for development. There should have been an end to such Madrasa education after the British had left the sub-continent. It has nothing to offer to a modern society. Many people consider it Islamic without understanding that Madrasa means school and it has nothing to do with Islam. If it is so good, why not close all our schools and turn them into Madrasas? There should be a limit of idiocy and we must take a clear stand now on the education of our future generation.
Ottoman legacy: Here I like to cite the example of Ottoman Sultans' Madrasa fascination from 1270 to 1920 when this Empire was one of the most dominant forces in the world. Every new country the Ottoman conquered, they established mosques and Madrasas were attached to such mosques. Instruction in Madrasa was mainly based on Arabic and Quranic teaching. Science and technology never got any importance in this Madrasa education system. It was not that they did not understand the importance of modern education, science and technology but they carefully and deliberately did it to keep their personal problem away. The Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II founded the Palace School (Enderun) in the Topkapi Palace (in 15th century) for instruction in military science and the liberal arts, "one of the most remarkable educational institutions of its time, indeed of any time"; but again, the students of this school were young war captives of Christian origin, known as Janissaries or the infantry units that formed the Ottoman Sultan's household troops and bodyguards. The force was created by Sultan Murad I from male Christian children levied through the devºirme system (a practice by which the Ottoman Empire conscripted boys from Christian families, trained and enrolled them in one of the four royal institutions: the Palace, the Scribes, the Religious and the Military) from the conquered Christian countries in the 14th century. This was abolished by Sultan Mahmud II in 1826 because they became too powerful and frightening for the Sultan. The war captives of Christian origin were chosen "because of their distinct capabilities", and they were trained for imperial and army positions. Muslim students had no access to it as such. The Sultans believed that it was easy way to rule the empire by keeping the Muslims away from modern science and technology or in simple language 'keep them ignorant'.
Many modern scholars strongly believe that this education policy of the Ottoman Empire deprived the Muslim world of their dominant position in the world that the Abbasids (750-1258) and the Moorish Empires (711-1492) established as distinctive world civilisations. Mustafa Kemal, the founder of the Turkish Republic, was the first Turkish leader to realise the dogmatic Madrasa education as an obstacle to progress and development and proclaimed that people had to be educated "to think freely and to have a free conscience." Thus, Kemal initiated the secularisation of the country through the abolition of the sultanate-caliphate, the Madrasas, and even the traditional attire and customs.
The Bangladesh scenario: The reverse happened in the Indian-subcontinent. The Indian Muslims took Madrasa education as the most useful tools for their uplift in social, intellectual and political life. Many, even today, think so and thus, these Madrasas are not diminishing but multiplying with time.
In Bangladesh, according to statistics available in Bangladesh Economic Review, from 2001-2005, Madrasa growth was 22.22% against 9.7% growth in general educational institutions and the number of Madrasa teachers rose by 16.52%, whereas it was 12.27% for teachers in schools and colleges. During this period, the number of students increased by 10.12% in Madrasas, whereas increase in enrolment in general educational institutions was 8.64%. There were over 9,000 government-registered Madrasas in Bangladesh in 2005, but nobody knows how many non-registered Madrasas are there across the country today. In another report it is said that there are about 15,000 listed Qawami Madrasas (in 2005) alone, leaving aside the home-grown thousands of 'Moulovi' Sahibs' - the honourable but mostly ignorant private religious tutors teaching minors religion at homes.
The scenario is frightening. How can a nation leave her young people to be taught such primitive subjects by those ignorant teachers who do not have any education themselves worth mentioning, to so say, the least? What a wastage of time and meagre resources of a poor nation, directing her young to such a worthless education! What will the nation do with millions of these ignorant young men and women when they come into the job market and enter practical life, with the ability to recite the Quran or explain the Tafsir, Hadith, or Mantic only?
The society needs to wake up and do something drastic to save the nation from utter ruin in ignorance and fanaticism. The first action, one can rightly say, would be to re-name our schools and colleges. But the most important action will be to frame a uniform curriculum for all our schools and Madrasas. Then, and the most difficult action will be to retire all the Madrasa teachers who are unqualified. They could be provided with other jobs if possible or given full pension with a solemn promise from them that they would never teach anybody anything. The Madrasas and their teachers have done great and incurable damage to us, and the Muslim society at large, and it is time that they and their role in any nation-building activity are stopped for good.
Religious education should be given along with general education, not at primary level as the Prime Minister has recently declared. That would damage the young mind for rational thinking. There should be no education on religion to children until high school.
It would make them closed-minded fanatics. Let them understand things a little bit first, before they learn about religion. We should not infuse young minds with any religious dogma until they understand a little bit of everything in life. The purpose of education is to create an open mind, develop sense of reason and religious education at early age in life closes that thinking and reasoning power.
Religion is important. Let children seek it at right time in their life and right way. Human development should come first, then let them understand religion. Otherwise, you create fanatics and the sole purpose of education is lost. Most importantly, no education should be based on religion as Madrasa education is. The Prime Minister should talk to people, secular enlightened people from all faiths and get proper advice in formulating our education policy. I strongly believe, religion should be a non-obligatory subject, and taught only in 7th and 8th class for those students who want to learn it for personal interest. Courses like Quran-i-Hafiz, Alim, Tafsir, Sharia, Hadith, Mantic, and Islamic history should be offered as subjects at universities only at B.A., M.A. and Ph. D. levels, something only for highly educated intellectual people.
Religion is an important matter. Whether we like it or not, people cannot live without a religion. But when religion is left to the ignorant, life could be hell on earth. The present situation in many Muslim countries proves this remark clearly. If we want to make Bangladesh free from hunger, a 'Sonar Bangla' and a 'digital country', this is not possible to materialise supporting Madrasas and the religious education at primary level. If this is done, we will be putting arsenic in raw minds.
There is no other substitute for a uniform, knowledge-based and quality conscious modern education to get rid of ignorance and fanaticism. Education brings light and light gives us food, shelter and healthcare, most of the basic ingredients of good living. We do not know if 'Sonar Bangla' means a country where people would be educated, wise, hunger-free and decent normal humans or a mystic country where religious magic will bring heavenly happiness and people live forever in peace and non-stop ecstasy, harmony and tranquillity.
The writer, based in Lund, Sweden, can be reached at
e-mail: gtmail@telia.com
RECENTLY Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina announced that "the government will introduce religion studies at primary level through the new education policy and raise allowances for the Imams". She further went on to say that "The government will also chalk out plans and programmes for creating employment opportunities for all who are educated on the basis of Madrasa and other religious curricula".
No doubt she chose a very simple way to attract support of a particular group of people without clearly understanding the full implication of her commitment. Madrasa education itself is outdated, primitive, backward-looking and against all progressive thinking that helps a society to move forward for development. There should have been an end to such Madrasa education after the British had left the sub-continent. It has nothing to offer to a modern society. Many people consider it Islamic without understanding that Madrasa means school and it has nothing to do with Islam. If it is so good, why not close all our schools and turn them into Madrasas? There should be a limit of idiocy and we must take a clear stand now on the education of our future generation.
Ottoman legacy: Here I like to cite the example of Ottoman Sultans' Madrasa fascination from 1270 to 1920 when this Empire was one of the most dominant forces in the world. Every new country the Ottoman conquered, they established mosques and Madrasas were attached to such mosques. Instruction in Madrasa was mainly based on Arabic and Quranic teaching. Science and technology never got any importance in this Madrasa education system. It was not that they did not understand the importance of modern education, science and technology but they carefully and deliberately did it to keep their personal problem away. The Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II founded the Palace School (Enderun) in the Topkapi Palace (in 15th century) for instruction in military science and the liberal arts, "one of the most remarkable educational institutions of its time, indeed of any time"; but again, the students of this school were young war captives of Christian origin, known as Janissaries or the infantry units that formed the Ottoman Sultan's household troops and bodyguards. The force was created by Sultan Murad I from male Christian children levied through the devºirme system (a practice by which the Ottoman Empire conscripted boys from Christian families, trained and enrolled them in one of the four royal institutions: the Palace, the Scribes, the Religious and the Military) from the conquered Christian countries in the 14th century. This was abolished by Sultan Mahmud II in 1826 because they became too powerful and frightening for the Sultan. The war captives of Christian origin were chosen "because of their distinct capabilities", and they were trained for imperial and army positions. Muslim students had no access to it as such. The Sultans believed that it was easy way to rule the empire by keeping the Muslims away from modern science and technology or in simple language 'keep them ignorant'.
Many modern scholars strongly believe that this education policy of the Ottoman Empire deprived the Muslim world of their dominant position in the world that the Abbasids (750-1258) and the Moorish Empires (711-1492) established as distinctive world civilisations. Mustafa Kemal, the founder of the Turkish Republic, was the first Turkish leader to realise the dogmatic Madrasa education as an obstacle to progress and development and proclaimed that people had to be educated "to think freely and to have a free conscience." Thus, Kemal initiated the secularisation of the country through the abolition of the sultanate-caliphate, the Madrasas, and even the traditional attire and customs.
The Bangladesh scenario: The reverse happened in the Indian-subcontinent. The Indian Muslims took Madrasa education as the most useful tools for their uplift in social, intellectual and political life. Many, even today, think so and thus, these Madrasas are not diminishing but multiplying with time.
In Bangladesh, according to statistics available in Bangladesh Economic Review, from 2001-2005, Madrasa growth was 22.22% against 9.7% growth in general educational institutions and the number of Madrasa teachers rose by 16.52%, whereas it was 12.27% for teachers in schools and colleges. During this period, the number of students increased by 10.12% in Madrasas, whereas increase in enrolment in general educational institutions was 8.64%. There were over 9,000 government-registered Madrasas in Bangladesh in 2005, but nobody knows how many non-registered Madrasas are there across the country today. In another report it is said that there are about 15,000 listed Qawami Madrasas (in 2005) alone, leaving aside the home-grown thousands of 'Moulovi' Sahibs' - the honourable but mostly ignorant private religious tutors teaching minors religion at homes.
The scenario is frightening. How can a nation leave her young people to be taught such primitive subjects by those ignorant teachers who do not have any education themselves worth mentioning, to so say, the least? What a wastage of time and meagre resources of a poor nation, directing her young to such a worthless education! What will the nation do with millions of these ignorant young men and women when they come into the job market and enter practical life, with the ability to recite the Quran or explain the Tafsir, Hadith, or Mantic only?
The society needs to wake up and do something drastic to save the nation from utter ruin in ignorance and fanaticism. The first action, one can rightly say, would be to re-name our schools and colleges. But the most important action will be to frame a uniform curriculum for all our schools and Madrasas. Then, and the most difficult action will be to retire all the Madrasa teachers who are unqualified. They could be provided with other jobs if possible or given full pension with a solemn promise from them that they would never teach anybody anything. The Madrasas and their teachers have done great and incurable damage to us, and the Muslim society at large, and it is time that they and their role in any nation-building activity are stopped for good.
Religious education should be given along with general education, not at primary level as the Prime Minister has recently declared. That would damage the young mind for rational thinking. There should be no education on religion to children until high school.
It would make them closed-minded fanatics. Let them understand things a little bit first, before they learn about religion. We should not infuse young minds with any religious dogma until they understand a little bit of everything in life. The purpose of education is to create an open mind, develop sense of reason and religious education at early age in life closes that thinking and reasoning power.
Religion is important. Let children seek it at right time in their life and right way. Human development should come first, then let them understand religion. Otherwise, you create fanatics and the sole purpose of education is lost. Most importantly, no education should be based on religion as Madrasa education is. The Prime Minister should talk to people, secular enlightened people from all faiths and get proper advice in formulating our education policy. I strongly believe, religion should be a non-obligatory subject, and taught only in 7th and 8th class for those students who want to learn it for personal interest. Courses like Quran-i-Hafiz, Alim, Tafsir, Sharia, Hadith, Mantic, and Islamic history should be offered as subjects at universities only at B.A., M.A. and Ph. D. levels, something only for highly educated intellectual people.
Religion is an important matter. Whether we like it or not, people cannot live without a religion. But when religion is left to the ignorant, life could be hell on earth. The present situation in many Muslim countries proves this remark clearly. If we want to make Bangladesh free from hunger, a 'Sonar Bangla' and a 'digital country', this is not possible to materialise supporting Madrasas and the religious education at primary level. If this is done, we will be putting arsenic in raw minds.
There is no other substitute for a uniform, knowledge-based and quality conscious modern education to get rid of ignorance and fanaticism. Education brings light and light gives us food, shelter and healthcare, most of the basic ingredients of good living. We do not know if 'Sonar Bangla' means a country where people would be educated, wise, hunger-free and decent normal humans or a mystic country where religious magic will bring heavenly happiness and people live forever in peace and non-stop ecstasy, harmony and tranquillity.
The writer, based in Lund, Sweden, can be reached at
e-mail: gtmail@telia.com