Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Madrasah Reforms and the Role the of NGOs

So far we have come to know that the pace ofmadrasah reforms is slow, mainly, because of the distrust prevailing between government andmadrasahs . Since reform is inevitable for competing with other institutions, the role of Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and that of the people from within theulema may play an important role in creating a sense of awareness for reforms among the teachers, students and administration ofmadrasahs and in the society as well. Presently, several NGOs are working in this sector.

International Centre for Religion and Diplomacy (ICRD)

The International Centre for Religion and Diplomacy (ICRD), a prominent NGO, is endeavouring to address conflict across the world that exceeds the reach of traditional diplomacy by incorporating religion as a part of solution. More often than not, these are identity-based conflicts that take the form of ethnic disputes, tribal warfare or religious hostilities”, said Azhar Hussain ICRD vice president in an interview with TheNation . He said that in Pakistan the ICRD was working on a project aimed at helping teachers of religious schools by conducting teachers training workshops which would, in turn, ensure better education and improved moral guidance.[263]

The ICRD is working in collaboration with religious and civic organizations in Pakistan to encourage the expansion ofmadrasah curriculum, to include the scientific and social disciplines with special emphasis on religious tolerance and human rights. Under this program the religious institutions(madrasahs ) are encouraged to adopt pedagogical techniques that can promote critical thinking among students, teach conflict resolution and dialogue facilitation skills, and equip newly trained teachers with the skills to train other leaders ofmadrasahs in this area.[264]

By providingmadrasah leadership with the opportunity to discuss and reflect on Islamic principles with the leaders of other sects, the ICRD is fostering peaceful coexistence among these diverse groups. It is also encouraging greater adherence to the principles of tolerance and human rights in Islam, upheld in past Islamic civilization.[265]

In order to achieve the objective of changing the culture of intolerance ICRD has conducted training workshops formadrasah leaderships from five religious schools of thought, Deobandi, Ahl-e-Hadis, Shia, Barelvi and Jamat-e-Islami that sponsor these religious schools. In addition, workshops are being conducted in separate tracks for administrations and senior faculty from Deobandimadrasahs in Baluchistan near the Afghan and Iranian border andAhl-e-Hadith madrasahs throughout the country at the special requests of selectedmadrasah leaders. The ICRD has also begun conducting “training of trainers” workshop to produce trainers who can train othermadrasahs leaders on their own.[266]

About the impact the ICRD has created so far its vice president said the centre work has been greeted with enthusiasm by themadrasahs leaders. He said that their role is one of helping themadrasahs to help themselves. Toward this end it has been essential that themadrasahs view this as their own effort and not as something imposed from outside. Exposure to the pioneering breakthrough in the arts and sciences that took place under Islam a thousand years ago, including those relating to religious tolerance, is providing added incentives formadrasahs to expand their horizons by reshaping their curriculum, the ICRD head observed.

The ICRD also plans to help religious schools develop model curricula for their students. Giving an outline of this program, the ICRD head said that it would offer several alternative curricula that could serve as models for future consideration ofmadrasah leaders through engaging them in determining best practices in Islamic education, convening curriculum enhancement conferences for systematic enhancement ofmadrasah curriculum, and creating an inter-sectarian curriculum development committee to develop the models. The exchange of faculty visits between Pakistanimadrasahs and American Islamic religious and culture centres is also a part of programme.[267]

National Research and Development Foundation (NRDF)

The National Research and Development Foundation (NRDF), a Peshawar based NGO, is working to modernize the curricula ofmadaris with the collaboration of theulema. The NRDF facilitates the task of arranging workshops to prepare a draft reformatory package for the religious institutions with the objectives of analyzing the present educational system ofdin-i-madaris , prepare a draft reformatory package fordin-i-madaris in the light of all these discussions so that they can play their roles in maintaining peace and harmony in the society, devise strategies for enforcing this reformatory package in these religious institutions and arrange conferences forulema in which they preach the real teachings of Islam. The NRDF plays the role of host facilitator in all these workshops.[268]

Workshops were held in the NWFP(=Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Islamabad at the same time in which prominent scholars andulema participated from the surrounding areas in large number. The participants includedulema, muhtamimin (administrators) from prominent religious institutions, teachers, scholars, intellectuals, serving university professors, and political leaders. After thorough deliberation the participants of the workshops strongly recommended changes in the curriculum ofdin-i-madaris in the light of the point of views of theulema of the country to modernize and upgrade it to the present times. The participants agreed that the following changes in the curriculum ofdin-i-madaris should be made to bring them in conformity with the present age.[269]             

The curricula ofdin-i-madaris “Dars-i-Nizami ” were according to the standards of that age. But now the needs and requirements of the time have changed. At that time the Muslims were under the imperialist control of the British. The main goal at that time for Muslims was to save Islamic values and teaching. But today Islam needs to be presented in its true form as a religion of peace and harmony.

It was possible to live in isolation from the world in the past but today no country or society should survive completely cut off from the world. Therefore, it is appropriate to upgrade the curricula, keeping in mind modern needs and requirements.

The modern day unsolved issues are permanent threats to the status of Islam as a religion of peace and harmony. It has created confusion and disappointment in Muslim society. Therefore, this perception should be changed through reforming the system ofdin-i-madaris .

There are a number of economical, social and cultural issues that cannot be solved with the outdated curriculum in vogue in religious institutions. Therefore, efforts should be made to introduce modern subjects in the curricula of these institutions.

Some important subjects like knowledge of world and Islamic history, social and economical issues, comparative religions, and international law must be included in the curriculum ofdin-i-madaris .

English should be introduced in the curricula and Arabic must be modernized, so that students can speak and write both languages effectively.

Books relating to thefiqh of all schools of thought should be taught so that students can understand inter-sectarian differences.

Subjects like mathematics, sciences, and computer science should be introduced indin-i-madaris .

The libraries ofdin-i-madaris should be upgraded with the latest books in all disciplines.

Modern and upgradedtafseers should be included in the syllabus ofmadrasahs. The workshops recommended training for the administrators ofdin-i-madaris on modern lines so that they may be able to run their institutions effectively. Similarly, teacher’s training and refresher courses on teaching methodology were also recommended.[270]

The participants of workshops agreed that the present examination system in vogue indin-i-madaris was highly defective. Therefore, it should be completely revamped. A uniform examination system was recommended for all themadaris . It was suggested that the examinations should be transparent and the schedule of academic year and examinations should be strictly adhered to.[271]

The NDRF coordinator made it clear that all these efforts need the cooperation of religiousmadaris and, therefore, appealed for their active support in this mission.

The Euro-Consultant Pakistan (ECPAK)

The Euro-Consultant Pakistan, one of the prominent NGOs sponsored by European Commission Pakistan, works on projects that link poverty alleviation with education. The focus of its activities is the rural areas of Pakistan. ECPak is endeavouring to reduce religious extremism through reforming themadrasah  system in Pakistan.[272]

       The organization intends to facilitate the launching of cost effective process suited to the local condition in central districts of N.W.F.P(=Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) with the support of local community and the stakeholders with the following objectives.

To set up a mechanism whereby local communities are able to take part in establishing new community-based schools through private-public partnership in their respective areas in a sustainable manner.

To enhance the capacity of local communities, education departments, and local environmental representatives for management of the primary education programs at the local level.

To develop public-private partnership for exchange of knowledge, training of teachers, and assessment of procedures.

To develop the capacity of communities for monitoring and evaluation, particularly for participatory evaluation.

To bring students and teachers ofmadaris into the framework of educational development programs and to build their capacity for enabling them to interact with the outside world and reflect on local issues according to the modern interpretation of the teaching of theQur’an, based on the advanced knowledge and research available to them.

To evolve a locally acceptable and self-sustaining model for the promotion of primary education which could also be reliable in other parts of the province after conducting in-depth investigation of education as a whole covering all problems and opportunities, weakness and strength, scope and potential for improvement and expansion, and the capacity of the education sector to accommodate the future needs of the community in the target areas.

To enable local communities to set up 60 community-based schools in the central districts of the N.W.F.P(=Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) while ensuring there efficient management and sustainability.

Improve in-service teacher training.

To utilize the services of theulema for mobilization of the communities and fund raising.

To support private schools and local communities to take over dysfunctional and non-functional schools.

To encourage and upgrade the rate of enrolment in primary education through advocacy and awareness rising.

To organize workshops and meetings withulema frommadaris to discuss improvement and widening of the curriculum. This could be accepted and developed byulema themselves.

To develop a profile of existing government and private schools andmadaris to set up benchmarks for future planning and assess change and impact.

The ECPak is conducting research studies on the basis of which reforms will be introduced in religious institutions to bring them into the mainstream and include modern subjects in their curricula.[273]

According to the final report of the ECPak, progress towards the achievement of these objectives is encouraging because of active public support. The report reveals that 25madaris have introduced modern subjects in their syllabus. One hundred teachers ofdin-i-madaris have attended five training sessions under this program. One hundred and sixtyulema have gone through training related to educational development, resources mobilization, monitoring, etc. Support of religious political leaders has been ensured for all these activities. A group ofulema has been facilitated to make recommendations for reforms in the syllabus ofdin-i-madaris. The existing libraries ofdin-i-madaris have been provided with new books. The response of stakeholders to all these efforts is encouraging, according to the final report.[274]

Several other NGOs engaged in promoting literacy and basic education in Pakistan are working to bring different streams of education closer. These efforts need more attention of government and wide public support in the larger interest of the country.

The foregoing discussion reveals that like all other initiatives of reformingmadrasahs in the past, the reform agenda of the Musharraf regime also failed to achieve its objectives, more or less for the same reasons. However, at the same time non-governmental organisations made some progress, though very limited, in this sector with the collaboration ofmadrasahs leadership. How theulema responded to the government sponsored initiatives and what factors are responsible for such response? In next chapter I will discuss this in detail.

However, it is to be realized that reforms introduced without the collaboration of religious leaders never succeed. In addition, the government should reform its own institutions first and open itself to public scrutiny before setting about to reformmadrasahs.

5- Response of Madrasahs and Prospects of Reforms:

Rebellion Against State Power

While it is widely understood that the agenda ofmadrasah reforms since 2000 has miserably failed to realize its objectives, we have so far focused only on the government’s own shortcomings and drawbacks in this regard. The previous chapter while discussing all the state sponsored initiatives also analyzed the lack of coordination among different ministries and bureaucratic hurdles besides malafide intentions of some responsible officials behind the failure of all these efforts.

This chapter will mainly discuss the response ofmadrasahs to state sponsored reforms agenda as a party in this connection. How didmadrasahs respond to the reform agenda? How did they argue their case? How far are they responsible for the failure of reforms initiative since 2000? In this chapter I will address these questions.

Before going on to discuss the response of theulema to state sponsored reforms, one should know the excessive US interest in educational systems, especially, religious educational institutions in the Muslim world.

US Policy and Religious Education in the Muslim World

The US repeatedly blames the religious educational institutions for breeding violence and increasing militancy in the society. If it is true, it is not the product of an Islamic approach to education but of the militaristic policies of General Zia-ul-Haq and his supporters. For nearly a decade, the US government among others, poured hundreds of millions dollars of weapons into Pakistan. Much of it throughmadaris and usedmadaris’ students to fight a proxy war in Afghanistan.

According to theWashington Post , the US government even supplied texts tomadaris glorifying and sanctioning war in the name of Islam.[275]

After the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, the US took no further interest in the region for almost a decade. During this period other foreign and domestic actors jumped into the field and fully exploited the situation for their own interests.[276]

Thus, degeneration was accelerated by the activities of cultmullas, evangelical US policies and continued occupation of Afghanistan by foreign forces as well as hostile propaganda dominated Western media, andmadrasah education lost its hereditary image. The government also failed to harness, defuse and redirect the rising militancy inmadrasahs after the Afghan war.[277]

The events of 9/11 almost revolutionized the mind set, not only of the ruling evangelical hawks of the United States but also of the religious extremists all over the Muslim World.[278]

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Islamic schools known asmadrasahs have been of increasing interest to analysts and officials involved in formulating US foreign policy towards the Middle East, Central and Southeast Asia.Madrasahs drew added attention when it became known that severalTaliban leaders andAl-Qaida members had developed radical political views atmadrasahs in Pakistan, some of which allegedly were built and partially financed through Saudi Arabian sources. These revelations have led to accusations thatmadrasahs promote Islamic extremism and militancy and are recruiting grounds for terrorism. In this context the Pakistan educational infrastructure of which the religious educational institutions are an important part has been of great concern to the United States.[279]

 In September 2002, USAID committed 100 million dollars over five years for general education reforms. The Research Triangle Institute (RTI) a US based non-profit corporation received a USAID contract for 60 million dollars of this aid to implement a USAID education sector reform assistance (ESRA) project in Pakistan.[280]

The United States has also committed additional resources through the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) which received 29 million dollars in the financial year 2003. One of the MEPI goals is to encourage improvement in secular education throughout the Arab world, and MEPI’s draft strategies have registered concern over the rising enrolment in Islamic schools (madrasahs ).[281]

The Bush administration requested 145 million dollars for MEPI for the financial year 2004. The House Committee on Appropriations recommended 45 million dollars for MEPI and “Islamic Outreach” programs in the financial year 2004. The committee cited the importance of educational training and exchanges but stated that these funds must be apportioned more equitably between Arab Muslims and Non-Arab Muslim nations. The Senate reports on foreign operations and appropriation support the administration's full budget requests for MEPI.[282]

The congressional hearing on terrorism two years after 9/11, Senate Judiciary Committee on Technology and Government Information, September 10, 2003 and the hearing on terror financing, the Senate Government Affairs Committee, July 31, 2003, have examined the possible relationship betweenmadrasahs and terrorists’ financing. During the year 2004 the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations criticized the educational system of Saudi Arabia calling the country the center of Wahabism, the ultra-purist,jihadist form of Islam. A Saudi-based charityAl-Haramyn which was operating educational institutions in Indonesia has been named by the US government as a conduit of terrorism.[283]

Anis Ahmad of Institute of Policy Studies writes that 26 of 28 recommendations of the American senate committee constituted to investigate the events of 11 September 2001 were related to education and media through which the committee had stressed that the Muslim mind should be changed. Anis Ahmad quotes three papers published by the American think-tank and theWashington Quarterly . These papers have been written by Charly Bernard Edward, P. Dejerjian and Stephen Philip Cohen. In these papers Americans have been advised to keep close contacts with the Pakistani Army rulers and through them education and educational institutions must be targeted for favorable reforms. In these papers Muslims were divided in four groups, traditionalists, fundamentalists, modernists and seculars. Among them seculars were chosen as favorites to be promoted and helped. Modernists may be required to write down books for the educational institutions in which a moderate soft image of Islam was to be presented.[284]

Even high-profile American officials made direct comment onmadrasahs. The US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, said that Pakistan was expected to introduce a new educational system as inmadrasahs anti-American sentiments were imparted and these have to be changed. Even if American financial aid is needed that would come.[285] The Defense Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, while talking aboutmadrasahs said that these institutions train people to be suicide killers and extremists, violent extremists.[286] All such US policies and accusations played crucial roles in shaping the stand ofmadrasahs regarding reforms.