Maharashtra Government has derecognised madrasas or schools for Islamic instruction, which do not provide formal education. These schools will not be eligible for state funding until they start teaching subjects such as Science, Mathematics and Social Sciences.
“Madrasas are giving students education on religion and not giving them formal education. Our constitution says every child has the right to take formal education, which madrasas do not provide,” State Minorities Affairs Minister Eknath Khadse said .
A state-wide survey will be conducted by the Maharashtra government on July 4. The survey will include a head count of students in the state who are being taught in the informal education sector. These students will be marked as ‘out of school’. The sole aim of the exercise is inclusion of the students into the mainstream.
“If a Hindu or Christian child wants to study in a madrasa , they will not be allowed to study there. Thus, madrasa is not a school but a source of religious education. Thus, we have asked them to teach students other subjects as well. Otherwise these madrasas will be considered as non schools,” Khadse said.
The minister has said that out of a total 1,890 registered madrasa s across the state of Maharashtra, 550 have acceded to teach all the four subjects in their madrasas .
Earlier this month, state government of Maharashtra had asked the madrasas in the state to include those subjects in their curriculum to keep receiving government funds. There are about 1.5 lakh students who are enrolled in 1900 madrassas.