Uncertainty over fate of 2 lakh madrasa students, 10K teachers in UP
There are 16,500 recognized, 560 aided and 8,500 unrecognized madrasas in UP, where over 2 lakh students are getting education. Where will these students go...to which schools would they be transferred, asks Iftikhar Ahmed Javed, chairman, UP Madrasa Education Board
LUCKNOW The future of madrasa education in Uttar Pradesh hangs in the balance as the state government has been asked to accommodate these students in the formal schooling system.
“There are 16,500 recognized, 560 aided and 8,500 unrecognized madrasas in UP, where over 2 lakh students are getting education. The budget of aided madrasas is ₹900 crore. Where will these students go...to which schools would they be transferred. If this order is implemented, I am also worried about the fate of 10,000 teachers and their families,” said Iftikhar Ahmed Javed, chairman, Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Board.
The legal team of madrasa education board was in a huddle after the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court declared the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education Act, 2004, “unconstitutional”.
“We are studying the judgement. Our legal team headed by advocate Afzal Siddiqui is vetting all the legal options to appeal in the Supreme Court. However, if relief is not given then a problem will arise before madrasa teachers, staff, students and their family members,” said Javed.
All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) member Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali said: “Madrasas feed students and impart education to the poorest of the poor in the society. There would be a problem if madrasas are closed...a lot of people would be left unemployed.”
He added, “We are studying every aspect of the judgement. Once it is done, we will challenge it in the Supreme Court.”
AIMPLB spokesperson Qasim Rasool Ilyas said: “It’s the duty of the UP Madrasa Education Board to appeal in the Supreme Court. Minorities of the country are entitled to propagate their religion and open educational institutions. Our legal team is vetting the decision and will act according to the legal opinion given by the team.”
Minister of state for minority affairs Danish Azad said, “We will speak only after understanding the judgement.”
“It’s unfortunate that the UP Board of Madarsa Education Act, 2004, has been declared unconstitutional by the high court. I appeal to the state government to enact a law to re-establish the Madrasa Board, so that jobs of thousands of madrasa employees and future of students can be saved,” said Shia cleric Maulana Yasoob Abbas.
