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Located about 110 km from Kolkata, the Orgram Chatuspalli High Madrasa in Burdwan district and Kasba MM High Madrasa in Uttar Dinajpur district are known for their academic excellence and secular credentials. While at Orgram, 64 per cent — 555 of the 883 students — are Hindus, at Kasba, 647 of 1,069 students, or 60 per cent, are Hindus.
“It is not that lack of school facilities has forced the Hindu students in the village to fall back on the madrasa,” says Md Younus Ali Baidya, a teacher at Orgram. The Orgram High School, which is Bengali-medium, up to Class XII and affiliated to the West Bengal State Board, is in fact just a stone’s throw away. “It is the secular ambience and excellent standard of teaching which draw students,” he says. Students leaving the madrasa have a degree equal to higher secondary status.
Even teachers at the madrasa come from both the communities. Of the 11 teachers at the Orgram madrasa, six teachers are Hindus and five Muslim.
Most of the students belong to families of agricultural labourers or daily wage earners. The guardians, who themselves lack formal education, have no hesitation in sending their wards to these institutes or having them study Arabic or Islamic Studies. These two subjects are compulsory in senior classes in madrasas and students have to appear for them in their Class X exam under the West Bengal Board of Madrasa Education.
Kanika Roy, studying in Class X, is one of the best students in Arabic at the Orgram Chatuspalli Madrasa. She can recite “suras” from the Quran and read Arabic as well as her Muslim friends. She also knows the biographies of Islamic saints and one of her favourites is Begum Rokeya, a Muslim social reformer from Bengal.
At the madrasa, students in lower classes get books free of cost while all girl students are given school uniforms in each session.
“What will the children do studying only religious scripts? Instead, we lay more emphasis on teaching science and mathematics,” says Headmaster Anwar Hussain.
The madrasa started in a thatched hut in 1975 on land donated by locals. It was affiliated to the West Bengal Board of Madrasa Education in 1980, and in 2005 was granted the status of a High madrasa.
“When I got a job in the madrasa, I was a little hesitant. But working here I realised how different this place is, a very secular institution,” says Suprabhat De, a senior teacher at the madrasa.
According to the Headmaster of Kasba MM High Madrasa, Md Gulam Mustafa, the institution since its inception in 1980 has drawn students from all segments. “Guardians from the locality prefer putting their wards in the madrasa becaue of its academic excellence. The students are also open to Arabic language and Islamic Studies,” he says.
Like at Orgram, in Dinajpur too, there is a government higher secondary school, Hemtabad, about a kilometre from the Kasba madrasa. However, parents prefer the madrasa. Out of the 11 teachers, three are Hindus.
“We have students who pull rickshaws to earn their livelihood. We keep in constant touch with the parents and guardians and hold regular meetings to help them with books so that they do not drop out,” says the headmaster.
West Bengal Minister for Minority Development and Madrasa Education Abduss Sattar says the two institutes only highlight the broadbased nature of all madrasas in the state. “As per the figures, about 15 per cent students and 12 per cent teachers in madrasas across the state are Hindus,” he says.
And it’s not just in their composition that Orgram and Kasba madrasas are like any other good school. The uniform is fixed, for both girls and boys, and they begin their day hailing the motherland in Bengali and singing the national anthem.
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If i allow my daughter,my sister to read Ramayana and when she read Aranya Kandam,chapter 46,pages 139
If these Madrasas are teaching that "Islam is the only one true religion", then it is dangerous and they are also planting bad seeds into the minds of poor Hindu students in order to lure them to Islam later. Madrasas should also invite non-muslim religious scholars to provide overview of Hinduism, Buddhism etc so that muslim students develop more respect and tolerance for religious diversity.
Shame on the West Bengal GOvt to fund and educate poor Children, they have been left to the Saudi sponsered masrasa to be educated into converts, w bengal will fast become the credal of new islamic movement in India. non of this silly commenters will send their children to this place as nothnig good has ever come out of there!!
PLEASE BE NOTED THESE MADRASAS ARE BASED ON STATE BOARD SYLABUS- NOT PURELY ISLAMIC THAUGHTS - MOREOVER ISLAM NO WHERE TAUGHT TEACH QURAN FORCEFULLY - IT IS YOU PEOPLE MISUNDERSTANDING AND IT IS LEFT TO INDIVIDUAL INTREST TO KNOW ABOUT ISLAM
There is nothing wrong in learning about Islam. But then, if this is called secular, then the so called secularist should not object if some schools teach Hindu scriptures or make their students sing Vande Mataram. Tolerance should be both ways. It is very unlikely that many people will change religion due to such teachings, as there are many other social and religious bonds which affect this. Learnign about other religion willl help more understanding. But the tolerance cannot be one way due to any vote bank politics.
Dude!! wat ru talking bout al throught our life in schools and college we have been taught hindu scriptures sanskrit included.Ramayan and mahabharat in our brain like anything.I even knoe the son of bheem and his mother..and trust me i am not a bit bitter bout it and yup u rite religion help in better understanding!!
Pls understand that Madrass is cradle of knowledge. But unfortunately, political culprits and fascist have been trying to change its valuable meaning for their personal/political mileage. Furthermore, some medias also blankly supported them. In MADRASSA, Muslims are studying about Islam, its fundamental, method of prayers and other regional activities general knowledge. There is no single evidence that Madrassa is either shelter for extremist or teaching extremism. So, PLS try to change your attitude and think the right. The meaning of Islam is peace, harmony, serenity...
i only wonder ...if madarsas are secular......than what madarsa means??
Dear Vicky, madrassa is Arabic word for 'School'. Thousands of Vickys, Roberts and Subramaniyans living in Islamic Arabian Gulf countries are regularly pronouncing this word 'Madrassa' in addition to 'Assalamu Alaikum' which is also Arabic word meaning 'peace be upon you', even as they earn huge amounts of Islamic currencies in hurry.
Ayub you are absoluteky CORRECT! I could see many Hindus in Gulf who are earning hefty packages and even though these nerds when they go back to India they malign the name of Muslim countries how cheap these Indian Hindus behave, Jis thali ka khate hai, usi mein chedh karte hai,also met some Hindus who fool here by keeping fake beards, please learn to live amicably and truthfully.
if they earn money its not free. they are working hard 13-14 hrs a day for the Arabs. Why do they take if the so called Arabs are educated?? Your comment means arabs r giving free cuurencies to the guys. If Hindu goes to Islam for studies and learn Quran and arabic then thats projected as SECULAR and Isam loves peace etc.. If an Islam goes to learn Hindu scripture and sing national Anthem then its against islam and there is no word secular comes up. its all biased.. If you go to them You are very good. if anyone comes out of them then you are islam's enemey!! HIndu can do anything as no one forces anything on a hindu. HInduism preaches VASUDHAIVA KUDUMBAKAM - One world family.. braces everyone.. In the world only a HINDU CAN BE SECULAR and NO ONE ELSE.. we dont preach a single profets teachings..so we are free.. free to think.. Be a Hindu.. coz hinduism is not a relegion..nothing is forced..
MrWell wisher , this is for your kind information , in most of the madarsas scripts from other major releigon is also being taught, including geeta and bible. the misconceptio regarding Masdrsas is due to igonrance lack of information , and ofcourse there are certain people who dont like the word moslem and islam, so this is good way of propogating hate. before you write some thing check your facts.
Secularity (adjective form secular) is the state of being separate from religion. So if studying Islam is mandatory than how can Madrasa be secular? Congress, CPI-M, Lalu will cry wolf if studying Hinduism was made mandatory, but here will look the other way to apease their muslim vote bank. Madrasas are taking advantage of poor people, and are spreading religion under pretext of education.
Muslim minority has been for the past 61 years waiting to accept the Biriyani offered by Congress for giving their votes to it.Hindu extremists have been frequently bringing the issue of Congress's appeasing of Muslims.Congress just pretends to be helping Muslims and secular with the only one aim of receiving their votes.Congress may declare many favours to Muslims, but the fact is that Congress has not extended any assistance to Muslims so far.If Congress has so appeased Muslims why then Muslims are more backward than even Harijans in all fields, including economic and education, and why the representation of Muslims is less than that of Harijan in government jobs,etc?. Congress just gives promises to Muslims only for receiving their votes. Congress and BJP are two sides of the same coin as far as their mentality towards Muslims is concerned.
Muslims Backward trend is spreading all over world just see middle east without oil will have the same backward muslim world.Solution is that you have to read books other than Quran.
if hindu pupil can study quran, then why not muslim pupil can study geeta and also sing vande mataram and national anthem? the muslim fundamentalists must realise that the country is above everything and they must abide by the rules and regulations laid down by the court and constitution in india. of course, this is not possible everybody knows because we find vote bank politics is above everything particularly in west bengal and the political parties are pampering terrorism in india because west bengal is a safe haven for the terrorists. please wake up everybody.
force convertion and fear of CPI / M and these muslims .this shows that hindus are always suffering at the hands of politicians a islamic fundamentalists. i certainly dont think hindus have joined to learn what is jihad, what is kafir- non karir, gair etc, or hindus are interested in after death life with many virgins.hindus have always thought of peace, salvation.
Why are these news not in international news papers. These administrators should be nominated for some awards of national and international importance. Thanks you Indian express to bring this in light and I appeal you to bring it to larger audience. I beg President Kalam to pay a visit to these schools and inspire more to do the same as well as increase the harmony in other religious schools may be hindu, sikh or catholic missionary where ever there is lack there of.
Will Govt take action against those unpatriotic clerics issuing Fatwa against Vande Mataram, National Anthem - is Congress Listening?? In any other country these clerics would be prosecuted for insulting and disrespecting Nation. Look at these anti-social scoundrels pampered by congress, DMK, RJD and so called secular parties.They have issued a fatwa against Vande MataramThey have asked Muslim parents not to send their children to schools where they are required to recite Vande Mataram. The clerics are of the view that the Song goes against the teachings of Islam. Muslims feel that the words Vande Mataram are against the teachings of Islam where Allah is supreme and no one else, not even the Motherland and they can carryout all atrocities, terrorism, drug dealings, flesh trade, cannibalism etc
The bad thing about this news is that non-muslim children are being forced to learn quran.The good news is that they hail the motherland and sing the national anthem. Thats a good thing. National anthem should be sung by everybody -whatever be their religion.