Welcome To The Presentation

On
REFORM IN ALIYA MADRASAH EDUCATION IN
BANGLADESH: A CASE STUDY

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 Supervisory Committee
Main Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Sidek Baba
Co-Supervisor: Associate Prof. Dr. Mohammed Johdi Salleh
Associate Prof. Dr. Suhailah Hussien
Asst. Prof. Dr. Yousef Rahat House

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 Introduction

• Word ‘Madrasah’ is derived from the Arabic word ‘Darasa’ which

means lessons.
• Madrasah is a place of learning or a place to give lessons
(Nakosteen, 1964)
• In classical Islam madrasah was the institution of higher learning
giving special emphasis on Islamic studies and particularly Islamic
law (Makdisi, 1981)
• In modern times the term also includes elementary Islamic schools,
secondary Islamic schools, Islamic colleges and Islamic University
colleges providing a combination of Islamic education and modern
educaiton
• While Aliya madrasahs in Bangladesh represent mainstream
madrasah education, Qawmi or National madrasahs continue to
teach traditional Islamic education for centuries

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 Background of Study
• Islamophobia in the post September 11, 2001 Western World has made
madrasah education highly controversial
• Majority of the madrasahs are not anti-modern and don’t preach Islamic
fundamentalism
• Madrasah students are expected to become better Muslims, more devoted,
pious, scholarly and committed to the cause of Islam and Muslim, along
with leadership roles in their communities
• A key factor behind the rise of madrasahs is that most madrasahs provide
free education and boarding
• Rising cost, shortage of public schools and lack of access due to large
distance in rural areas, sending children to madrasahs is an easy option for
the poor parents
• Global trend of exploring new ways to minimize dualism between secular
and madrasah education
• Madrasah education reforms is a major challenge for the Muslim world in
the twenty first century
• There is an urgent need for reforms in madrasah education all over the
Muslim world
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 Masjid, Maktab and Madrasah

• Masjid or mosque was the first seat of learning in Islam

• Mosques accommodated the Quranik schools or Maktabs
• Maktabs provided free education to children
• Maktabs> Masjid college> Halakas> Jami> Madrasah
• Madrasah, a college of higher learning in Islam
• Madrasahs existed throughout the Muslim world since the eleventh
century
• Colonial powers of Europe conquered Muslim countries in early
eighteenth century and destroyed the madrasah education system
gradually
• During colonial rule secular education was introduced in the Muslim
countries which created dualism in the educational system

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 Madrasah education in Bangladesh
Historical Perspective:
• Muslim conquered Bengal at beginning of the 13th century
• Muslim conquest gave native people a new life-caste system abolished and
untouchables were raised to the position of dignity
• Maktabs and madrasahs produced civil servants, intellectuals, physicians,
technicians, scholars, judges and professional men
• Madrasahs were patronized by the Amirs, Sultans, Nawabs, Sufis and the
Ulama to educate people throughout Bengal
• The Darul-Ulums of Lakhnawti, Pandua, Murshidabad, Satgram, Dhaka,
Sonargaon and Bagha used to attract student from different part of the
Indian sub-continent
• Thousands of Maktabs and Madrasahs developed throughout India from
1100 AD to 1757 (about 700 years) during the Muslim rule
• British captured power in Bengal in 1757 and conquered the whole of India
in 1857
• British attitude towards Muslim education was very hostile

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Cont..
• Maktabs and Madrasahs were neglected and deprived of state patronage
• Treaty of 1765- Court language continued to be Persian and fiscal and
judicial administration was carried out on the basis of Muslim Law
• Need for educational institutions which would promote the study of
Arabian and Persian language and literature and produce civil servants for
courts and administration
• Calcutta Aliya Madrasah was established by the British Governor General
Hastings in 1780
• First Principal of the Madrasah appointed was a British (1855)
• The first Muslim Principal of the Madrasah was appointed in 1927
• Abolition of Persian as court language in 1835 seriously restricted Islamic
education
• Secular schools, colleges and universities attracted Muslims for
government jobs
• English based secular education aimed at producing an elite class who
would be Indians in blood and color but English in test, in opinions , in
morals and in intellect (Maccaulay, 1835)

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 Educational Institutions by Category-2011
Table-1
General Education Technical Education Madrasah English Medium
Education Education
Primary Education SSC Vocational Ibtidaia Kindergarten

Secondary Education HSC Vocational Dakhil O-Level/Cambridge

Baccalaurate

Higher Secondary Diploma in Engineering Alim A-Level

Education

Graduate Diploma. In Technical Education Fazil

Post-graduate BSc.A in Engineering Kamil

BSc. in Engineering

Master’s in Engineering

Source: Barkat, 2011

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 Table- 2
Categories of Madrasahs: 2011

Type Number Students Total Students in Madrasah

Ibtidaia 11425 1962439

Dakhil 6669 1246436

Alim 1401 402431 4160316

Fazil 1056 418213

Kamil 204 130797

Source: Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics

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 Table: 3
Aliyah madrasa by grade, equivalence, duration, type of study and core subjects

Mainstream Duration
Grade Type of study Core subject Optional subjects
equivalent (years)
Ebtidai Primary 5 General and Qur'an, Bangla, English, grammar, Urdu and Persian
religious mathematics, history, geography,
science, jurisprudence, sports,
handicrafts

Dakhil Secondary 5 General, Qur'an, Arabic, Bangla, English, Urdu, Persian, Hadith
science, jurisprudence, mathematics,
Mujabbid,
Hifzul Qur'an geography, Islamic history,
science
Alim Higher 2 General, Religious: Qur'an, Hadith, Bangla Either English, Urdu or Persian
secondary science, jurisprudence. Science: Arabic,
Mujabbid mathematics, science. Humanities:
Arabic, Islamic history, economics

Fazil Bachelors 2 General, science Tafsir, Hadith, Arabic, Bangla. Either English, Urdu or Persian
General: Jurisprudence, Islamic
history, Aqaid and Balagat.
Science: English, physics,
chemistry, mathematics, biology

Kamil Masters 2 Theology Hadith, Tafsir, Fiqh, Adab (i.e.

traditions,
interpretation, jurisprudence, etiquette)
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 Table- 4
Comparison between Aliya and Qawmi Madrasah Education

Aliya Madrasah Qawmi Madrasah

Relatively less conservative. Highly conservative

There is scope for general education along with religious education
Less scope for general education

Modern subjects are taught Very few modern subjects taught

Approved by the government
No government approval

Syllabus well designed and uniform No uniform syllabus

Girls and boys are taught in the same class room
Girls and boys attend in separate class rooms

Students have access to newspapers and other media Students have no access to media; they seldom read any newspaper

Do not observe all the religious ceremonies ritually Students observe all religious ceremonies meticulously

Have a liberal attitude towards education of girls Very conservative about the education of girls

Education regulated by the government No government control as such

Graduates fit for any job
Graduates fit for limited types of jobs
Education closely almost similar to the general education
Some subjects are hundreds of years old and hardly relate to the general

education
Generally supported by people from liberal background Supported by people from conservative background

Can enter the general higher education (medical, engineering, etc.) No chance to enter the general higher education after graduation
after graduation
Co-education is not restricted
Co-education is highly discouraged
Syllabus revised at intervals and English is a part of the syllabus. 11
Syllabus not revised at intervals and English is not a part of the syllabus
after primary level.
Problems of Aliya Madrasah Education

Source: Barkat, 2011

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13
Adapted from: Faruq Al-Razi and Naqib Al-Attas 14
Education Policy Reforms Framework

Adapted from: Barkat, 2011

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 Theoretical Framework:

Source: Yin Cheong Cheung and Wing Ming, 1995 16

 Mixed perception about Madrasah education
For Against

• Daily Naya Diganta 4/12/2014 • Daily Independent, 9/7/2015

• Daily Naya Diganta 4/4/2015 • Daily Independent, 3/4/2015
• Daily Naya Diganta 30/4/2013 • Daily Independent, 24/10/2015
• Daily Naya Diganta 10/4/2015 • Daily Star, 2/4/2015
• Report of Bangladesh Enterprise • Daily Star, 17/6/2013
Institute 2011 • Daily Star, 15/4/2015
• Former High-Commissioner of India in • Rezawana Chawdhury (Singer) March
Bangladesh, March 2011 2015
• Dr. Emaj Uddin, former Vice- • Dr. Mannan, former Vice-Chancellor,
Chancellor, Dhaka University, Chittagong University, December 2015
30/12/2014 • Bangladesh Women’s Advancement
Association Report, 1997

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 Statement of the Problem

• Constitution of Bangladesh (1972) provides for a secular, uniform, mass-

oriented and universal education system
• Education in Bangladesh suffers from dualism inequity, poor quality and
lack of uniformity
• As many as ten Education Commission recommended for main streaming
madrasah education but no effective reform has taken and place
• Reforms in Qawmi madrasah system is resisted by powerful groups of
Ulama
• Reforms in Alyia Madrasah are partial
• Dualism in education has created a rift in the society
• Alyia madrasah education is deprived of political commitment of the
government
• Products of Alyia madrasah education are not fit for job market
• Alyia madrasah education remains substandard and neglected
• Curriculum of Alyia madrasah is outdated and needs urgent reforms

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Cont..

• Government provides 100% salary for madrasah teachers but most of them
are not adequately qualified
• Most of the teachers are not trained
• Products of madrasah education face discrimination
• Madrasah students cant compete with the counterparts of secular education
in the job market and in admission for higher education
• Some madrasah students and teachers suffer from fanaticism and are easily
motivated towards terrorism
• Implementation of reforms in madrasah education is slow due to the
resistance from secularist lobby and powerful religious groups

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 Objectives of the Study

This study, based on the qualitative research methods, has the following
objectives:
• To gauge the status of implementation of the reforms in Aliya madrasah
education in Bangladesh through the responses from the Alumni students of
Aliya madrasahs.
• To identify the obstacles to reforms in Aliya madrasah education.
• To evaluate the degree of reforms in Pedagogy and Assessment system in
Aliya madrasah education.
• To study the integration of curriculum process of Aliya madrasah
education.
• To study the impact of the reforms in Aliya madrasah education on its
graduates.
• To indentify the key area of future reforms in Aliya madrasah education.

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 Research Questions

1. What are the reforms so far undertaken in Aliya madrasah education in

Bangladesh?
2. What are the obstacles to reforms in Aliya madrasahs education?
3. What are the reforms made to Pedagogy and Assessment in Aliya
madrasah education?
4. What integration of curriculum process has been implemented in Aliya
madrasah education?
5. How the reforms in Aliya madrasah education have impacted its
graduates?
6. How can the reforms in Aliya madrasah education be further improved?

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 Literature review

• Concept of education, educational reforms and educational policy reforms

framework
• Macro-level policy framework related to curriculum, pedagogy,
assessment, accountability, teacher recruitment and training, infrastructure,
finance and governance
• Socio economic, political, cultural, ethical and global forces shape and
influence policy reforms
• Impact of reforms: equity, excellence and social cohesion
• Dualism in education, a common problem in most of the Muslim countries
• Secularism and modernization are challenges to be met through reforms
• Integration and Islamization of education are challenges facing the Muslim
society
• Literature from: Iqbal, Mawdudi, Ashraf, Al-Attas, Fazlur Rahman, Kamal
Hassan, Taha Jabir, Al Faruki, Sulaiman, Rosnani, Sidek Baba, Henzell,
Ghazali, Qardawi, Shehlu, Saqeb, Makdisi, Nakostieen, Stanton, Santon,
USAID, World Bank, Cambridge Group of Studies

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Cont..

• Modernization and integration of Islamic education in some Muslim

countries of Asia:
1. Turkey: Moving towards integration though Kamal ataturk gave a fatal
blow to Islamic education in 1924. Gullen model of integrated education
is under attack now
2. Pakistan: Cosmetic reforms, threat of terrorism
3. India: Partial reforms in Aliya madrasah and Deobandi madrasahs
4. Indonesia: Out of 37362 madrasahs only 8.6% are managed by the
government. 17,000 pesantrens are good models of integrated madrasah
education
5. Malaysia: Good model of integration in national religious schools, state
religious schools and Islamic schools
6. Singapore: Good model of integration of Islamic education in madrasah
Marif
7. Saudi Arabia: Integration under process. A good model of modern
education with strong religious base

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 Contribution of Islam to Education and
Civilization
• In Islam there are two types of knowledge: Al-Ulum al-
Aqliyaah and Al-Ulum al-Naqliyaah, meaning intellectual
sciences and revealed knowledge respectively
• Necosteen (1964) and Makdisi (1981) give detailed account
of the golden age of Islam
• Madrasah Nizamiah-1065 AD
• Awqaf system of Islam adopted by Europeans as Charitable
Trust
• Stanton (1990) and Santon (1927) consider Muslim
education system as forerunner of European colleges and
universities
• Mongols destroyed Muslim civilization of Bagdad in 1258
• Andalus civilization> Renaissance>Industrial Revolution
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History of Reforms of Aliya Madrasah Education

• 1780-1947, 1947-1971, 1971- Till date

• There were about 100,000 madrasahs/community schools in Bengal in
1835 (Adam Report, 1835)
• Till 1791 Dars e Nizamia was the curriculum of madrasahs
• Commissions and committees were appointed: 1882, 1909, 1931, 1938,
1946, 1949, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1963, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1976, 1977,
1979, 1988, 1989, 1997, 2002, 2003 and 2009
• Conferences on madrasah education reforms were held in Bengal in 1904,
1905, 1906, 1908, 1910 and 1911
• New Scheme of Madrasah education was introduce in 1915. This was a
very popular and appropriate model. It was discontinued in the early 1960s
in the than East Pakistan without give in any reason

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Cont..
• Establishment of Madrasah Education Board in 1978
• Introduction of modern subject from 1980 equivalence of Dakhil and Alim with SSC and HSC
levels in 1985
• Introduction of SSC (Vocational Course) from 1996
• Establishment of Madrasah Teacher’s Training Institute in 1996
• 100% salary support for Dakhil, Alim, Fazil and Kamil madrasahs from 2002
• Female stipend program for girl students of madrasahs
• Placement of Fazil and Kamil madrasahs under Islamic University Kustia in 2005. Madrasah
graduates can sit for civil service examinations
• Education policy, 2009
• Introduction of Bachelor in Madrasah Education Course, 2011
• Establishment of Madrasah Education Directorate, 2015
• Vocational and Technical Education introduced in 100 madrasahs with the assistance of IDB
• Infrastructure Development Project (158 million$), 2010
• Salary of teachers of Ibtedawi madrasahs doubled, 2010
• Upgrading pay scale of madrasah Principals and Supers at par with college Prinicipals
• Bangladesh Arabic University, 2015

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 Studies on Aliya Madrasah Conducted

• Maulana Abdus Sattar 1980

• Dr A K M Ayub Ali, 1981
• Dr Sekendar Ali Ibrahimi, 1985
• Dr Brgum Umme Salama, 1993
• Bangladesh Nari Progoti Shongho, 1997
• Mohammad Ilias Ali, 1999
• Dr Abdus Sattar, 2004
• Mawlana Momtaz Uddin Ahmed, 2004
• Dr Masuda Banu, 2008
• Dr Mumtaz Ahmed, 2009
• World Bank, 2010
• Bangladesh Enterprise Institute, 2011
• Dr Abul Barakat and others, 2011
• Dr Asadullah and Dr Nazmul Chowdhuri, 2014

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 Research Methodology

• Case study: Aliya Madrasah Alumni Students working and studying in

IIUM, Malaysia
• Qualitative case study
• Exploratory case study with in-depth interview, focus group discussion and
document analysis
• Selection of Participants, Alumni students of Aliya madrasah education
• Data collection, data analysis, thematic analysis
• Research design of case study
• Credibility, trustworthiness, conformability, transferability, triangulation,
and ethical issues

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 Selection of Participants
1. Three Associate Professors of IIUM who graduated from Aliya madrasah
education system of Bangladesh.
2. Two Assistant Professors/Lecturers of IIUM who graduated from Aliya
madrasah education system of Bangladesh.
3. Three PhD students of IIUM who graduated from Aliya madrasah
education system of Bangladesh.
4. Two Postgraduate students of IIUM who graduated from Aliya Madrasah
education system of Bangladesh.
5. Twelve students of IIUM who graduated from Aliya madrasah education
system of Bangladesh. These twelve students will be divided into two
groups having six members in each group for focus group discussion.

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Sample Flow Chart of Research Design

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 Method of Data Collection and Analysis
Method of Data
Research Question Data Type Method of Data Collection
Analysis
1. What are the reforms so far undertaken in Thematic
Qualitative Documents and records
Aliya Madrasah Education in Bangladesh? Analysis
2. What are the obstacles to reforms in Aliya Documents and Records, Thematic
Qualitative
madrasah education? In-depth Interview Analysis
3. What are the reforms made to Pedagogy
In-depth Interview, Focus Group Thematic
and Assessment in Aliya madrasah Qualitative
Discussion and Observation Analysis
education?
4. What integration in curriculum process has
In-depth Interview, Focus Group Thematic
been implemented in Aliya madrasah Qualitative
Discussion and Observation Analysis
education?
5. How the reforms in Aliya madrasah In-depth Interview, Focus Group Thematic
Qualitative
education have impacted its graduates? Discussion and Observation Analysis
6. How can the reforms in Aliya madrasah In-depth Interview, Focus Group Thematic
Qualitative
education be further improved? Discussion and Observation Analysis
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 Interview Questions
Research Question (1): What are the reforms so far undertaken in Aliya
madrasah education in Bangladesh?
• IQ (1): What are the key areas of reforms so far undertaken in Aliya
madrasah education in Bangladesh?
• IQ (2): Do you think that the reforms so far undertaken in Aliya
madrasah education are adequate?
• IQ (3): Do you think that the reforms so far undertaken in Aliya
madrasah education were need based?
• IQ (4): Do you think that the government had a strong commitment
in undertaken reforms in Aliya madrasah education?
• IQ (5): How far it is correct to observe that reforms in Aliya
madrasah education were undertaken primarily due to the pressure
from donors community?
Cont..

Research Question (2): What are the obstacles to reforms in Aliya madrasah
education?
• IQ (1): What are the major problems of Aliya madrasah education?
• IQ (2): Do you think that finance is a major obstacle to reforms in Aliya
madrasah education?
• IQ (3): What are the key issues management which prevent reforms in
Aliya madrasah education?
• IQ (4): What steps do you suggest for removing obstacles to reforms in
Aliya madrasah education?
• IQ (5): What is the impact of top down approach of policy reforms in Aliya
madrasah education?
Cont..

Research Question (3): What are the reforms made to Pedagogy and
Assessment system in Aliya madrasah education?
• IQ (1): What reform measures have so far been undertaken in the
field of Pedagogy in Aliya madrasah education?
• IQ (2): What reform measures have so far been undertaken in the
field of Assessment system in Aliya madrasah education?
• IQ (3): How the implementation of reforms in Pedagogy and
Assessment system have been affected by the quality of madrasah
teachers?
• IQ (4): How the training of madrasah teachers can help the
successful implementation of reforms in Pedagogy and Assessment
system of Aliya madrasah education?
• IQ (5): What further improvements do you recommend in the fields
of Pedagogy and Assessment system in Aliya madrasah education?
Cont..

Research Question (4): What integration of curriculum process has

been implemented in Aliya madrasah education?
• IQ (1): Do you think that an integration of Aliya madrasah
curriculum is necessary?
• IQ (2): What are the reforms so far undertaken for the integration of
Aliya madrasah curriculum?
• IQ (3): How far the problems of dualism between modern and
madrasah education has been narrowed through the process of
integration Aliya madrasah curriculum?
• IQ (4): What improvement do you suggest in co-curricular activities
in madrasah eduction?
• IQ (5): Do you think that the measures of integration of curriculum
in Aliya madrasah education so far undertaken are adequate?
Cont..

Research Question (5): How the reforms made in Aliya madrasah

education have impacted its graduates?
• IQ (1): What are the impacts of reforms in Aliya madrasah education
on its graduates?
• IQ (2): What are the economic and social impacts of reforms in
Aliya madrasah education on the society of Bangladesh?
• IQ (3): What is the impact of reforms in Aliya madrasah education
on the employability of madrasah graduates?
• IQ (4): What improvements have taken place in the field of
admission of Aliya madrasah graduates in the institutions of higher
higher education as a result of the reform measures so far
undertaken?
• IQ (5): Do you think that the reforms in Aliya madrasah education
have given the graduates some access to the job markets of outside
world?
Cont..

Research Question (6): How can the reforms in Aliya madrasah

education be further improved?
• IQ (1): What are your recommendations for further reforms in Aliya
madrasah education?
• IQ (2): What steps can be taken for the modernization of Aliya
madrasah education so as to give graduates of Aliya madrasahs easy
access to job markets?
• IQ (3): Do you think that Aliya madrasah teachers consider
Islamization of education as a further step for reforms in Aliya
madrasah education?
• IQ (4): Do you think that Islamization of knowledge and education
in Aliya madrasah education will lead to further integration of Aliya
madrasah education?
• IQ (5): What steps do you recommend for further improvement of
Aliya madrasah education?
THANK YOU

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