DHAKA: Bangladesh University Grants Commission (UGC) has recommended formulation of Information Communication Technology (ICT) based curriculum for Qawmi and Alia madrasa students across the country.

UGC also recommended for taking initiatives to generate employment of Qawmi students for the first time in its annual report. 

UGC, the regulatory body of all the public and private universities of Bangladesh, has prepared an annual report recently and submitted it to the President. The report also mentioned various recommendations for higher education.

Earlier on August 13, the cabinet led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina approved in principle the draft of a law framed to recognize top Qawmi degree Dawra-e-Hadith as equivalent to master's in Islamic studies and Arabic.

The recognition was given with a view to bring some 15 lakh students of Qawmi madrasa into the country’s mainstream education. 

For this recognition, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was given ‘Qawmi Janani’ or ‘Mother of Qawmi’ title by ‘Al-Hiyatul Ulya Lil-Zami'atil Qawmiya Bangladesh’ during a rally titled “Shokrana Mahfil” in the capital's Suhrawardy Udyan on Sunday (November 4).

According to UGC report, formulation of ICT-based curriculum is necessary for higher education of Qawmi and Alia madrasa students. 

Earlier on April 13 in 2017, the education ministry gave recognition to Qawmi certificates and on March 4 this year, some 1,010 Qawmi Alems joined government jobs to work as teachers under the mosque-based education for children under the supervision of the Islamic Foundation.

Islamic Foundation issued a statement saying that said this is the first time so many Qawmi Alems will be joining government jobs at the same time.

The country's madrasa system is divided into two categories - Alia and Qawmi.

Alia madrasas, registered with and supervised by Bangladesh Madrasa Education Board, offer a distinctive combination of modern and religious education.

Qawmi madrasas, on the other hand, had so far been an unfamiliar territory with no government monitoring, supervision or support. They are mostly run by private funding.

BDST: 1949 HRS, NOV 17, 2018
AP/SMS