July 16, 2006	Sunday	Jumadi-ul-Sani 19, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, July 15: As many as 27 commissions and committees have been constituted for educational reforms, but we are still in the beginning of the reforms process.

Education reform efforts are mostly focusing on improvement of education in general and not modernisation of Madressahs in particular.

This was stated by Dr Mumtaz Ahmad, a professor at Hampton University, USA, during his presentation on ‘Reforms efforts in Islamic education’ during the final day proceedings of the roundtable discussions.

The event was organised by the International Islamic University (IIU) Islamabad in collaboration with the American Council for the Study of Islamic Societies (ACSIS) and the South Asian Studies Association (SASA).

The theme of the roundtable was “Islamic education: Continuity and growth”.

In his analysis of the reform efforts, Dr Ahmad said reforming Madressah education required political will and appropriate capability. Madressahs refused to introduce modern sciences in their curricula because donors contributed for teaching of the Holy Quran and Hadith not physics, chemistry and computer, etc.

Ambassador of Bangladesh Tariq Karim, speaking on the occasion, said Madressahs in his country were functioning under four systems: government-run, privately owned and recognised by the state, politically affiliated, and privately owned but not recognised by the government.

Madressah education in Bangladesh is comparatively better than Pakistan.

Dr Fraid Esach talked about Islamic education in South Africa and South East Asia, and termed South Africa the best country for Muslims to live in. He said two per cent Muslim population of South Africa was as influential as Jews in the US. He said a number of key posts in present government were held by Muslims.

Former IIU president Dr Mahmood Ahmad Ghazi said the model Madressah project education was initiated by the Pakistan government before 9/11 but that process was jeopardised after US interest increased in Madressah reforms. Madressah reforms failed in Pakistan due to lack of confidence between Madressah administrators and government functionaries.