ISLAMABAD: While Pakistan grapples with growing religious extremism, the federal government has failed to disburse funds for a programme aimed at mainstreaming religious seminaries.

Seminaries have often been seen as the breeding ground for extremist ideology and there have been calls for reform of curriculum at these institutions.

As a response to this the federal government designed a pilot project aimed at mainstreaming seminaries or Madressahs in 10 districts.

An amount of Rs50 million had been allocated for Madressah mainstreaming in the fiscal year 2014-15.

Also read: Madressah reform

Under the project, Federal Ministry of Education and Professional Training through National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) planned to introduce English, Science, Social Studies and Mathematics in the curricula of Madressahs.

“Pervez Musharraf’s government announced a project worth a billion rupees aimed at Madressah reform but the outcome remained negligible so this time the government is working on a pilot project,” said a senior officer of the education ministry.

“The basic aim of this project is to introduce primary education alongside the curricula of seminaries so that chances of students pursuing higher education are increased,” the officer said.

Pilot project will introduce primary education at seminaries in 10 districts

In 2002, the Musharraf government launched a five-year Madressah Reform Project aimed at modernising religious seminaries by broadening their curricula, establishing educational standards etc.

However, the project did not achieve its aims because of corruption and negligence.

According to PC-I of the new project, the ministry will modernise selected Madressahs in Lahore, Nankana Sahab, Thatta, Tharparkar, Shangla, Kohistan, Peshawar, Mastung, Loralai and Quetta.

Under this project, 100 feeder schools will also be established.

When contacted, Joint Education Adviser of the education ministry Rafiq Tahir said: “PC-I of the project has been approved and as soon as we receive funds we will start work on this project.”

Maulana Abdul Quddus is a representative of Wafaqul Madaris, an umbrella organisation of seminaries of the Deobandi school of thought.

Talking to Dawn, he said Wafaqul Madaris welcomes every positive step for bringing reform in Madressahs.

He said during the Musharraf era, funds were embezzled in the name of Madressah reform.

“If the government wants to bring any positive change we will welcome it but they must take us on board before taking any decision,” he said.

He added that a large number of Madressahs already provided a combination of religious and modern education.

Published in Dawn December 24th , 2014