ISLAMABAD, May 11: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has constituted a board to frame a policy for Madressah reforms, a source told Dawn. An official notification issued in this regard by the project wing of the federal education ministry early this month named Federal Education Minister Lt-Gen (retired) Javed Ashraf Qazi as chairperson of the board with federal ministers for religious affairs and interior as deputy chairperson and member respectively.

Dr Mahmood Ahmad Ghazi, the president of International Islamic University, federal secretaries for religious affairs and interior, Wafaqul Madaris secretary-general, Multan have also been appointed members of the board.

The secretary education will act as both member and secretary of the board.

The source said the Terms of Reference (TORs) of the board would be worked out soon. Under the TORs, the board will be asked to make recommendations on all aspects of the Madressah reforms, he said.

To give an impetus to the ongoing mainstreaming of the Deeni Madressahs, the board will be closely monitoring their regulation, registration and recognition, he added.

The source said another important aspect of the ongoing Madressah reforms was already underway.

He said funding and its subsequent spending would also be closely watched by the new board.

Besides, the board has been mandated to look on any other aspect relevant to policy formulation, the source said.

A five-year project on Madressah reforms costing Rs5,128 million was worked out in 2002-03. The aim of the project is to help 8,000 registered Deeni Madressahs throughout the country to introduce English, Mathematics, Pakistan Studies/Social Studies and General Science from primary to secondary levels. And English, Economics, Pakistan Studies and Computer Science at intermediate level to integrate religious education with formal education system.

Under the project, they will be provided incentives as costs of equipment, including computers, printers, apparatus etc, for teaching of Computer Science, costs of textbooks, sports and other facilities.