Bahraich (UP): A surprise inspection at a madrassa in this district has unveiled the sorry state of education there, with officials saying that none of its class 10 students could write their names in English.
Alarmed, authorities issued a warning and a notice to the madrassa and asked the seminary to focus on other subjects besides Arabic and Persian.
Qari Irfan, a faculty member at the seminary, said 15 students have been enrolled in class 10 so far, and of them, 10 were present during Monday's surprise inspection.
Statement Of The Acting Principal
"The students asked to write in English are new to this seminary. They are weak in English and could not perform to the satisfaction of the inspecting officials. We will hold separate classes for struggling students," the acting principal (Naib Principal) of the madrassa, Maulana Shamsuddin, told PTI.
District Minority Welfare Officer Sanjay Mishra told reporters on Monday that the surprise inspection was conducted at Jamia Gaziya Sayyadul Uloom, a recognised madrassa in the Badi Takiya area.
One of the teachers was found absent, though it was not recorded in the attendance register, Mishra said, and also noted that students' attendance in Munshi, Maulvi, and Alim classes was significantly lower compared to the registered number.
"During the inspection, class 10 students were asked to write their names and that of the madrassa in English. But none could do it," he claimed, and pointed out that the seminary's focus was largely limited to Arabic and Persian studies with little attention to other subjects.
This has led to an "alarming" academic situation, the officer said, adding, "Neglecting the broader education of students is playing with their future." The authorities have warned the madrassa of strict action if immediate steps are not taken towards improving the quality of education. Notices have been sent to the madrassa management and the absent teacher.
Shamsuddin pointed out that besides imparting religious education, the madrassa had provisions for teaching English, Hindi, Mathematics, and Science. "Which is why a science teacher had been appointed. But more emphasis was given to Arabic, Persian, and Urdu rather than these subjects." "However, since the implementation of the NCERT curriculum... we have now started focusing on all subjects. It is better for the children's future that they are not limited to becoming just Alims (religious scholars) but also have opportunities in other fields as well," he said.
In view of the minority welfare officer's warning, "we have now prepared a timetable for teachers to teach all subjects", the acting principal added.
About the officer complaining that very few students of Munshi, Maulvi, and Alim classes being in attendance at the seminary, Irfan said the madrassa has enrolled 350 pupils for this academic session so far, and the admissions were still in progress.
The student count is expected to increase as admissions continue, the teacher said.
The seminary has a three-tier academic structure. Classes 1 to 5, categorized as the primary level, are referred to as "Darja Tehtania"; classes 6 to 8, the junior level, are known as "Darja Faukania", while classes 9 to 12, comprising the high school and intermediate levels, are termed "Darja Alia." Irfan further said that teachers handling classes up to 10 are traditionally titled "Maulvi" or "Munshi," while those teaching Classes 11 and 12 hold the title of "Alim".
The Bahraich district has 301 recognised madrassas. Additionally, a recent survey has identified 495 unrecognised madrassas in the district, according to officials.
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