An Islamic Relief event has fuelled calls for madrasahs – often the only means of accessing education for the poorest families – to be given support to improve standards and child protection in Bangladesh.
For many poor families, madrasahs (religious schools) are the only choice as a means of education – making them an important institution to millions of people worldwide. With madrasahs increasing in numbers, they have enormous potential to transform the lives of children and young people. However, madrasahs face significant challenges, according to extensive research published by Islamic Relief.
In a day-long seminar held in Dhaka earlier this month, influential figures from across the country came together to explore our research and recommendations around madrasah education. Bangladeshi government officials, Islamic scholars, civil society representatives and madrasah staff all took part.
Exploring the Bangladeshi context for madrasah education
During the session, the implications arising from Islamic Relief’s research – which was conducted in Indonesia, Pakistan, Kenya and Mali – were discussed in the Bangladeshi context. Participants explored what madrasahs do well, and where they could improve – as well as how the state may support them to deliver education, health and nutrition services where no alternatives exist.
A number of recommendations emerged from the seminar, including:
- NGOs are well placed to provide support in formulating child rights and protection policies for educational institutions – as well as training madrasahs in child protection and disaster preparedness, and proper administration systems
- Children should be engaged and involved in formulating child protection policies in madrasahs
- Further research is required to develop the standard of madrasah education and creating employment opportunities for students, in coordination with government institutions.
Islamic Relief’s research was published last year in a paper entitled ‘Madrasah Education: Protecting and Educating Children in Islam’. Amongst a range of recommendations, it called for governments to engage more proactively with madrasah education in order to support the development and protection of children.