Madrasah Education: An Observation - 11 | Articles on Education of Bangladesh | Uncatagorized

MUZIB MEHDY

---

Curriculum and Teaching Methods of Madrasahs
The quality of education that is generated from a particular kind of education system, depends much on the syllabus, curriculum, the teachers and his/her teaching methods. The experience of the individuals who develop the curriculum, how well they understand the psychology of students of a certain age, how sincere and committed they are towards the history and tradition of the nation, how well they can comprehend the realities of modern life are issues that need to be taken into consideration. It is unfortunate that the expertise of those who are responsible for developing the curriculum for the Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board is not beyond suspicion. Despite constant revisions of the curriculum, its current state does not ensure mental or intellectual development of the students.

In application, Madrasah education is slightly spiritual in nature. In this system, the aim of life is believed to be comprehension of the divine by the individual. Hence, the only objective of education becomes to provide an understanding of the divine. As the practice of religion is the primary objective of Madrasah education, this concept takes precedence. However, it should be mentioned that even this ideology is not properly practiced in the Madrasah system. The intrusion of worldly and material issues make comprehension of the divine a difficult matter.

“Geography and Economics” is included in the Dakhil 2000 as optional subject for the Science Group and Compulsory for the General Group by the Curriculum and Textbook Wing of the Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board. The curriculum¹ for Geography and Economics” includes the following:

The galaxy, the stars, the solar system, phases of the moon, the shape and size of the earth, the annual and diurnal rotation of the earth, latitude and longitude, the International Date Line, the Antipodes, the increase and decrease of day and night and change of seasons and the Temperate Zone.

The relationship between the sun and namaaz, the difference in the times of namaaz depending on the Meridian, the latitude and longitude of the Kaaba, the latitude and longitude of the Kaaba from different locations in the world, the distance of the longitude of the Kaaba from different locations in the world, the difference in the times of namaaz in different locations in the world, the lunar and solar months, the difference in lunar months in different locations in the world, the difference in time for Rozaa in different seasons, the advantages to the Hajj pilgrims because of the location of the Kaaba, the advantages in the relationship between the timing of namaaz and the sun, and the advantages in the relationship between the rozaa, the Hajj and zakaat and the moon.

It should be noted that this syllabus for the Dakhil level is considered equivalent to the Secondary School Certificate. Two important subjects, Geography and Economics, have been given a full 100 marks course. However, instead of including the important topics in the remaining 50 marks, the course simply teaches a few geographical terminologies and then “religionize” the rest of the course material.  It should be noted that after introducing the terminology in the first part, the second part focuses on relating to the Kaaba. How a student who studies this Kaaba-centric very limiting course can be considered the equivalent of a student who has followed the general geography course is a valid question.

Social Science in the Dakhil level provides an introduction to the political background of Bangladesh with a “muslim” slant, which only gives the student a one sided view of politics. A number of important topics relevant to the history of the subcontinent have not been considered necessary to be included. In addition, a number of chapters have been included in this curriculum that may serve to encourage communal feelings and beliefs in a student. The curriculum² for this subject has been reproduced below:

The Condition of Muslim Society with the Arrival of the British, the Expansion of English Education in the Subcontinent, the Rejection of English Education by the Muslims, the Acceptance of English Education by the Hindus, the Unrestrained Entry of the Hindus in the Job Market, Severe Economic Crisis of the Muslims, the Decline of the Importance of the Alems in Society and the State and the Rise of the Hindus. Nawab Abdul Latif, Syed Aamir Ali’s Recommendations Regarding English Education. The Muslims’ Disregard of the Bangla Language and the Causes Thereof. The Practice of Bangla in Addition to English in Hindu Established School and Colleges. The Beginning of English Education of the Muslims at the End of the Nineteenth Century. The Birth of the Secular Faction Among the Muslims. Reasons for the Formation of the Muslim League, the Pakistan Movement, the Ebb in Muslim Politics Following the Partition, Economic Discrimination in Pakistan, the Leadership of the Secular Class, the Liberation war of Bangladesh.

A person who takes on the responsibility of teaching should be rich in modern thought and scientific reasoning. It is incumbent upon the teacher to better him/herself by keeping up to date in the various relevant fields of knowledge. Rabindranath Tagore once wrote, “A good teacher will be a good student; the youth of a teacher’s mind cannot be spent at his acceptance of studentship…Where the teachers themselves are active in the practice of knowledge, it is there that the students can clearly see knowledge itself.” However, it would not be inaccurate to say that there are only a few teachers who regularly continue to study even after they have become teachers. This tendency is even less evident among Madrasah teachers. The majority of Madrasah teachers are uninstructed in modern and secular methods of teaching. To their students they impart the same narrow views and beliefs that they themselves hold. These teachers mainly teach their students how to become blind believers without questioning anything. There is no custom to examine, review or discuss facts or theories. Creativity is stifled instead of being encouraged. As the teachers are unable to accept any new scientific discoveries, the students also lack that mentality. This is a lifeless world of rote memorization, restricted thinking, and blind faith.

A good teacher should have a pleasant and grave personality, s/he should be lively, hard working, deft at encouraging enthusiasm and motivation to learn, natural, agreeable and refined in behavior, original, flexible, be a good speaker, witty and decisive. However, it is almost impossible to cultivate these qualities in those who emerge from the closed world of the Madrasah system. Hence, it is not possible for them to become good teachers. It is very natural for a student to become the kind of teacher s/he that they themselves had come into contact with.

If, instead of encouraging the curiosity of the students, their minds are set certain boundaries in their road to knowledge, then their intellectual and mental growth is obstructed. This is how Madrasah students are made to lag behind compared to an individual studying under the general education stream. Where, through encountering the ideals of democracy and tolerance, under general education the student has the potential to develop into an individual with humanist values, under the Madrasah system a student learns to stand on the ground of blind religiosity. Hence, a great divide is created between the two in terms of thought, judgment and life values. The thinking of Madrasah students regarding issues such as health, education, family planning, female education, female leadership etc is strongly negative. They are always against developmental and progressive movements.

The cultural level of a Madrasah student is not of the level desired of a citizen of today’s world. Living in Bangladesh, they dream of Arabia, proud of the grandeur of Arabia. These rootless thoughts and delusions of inferiority create identity and existential dilemma for individuals. Students fall prey to this dilemma from their very educational institutions. No interest is discerned on their part regarding the occasions and national celebrations so close to the hearts of Bengalis. The First of Baishakh, 21st February, March 26, December 16 – none of these days create enthusiasm within them. Many Madrasahs do not even observe these national holidays. Rather students are taught to identify the customs and ceremonies that mark these occasions as Bid’aat. They consider music, dance, theatre, and fairs to be inappropriate and stay away from them. In place of the traditional Bengali music and dance, only devotional music such as Gazl, Hamd, Nat are encouraged.

It has been mentioned that apart from the state owned Aaliya Nisaab Madrasahs, the Qawmi, Hafezi and other Madrasahs primarily rely on donations from the populace for funding. Teachers take part in the process of obtaining the money, and it is compulsory for the students to participate as well. Students and teachers of these Madrasahs are engaged in this “begging” routine almost throughout the year. In the rural areas, during Autumn when the farmers begin threshing the paddy, a group of people wearing long robes, panjabis, caps and turbans with receipt books can be seen begging for paddy. Usually these groups comprise one-teacher and three/four students. The culture of dependency and of “begging” that the students are exposed to at an early stage remains within their minds in later periods of their lives.

The Madrasahs promote bans and prohibitions in terms of clothing as well. Even when their student days are over, as in other aspects of culture, the students are unable to express or practice current fashions or even personal taste in matters of fashion and attire. A separate apparel culture develops in the same society. Students are allowed absolutely no flexibility at all in this aspect. In the general education system, some schools have a specified uniform, which is not necessary outside of the school. But the uniform that the Madrasah promotes is turned into clothing for all times. The kind of pressure that students must face in this aspect has made headlines in the newspapers.

---

Reference

1.    Syllabus and Curriculum (Dakhil and Class IX), Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board, Pg. 34
2.    Ibid, Pg. 36

Comments

Add New Search RSS

3.26 Copyright (C) 2008 Compojoom.com / Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."