Madrasah Education: An Observation - 19 | Articles on Education of Bangladesh | Uncatagorized

MUZIB MEHDY

---

Madrasah Education and Values
Ethics or the judgment of right and wrong is related to a human being’s development from a child (a biological entity) to an adult human (a bio-cultural entity). Sociologists call this process of growing into an adult from a child “Socialization” implying that this is the process that turns us into creatures worthy of society. The cultural elements of each society teach people how to behave, what to do and what not to do, what to think and what not to think. The anthropologist Teaylor has defined culture as being “the knowledge, behavior, beliefs, art, values, laws, practices and habits that a person inherits by being a member of a society.”¹ It has been seen that human beings inherit values from the system and practice of values prevalent in their society. This inheritance occurs through education. Education provides humans with the structure of values and ethics to be followed.

Humans receive the education that constructs these values from various elements and institutions of society. These elements and institutions are usually the family, neighbors, friends, school, mass media (books, newspapers, and the electronic media). The whole educational infrastructure of a society evolves from the principles and values determined by that society. In this discussion regarding the Madrasah education in Bangladesh and the system of values that has evolved from it, it is important to consider these aspects related to the overall nature of culture and education. For the type and impact of institutional education on the development, change or transformation of social mores or cultural values is significant.

The conflicting condition that exists because of the influence of Madrasah education has a historical significance in our social and cultural structure. The establishment of a Madrasah, the faith and ideology active behind the establishment of the Madrasah, the product of the institution and the related politics and economics – taking all this into consideration indicates that this conflict regarding values exists because of historical-political reasons.

The cultural environ that the Madrasah creates as an institution leads to the creation of a religious political hegemony, which legalizes political power play in the guise of religion. The conflict between the two systems of values, which stand negating each other, initiates different historical journeys of cultural, political and economic transformation.

For instance, the values that led the majority people of East Bengal to take part in the war to liberate Bangladesh and the values that led some people to form the Shanti Bahini (the active collaborators) are opposite. According to reports, all members of the first unit of the anti-Liberation militia force, the Al Badr were Madrasah students². The ideology or the values that Madrasah education had given birth to had taught them that Islam and Pakistan were one and the same; and the splitting of Pakistan had appeared as a split in Islam itself³. Hence it is important to analyze the basis of the ideologies espoused by the faction that is against the development of Bengalis as a nation during the Pakistan era as well as after Liberation. This ideology, which stands opposed to the ideology of Bangladesh, has conspired against the Bengali movement to establish a non-communal and democratic society. The Madrasahs have played a key role in the establishment of the ideology that has always challenged and continues to challenge the development of a democratic culture in Bangladesh. The elite classes, the class in power, are the ones who stand behind the classification of Bangladeshi society that has been established through Madrasah education as well as those who use religion as a tool to gain their own ends. To feed this interest group, a system of education is needed which will create a conservative ideology. In turn this ideology will foster the belief that “Arabic is the greatest language in the world”, “Islam is the greatest religion in the world”, “the establishment of an Islamic state should be the only aim in life”, “women are second class citizens of society” and “secularism is another name for atheism”.⁴ It goes without saying that the elite classes – no matter which country in the world they belong to – are corrupt and self-serving. Their interests revolve around remaining in power. If the elite classes are “religious”, then they still are in the same category and their primary tool to ensure that they remain in power is religion itself. It is the religious elite who have identified one particular religion as the national religion in the constitution. Hence, what is being touted as moral education is in reality Madrasah education and its components under the guise of Islam. Of which, the single controlling power are the elite class who had formed the Shanti Committees (Peace Committees – collaborators during the Liberation War) and who today continue by disfiguring the national anthem.⁵

The moral void that exists in Bangladesh today is a matter of concern for any citizen. Murder, rape, acid throwing, mugging, extracting illegal tolls, drug addiction, kidnapping, human trafficking, dowry related crimes, Fatwa crimes take up most of the space each day in the newspapers. Identifying the root causes and resolving them has become the responsibility of everyone – the state and society. Although all sectors including the civil society have become gradually active, there appears no respite to be had.

Lack of healthy and dynamic political activity, uncontrolled drugs and arms, the invasion of satellite entertainment, the gradual rise of fundamentalism, increasing poverty – although all these elements are blamed for the rapid increase in crime and immorality, it is also necessary to examine the other elements that are directly or indirectly related. It is necessary to examine whether there is any connection between the so-called moral education or Madrasah education and those who are related to these activities.

Maulana Abdul Latif Chowdhury of the Qibla Fultoli Madrasah claimed in a press release that lack of Islamic education was the cause of all these murders, terrorism, and corruption in the country. Islamic education makes human beings honest, responsible, hardworking, and idealistic. It is because the Madrasah education exists in this country that there are still honest and ideal individuals in existence⁶. The people know quite well of the role played by the Madrasahs and the people involved during the Liberation War. Their role in the post-Liberation period in terms of setting moral exemplars for all as well as their role today can be seen from some selected examples.

---

Reference
1.    Primitive Culture, E. B. Teaylor, Pg. 1, 1871
2.    Ekattorer Ghatok Dalarera Ke Kothai, Third Edition, Muktijuddher Chetona Bikash Kendra, Dhaka 1988
3.    The Rise of Fundamentalism in South Asia, Shahriar Kabir, The Daily Janakantha, November 4 2000
4.    These quotations are taken from the survey conducted by BNPS in 2000 as well as from various slogans voiced by the Islamic political parties of Bangladesh.  
5.    A parody of the national anthem was published in the Daily Inquilab on October 20 2000
6.    The Daily Inquilab, May 22 2000, Pg. 8

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."