NEW DELHI--Union Minister for Human Resource Development Smriti Irani on Monday said that the government is taking steps for the modernisation of madrasas.
Addressing students at a symposium at the Jamia Millia Islamia University, Irani said that funds for the modernisation of madrasas are not lapsing. Speaking on “Educating and Mainstreaming of Muslims”, Irani said the community will have to match the government’s efforts for their development. “If we walk two steps, you take half a step and slowly we can match our steps for development,” she said.
Stating that education in India has not changed in 22 years, Irani asked students to contribute to the National Policy on Education. “There are 32 themes under which we are inviting suggestions. Please contribute to it when you have time,” she said.
Also speaking at the event, National Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India, Akhtarul Wasey said, “Muslim areas in the country have more police stations than schools and then we are asked why Muslims in the country are not educated.” He added that Muslims now want “ownership and not just participation in the country’s development”. He said the first education minister of the country, Abul Kalam Azad, was a Muslim and he “did not study at a fancy university but was the product of a madrasa”. Wasey said that if India seeks to become a superpower then 15 per cent of its population cannot be left behind.
Emphasising this, Maulana Yusuf Nadvi, an Islamic scholar from Lucknow, said that students from madrasas need opportunities to prove themselves and become partners in the development of the country. “Education has to reach everyone. Why don’t Hindi and Urdu medium schools of the country match the standards of the English medium schools,” he said.
The Indian Express
