Sun Oct 13 07:02:43 UTC 2024: ## NCPCR Calls for Closure of Madrasa Boards and Enrolment of Students in Formal Schools
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has demanded the closure of all Madrasa Boards across India and urged state governments to stop funding them. In a letter to chief secretaries, NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo recommended that all students currently attending Madrasas be enrolled in formal schools.
The NCPCR report, titled ‘Guardians of Faith or Oppressors of Rights: Constitutional Rights of Children vs Madrasas’, claims that Madrasas violate the educational rights of children by failing to comply with the Right to Education (RTE) Act. The report highlights several concerns, including:
* **Non-compliance with RTE norms:** Madrasas lack standardized curriculum, trained teachers, and adequate infrastructure like uniforms, books, and midday meals.
* **Curriculum concerns:** The report alleges the presence of objectionable content in Diniyat textbooks, promoting the supremacy of Islam, and the use of books published in Pakistan.
* **Violation of secularism:** Madrasas allegedly impart Islamic education to non-Muslim children, contradicting the principles of secularism enshrined in the Indian Constitution.
* **Lack of accountability:** The absence of a regulatory framework like the RTE Act for Madrasas leads to a lack of transparency and accountability.
The NCPCR has urged the government to take immediate steps to remove Hindu and non-Muslim children from Madrasas and enroll them in formal schools. The commission had previously requested state education departments to inspect Madrasas and revoke recognition if they failed to comply with RTE norms.
This issue is currently under consideration by the Supreme Court, which is hearing appeals challenging the Allahabad High Court order that declared the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madrasa Education Act, 2004, unconstitutional.
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