The names of Madrasas that has combination of Nepali and Urdu languages, show that Nepali Muslim community are also exemplary for religious and social goodwill.[break]
Madrasa Darool Ulum Barqatiya Secondary School is one of the models of education institution in Nepalgunj.
The school, which has been run by Muslim community, has both the characteristics of madrasa and public school. Not only this, it has more quality education than those of private schools that have been established with a view of providing modern education.
The school is also exemplary of religious goodwill where students from both Muslim and pahadi community study. Arabic and Urdu languages are compulsory for Muslim students, while other students can also study those languages, if they wish, besides the curriculum implemented in public school. Besides students from pahadi community, there are also teachers from the same community at the school.
"There is no discrimination here, while this is a religious institution" says Principal of the school Maulana Ziyaulhaq Noorani, who was wearing Dhaka Topi.
The government has however, not yet recognized the madrasa education. But Muslim community has found amiddle path to incorporate the public school´s curriculum in madrasa education. "The government has recognized only school education, it has not recognized madrasa education," Noorani added.
According to the District Education Office (DEO), altogether 119 madrasa have been operating in Banke district. Generally most of them provide education as per the government school´s curriculum, besides Islamic education.
There are two benefits to this. Firstly, these schools also teach English medium curriculum followed by private schools. Secondly, the government provides grant and others facilities.
Barqatiya Schools has also set up separate class rooms for computer education, besides following curriculum of private schools.
Darool Ulum Gulshan-e-Madina, a school at Ganeshpur-5, has nice buildings with wide open areas. The school, built along with mosque, resembles a well managed modern school.
Similarly, Darool Ulum Masaudiya Garib Nawaz of Indrapur-3 also has good infrastructure. Generally, such schools have been running through the almsgiving (Zakat in Arabic) by Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan.
Though, madrasa have good infrastructure, most are facing financial problem. The Maulanas complain over government´s treatment of all madrasa equally without caring about their quality of education.
"The government does not have plans to take forward madrasas," says Principal at Darool Ulum Masaudiya Garib Nawaz Maulana Mujahid Raza Qadri, adding, "We are silent as we are minority but our generation will raise voices against this in future."
According to the Maulanas, the grant provided by the government has been reduced to Rs 64,400 annually. "How can we manage with such a low amount of money," said Principal of Madrasa Ghazi Ulum Mohammad Yousuf Quraishi, adding, "We need more money to run the madrasa."
However, the government officials claim that madrasas have been granted funds like public schools. "Madrasas will also receive equal grant from the government after coming to mainstream education, but they have not completely transformed yet," said Chief District Education Office Bhakta Bahadur Dhakal.
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