Alternative means: Seminaries step up to achieve educational goals in FATA

These institutions are providing both religious and contemporary education.

PESHAWAR:

In the wake of relentless attacks on educational institutions, the government is facilitating religious seminaries in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and Frontier Regions (FRs) to achieve education sector goals.

According to a census report by the Education Management Information System (EMIS) in Fata, there are around 276 religious institutions in Fata and the FRs. Out of these, 147 are for males, 20 are for females and 109 are for both.

The number of full-time students enrolled in these institutions is 51,822, out of which 37,137 are male and 14,685 are female. There are 23,432 part-time students also enrolled in the seminaries.

There are 1,542 teachers, out of which 800 are for males, 154 are for females and 588 are teaching in co-education institutions.

As for the institutions themselves, 51 percent (140) are registered while 48 percent (132) are not registered. The remaining one percent chose not to answer the registration question.

Waqas Ahmad,11, a student of Tafheem-ul-Quran Madrassa in Teddy Bazaar, Jamrud tehsil said students are not only taught religious lessons but also contemporary subjects. “I was a student of government primary school in Jamrud, but my father enrolled me in this Madrassa,” he added.

Another student of the same seminary, 16-year-old Muhammad Sharif said he had initially been enrolled just for religious education, but now he was receiving standard 8th grade lessons as well. Sharif claimed the institution’s environment was suitable for both religious and contemporary education.

“I am very happy because in addition to learning 20 chapters of the Holy Quran by heart, I am also receiving contemporary 8th grade education,” he added.

Muhammad Azeem, a teacher at Tafheem-ul-Quran Madrassa said 850 students were enrolled in the institution, out of which 325 were female. He added the FATA Secretariat provided the school with help.

“The government has provided us with teachers and other basic necessities, promising the seminary will be upgraded to a higher level.”

Azeem explained in addition to getting religious education, parents also wanted their children to learn about the modern world. These institutes are better for both types of education, he added. According to Azeem, the seminary has a hostel facility for students with a separate section set up for female students. He claimed religious institutions were playing their role in providing guidance to the nation.



An official in the Zakat and Usher Department wishing not to be named said 318 religious institutions were currently working in Fata and the FRs, adding the FATA Secretariat was providing facilities to 22 religious institutions. The official further said the government had facilitated these institutions and provided basic facilities including teaching staff.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2013.