Madrassah Education in Pakistan

Wtitten by: Fatima Saleem

Islamic seminaries, with their roots traced back to Islam’s early years, have been revered for imparting knowledge of law, sciences, and philosophy. With their rich historical significance, these institutions have played a vital role in Pakistan’s educational landscape, particularly in regions with limited outreach. However, post-9/11, Madaris came under intense national and international scrutiny. This analysis delves into the role of these institutions in Pakistan’s educational system and the challenges they currently face.

Pakistan has three streams of education: madrassahs, government, and private schools. There are 43,613 (14%) madaris teaching the Dars-e-Nizami curriculum out of 313,418 educational institutions in the country. Amongst these, 78% are run by private entities, while 22% fall under the public sector. The total enrolment of students between 5 and 25 years in these institutions stands at 4.6 million (8.5% of the total enrolment), of which 2.7 million are male and 1.9 million are female. Most madrassah students hail from rural areas, with more than 60% belonging to families with less than Rs. 30000 monthly household income below the national average. Therefore, madrassah education is vital in imparting free education to impoverished people.

Different sects run these madaris. Every sect has its organization, i.e., wafaq, tanzeem, or rabita, for curriculum development, examinations, and certification under the supervision of the Directorate General of Religious Education (DGRE). DGRE works under the Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training (MoFE&PT) to help Madaris register. 10 of the 15 boards are registered with DGRE, while the remaining five converge under Ittehad-e-Tanzeemat-Madaris Pakistan (ITMP) to register their affiliated Madaris under the Societies Registration Act 1860. An overview of the registered and unregistered wafaqs in the country is given below:-

Table 1: Madrassah Boards

Source: DGRE

DGRE, in coordination with the wafaqs, has been working towards implementing a uniform curriculum and standardizing exams. It also dialogues with the government on various issues and addresses policy matters related to madrassah education. Like the contemporary schooling system, the madaris are divided into different educational levels, as highlighted in the table below.

Table 2: Educational Levels of Madaris

Source: Author

Despite their significant role in Pakistan’s educational system, madrassahs have struggled to meet modern academic standards. The lack of well-trained teachers and failure to provide skill education have reduced the job prospects of madrassah graduates. This quality gap has resulted in 86% of madrassah graduates’ re-employment in madrassahs, mosques, and low-wage occupations, underscoring the urgent need for modernization in madrassah education.

Taking cognizance of this, the government has made multiple attempts to streamline and reform madrassah education to synchronize the curriculum with contemporary socioeconomic needs, registration of madaris, and financial transparency. The most prominent of these attempts were:

• Pakistan Madrassah Education Board Ordinance 2001
• National Action Plan (NAP) 2014
• National Internal Security Policy (NISP) 2018
• Madrassah Reform Agreement 2019

Various sects run these madaris, each with its priorities and curricula, so efforts to standardize the curriculum have always faced resistance.

It is estimated that almost 18,068 (41.4%) of the total institutions are now registered. The debate surrounding the Madrassah Registration Bill 2024 highlights the politicization of these institutions. The registration of madaris under different laws (DGRE and Societies Registration Act 1860) reflects the monopolization of the system by the selected few. It would further weaken the government’s ability to participate in regulating these institutions.

The madaris funding comes from local and foreign donors (mainly from Gulf countries), including charity organizations and the states. During 2013-14, it was estimated that 80 different madaris received Rs. 300 million in funding from foreign countries. This is alarming as some of these institutions are under external influence. However, no consolidated data on Pakistan’s local and foreign annual financing of the madaris is available.

Unfortunately, the government’s approach to madrassah reforms has always been reactionary, addressing issues only during crises. Besides, a few other challenges have led to limited progress, especially in the unregistered madaris. These challenges are:-

• • Lack of Transparency in Financial Dealings
  • Trust Deficit Between the State and Religious Figures
  • Politicization of Institutions
  • Fear of Losing Autonomy

Given the challenges, the authorities have endeavored to break the monopoly to ensure inclusive representation of various segments. The DGRE has successfully implemented the National Curriculum of Pakistan in 1162 (2.6%) of the institutions.

Although efforts have been made to integrate madrassah education into the mainstream at different times, much more needs to be done. For meaningful reforms, the government may display political will and offer clear guidelines and incentives, including financial support, to drive their implementation with a supportive policy framework to address educational and sociocultural challenges.

Moreover, a holistic and inclusive approach is necessary where collaboration between religious figures, academicians, policymakers, and local communities is promoted so the system can be overhauled into a more cohesive contemporary educational model that can ultimately be integrated into the country’s mainstream.

The author can be reached at fatimasaleemraza@gmail.com