Prime minister says highest Qawmi madrasa degree will get post-graduate status

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said the government has decided to make the highest Qawmi madrasa certificate equivalent to post-graduate degree.

She made the announcement when a group of several hundred teachers and employees led by convenor of the Qawmi Madrasa Education Law Review Committee Maulana Fariduddin Masud and Chairman of Qawmi Madrasa Board Shah Ahmed Shafi saw her at the Ganabhaban on Tuesday.

“The Hadith certificate issued by the Qawmi Madrasa will be equivalent to master's degree in Islamic Studies and Arabic Literature,” the prime minister announced.

“With this recognition, a large number of madrasa students will now choose the right path and be able to apply for government jobs. Since their degree had not been recongnised, they were deprived of many opportunities,” she said.

However, there is a demand from certain groups for abolishing the madrasa education in Bangladesh as these are considered to be the breeding ground for terrorism.

Qawmi madrasa education has been part of the education system in this region since the British period. Currently, some 1.4 million students study in 14000 Qawmi madrasas in the country.