Seven madrasas to get virtual classrooms

The Maulana Azad Urdu University has begun virtual classrooms across seven madrasas in India, seeking to provide a platform to the children studying there to learn maths, science and English lessons meant for classes VIII, IX and X, thus helping them get into the mainstream education system. According to the chancellor of the university, Zafar Sareshwala, the initiative is aimed at providing holistic learning, which would help children from minority communities get integrated into the mainstream.

In India, madrasas are not classified as schools since they do not teach subjects that are considered for basic education, like maths, science and English. The Central government has also identified the lack of instruction in such subjects as a key shortcoming in formal education. Mr Sareshwala said: “The children study in madrasas for nine-10 years and have nowhere to go after that as they lack the qualifications required by the system to pursue higher education. Hence, children of the requisite age will be taught maths, science and English lessons meant for classes VIII to X, after which they will appear for the National Institute of Open Schooling exams and then go for higher education.”

Mr Sareshwala is in Mumbai for the Taleemo Tarbiyat event at Bombay Stock Exchange on Friday.