The teachers of Ebtedayee madrasahs saw a ray of hope when the chief adviser recently approved more than a thousand such institutions for MPO enlistment. However, that hope is now fading away as the government has decided to exclude a significant number of the approved institutions, citing the excuse that they do not meet the criteria for possessing a sufficient amount of land. According to a report published in a Bangla daily yesterday, Chief Adviser (CA) Dr Muhammad Yunus lately gave final approval to some 1,089 madrasahs. But some 609 madrasas are now set to be excluded, as the CA office has decided to follow the 2018 MPO policy instead of the new 2025 policy.

It is mentionable here that the 2018 policy stipulates that Ebtedayee madrasahs must have a certain amount of their own land in order to be eligible for the MPO enlistment, which most of them do not have. On the other hand, the new policy of 2025, which has relaxed this condition, is not being followed. It is quite surprising that authorities follow the previous policy when the latest policy is in place and there has already been a precedent of following the latter. Reportedly, they are doing so, fearing the extra expenditure.

We know that a considerable number of students receive education at these Ebtedayee madrasahs, the primary-level educational institutions under the madrasah board. But teachers of these madrasahs can scarcely get a sufficient amount of salary and have to spend days in financial hardship. It was obviously a part of the government’s efforts to change this situation, integrate these institutions into the country’s mainstream education system and ensure a unified national education system, ending long-standing disparities in this sector. If these institutions were enlisted as MPO institutions, it would not only reduce teachers’ hardship but also improve the quality of education. And if 60% of the institutions are now excluded, it will amount to going back on CA’s words and largely fail the purpose of unifying the country’s education system.

Therefore, the government should enlist all the approved Ebtedayee madrasahs, if necessary, by relaxing the criteria for land possession. This will certainly be an effective step towards enhancing the country’s education system and mainstreaming the madrasah education.