Port Blair, Apr 16: The Island’s UTCPCR, a statutory body with mandate to safeguard and propagate the Child Rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of India and the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child has been breaking its mould and making long strides in disseminating and debating the child welfare perspectives specially for the Muslim Minorities in all the corners of the country.
In the recently held Consultations on RTE and Child Rights on Muslim Minorities held at Delhi on 29th April 2017, organised by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights(NCPCR), Member of the UTCPCR Mrs Rubina Siddiqui was invited to examine possibilities and draw concerns of the muslim minorities community to ensure elementary education of children. Mrs Siddiqui emphasised that The Right to Education, which guaranteed every child in India mainstream school education irrespective of their religion, takes precedence over the Right to Religion. The consultation was also chaired by NCPCR Chairperson Mrs Stuti Kacker and attended by Mr Priyank Kanoongo (member–education), Mr Yashwant Jain (member-JJact and POCSO ).
Mrs Siddiqui viewed “Education is one of the most powerful factors for the political, social, economic or spiritual development of individuals and communities. The need of the hour is not just extra fund allocation for madrassas, but out-of-the-box thinking that includes the creation of an autonomous, independent national madrassas education board (NMEB), similar to the CBSE, managed by Muslims themselves.”
Mrs Siddiqui also highlighted how Andaman and Nicobar islands are the epitome of communal harmony and that the status of muslims in the islands is at par with other communities.
She stressed that Andaman Model should be adopted by other states of the country wherein the students of madrassas attend regular day schools and study in madrassas too. This way they are naturally integrated into the normal education system and do not face any problems when after their hugher secondary exams they choose to get into proffesional courses.
The Andaman Model got a rousing response and was much appreciated by the representatives of different states. The Reps showed interest to emulate the same in their Minorities education.
In continuation of the above, consultation the Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights(ASCPCR) invited Mrs Rubina Siddiqui as the guest of honour and technical resource person for their One Day Consultation On implementation Of Right To Education Among Minority Communities on 8th March 2017 at Kalgachia ,Barpeta,Assam. The event was attended by more than 200 stakeholders from the community.
The purpose of the consultation was to join hands with the religious and community leaders and create awareness of the rights of education as well as the need for improving the quality of education provided in. the Madrasas.
Mrs Siddiqui while airing her views underscored “Education development & skill development for employability and enhanced targeting to overcome socio economy deficiency with forward and backward linkages are the need for the hour. Madrasas would have to transform themselves accordingly. We have to transform imams into positive catalyst for bringing social changes at grass root level. Madrasas should be capacitated to tackle burning issues related to youth, women and our qauom, to guide new generations, their talents towards excellence, to empower perspective in women.”
She emphasised upon a more concerted effort and policy interventions to ensure that the Muslim Minorities education is mainstreamed
• Considering madarssa as complimentary to regular schools and giving an academic equivalence to students of madrassas so that they can move over to institutions of higher education
• Qualification from madarssas should be recognized for eligibility to participate in exams to recruit to public posts.
• The need to register madrassas under SSA was discussed to enjoy benefits like mid day meal, free text books, uniforms etc
The different Reps of the various states commissions appreciated the vision of the UTCPCR and appreciated the ideas.
