Madrassah graduates and the labour market

[mAd_ScIeNtIsT]

A very interesting article found in Dawn today. The author makes a very valid point that trying to force madrassahs to teach English, Maths, and Science is much less usefule than instead teaching them vocation skills, such as how to do plumbing, how to be car mechanics, electricians, etc.

http://www.dawn.com/2011/10/14/madrassa-graduates-and-labour-market-mismatches.html

he proliferation of madrassa education in Pakistan has contributed to labour market mismatches. According to the Pakistan government’s own statistics in 2008 alone twice as many students were enrolled in the 12,500 madrassas than in the 124-odd universities.

Given the curriculum taught in madrassas, most graduates are ill-equipped for gainful employment in a knowledge-based economy. Such graduates, frustrated by their limited or non-existent employment prospects, have often gravitated towards militancy and extremism.

The madrassa graduates were initially disadvantaged in the competitive labour markets because their asnaad (diplomas) were not recognised by those outside the religious establishment. The fix was however provided by the Zia regime in 1982 when the University Grants Commission decreed that madrassa diplomas were equivalent to an MA in Arabic or Islamic Studies.

Despite the equivalency for academic credentials, the madrassa graduates did not experience any meaningful increase in their employability in the urban employment markets where the services sector had emerged as the major provider of employment.

The challenge remains as to how one can integrate madrassa graduates in the workforce, thus preventing them from joining extremist organisations. The madrassa reforms, which advocate introducing English, math and science in the madrassa curricula, have largely been ineffective and ill-conceived. Such reforms fail to appreciate the self-selection bias inherent in madrassa enrolments. Those who are more likely to fail in English, math and science subjects end up in madrassas. Revising the curriculum by adding these subjects will lead to higher failure rates, which would further add to frustration of madrassa students.

Instead of teaching English or math, I would recommend vocational training for all madrassa students. Despite the economic hardship, Pakistan boasts a growing, albeit struggling at times, middle class that sustains the demand for new homes, cars, and motorcycles. Pakistan needs electricians, plumbers, motor mechanics and other similar craftsmen who can demand a decent wage in the current market place. Furthermore, with some technical experience gained in Pakistan, the madrassa graduates can search for similar work in the Middle East where they can earn higher wages for their skills, which will also include some fluency in Arabic.

Without any vocational training for madrassa graduates we will only compound our security concerns in Pakistan.

[Muzna]

Re: Madrassah graduates and the labour market

excellent suggestion by the author.....

[BindazChakkar]

Re: Madrassah graduates and the labour market

why is this a this or that? don't students need all of the above? maths, science, languages AND vocational skills?

curious - at present you mean all they are taught is religious studies and none of the above? that'd make it impossible for the grads to make a living

[Janjua39]

Re: Madrassah graduates and the labour market

Right. This is all well and good in writing. First establish good government schools. Then move onto madrassas. You will see a decline in madrassa students if your government provides good education for all.

Also, government should employ the current big name madrassas, Jamia Binoria and Darul-uloom Karachi come to mind, they can lay out their curriculum to be used for all across the country.

[javedmiandad]

Re: Madrassah graduates and the labour market

This concept of one group of people study the sciences in University and other group study only on deen, example today in pakistan it called madrassah never occurred during era of islamic state.

During islamic rule the study of maths, science, arts and deen took place in same univeristy of educational establishment it only started to sperate after destruction of islamic state when the ideas of secualrism took hold and enforced deen be removed from politics and all spheres of influence including education. Resulting in places like madrassahs like we have today.

[BindazChakkar]

Re: Madrassah graduates and the labour market

^ Pakistan is or was ever secular? not at all.

The madrassas are that way because that is what whoever fund them designed them that way

[Zakk]

Isn't that reinforcing the divided education system

[BindazChakkar]

Re: Madrassah graduates and the labour market

it is divisive ofcourse. Question is, do you unify it on the deen only side which would be catastrophic or on the science side

[Shak_killS]

Re: Madrassah graduates and the labour market

madrassahs only thrive because of poverty, if there are enough state schools with free schooling and free meals, many kids will not be sent to these un regulated madrassahs. in my observation people who cant afford it or they fail to control these kids or these kids are not doing well at school. all indicate failure or primary and secondary education system in the country.

[Doppleganger]

Re: Madrassah graduates and the labour market

The government has to set up some standards, but when they run around like beggars and the country is ruled by presidential ordinances (where is the parliament?), then what do you expect?

[HinduBaniya]

Re: Madrassah graduates and the labour market

Madrasa, like any other religious school failed to evolve with the modern time. If the teacher is not well informed, how can he impart knowledge to the students? Most of the parents who send their children to Madrasa hv high birth rate and low earning. The end result is ‘Talibaan’. Who are ignorant of modern systems and unable to cope up with the contemporary time. I met various madrassa students in India too, who just wanted to go to Saudi or other gulf country to preach Islam. This kind of thinking is prevalent in entire SAARC countries. This vicious circle is one of the reasons of poverty amongst Muslims. They feel very comfortable, cocooned in madrasa but when they come out, their acceptability in employment is negative. I feel modern education should be the core of any educations system. Any education that fails to provide a better life is useless.