Child rights panel NCPCR writes to States recommending to stop funding Madrasas

New Delhi [India], October 12 (ANI): The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has written a letter to Chief Secretaries and administrators of all states and Union Territories regarding the Commission’s report ‘Guardians of Faith or Oppressors of Rights: Constitutional Rights of Children vs. Madrasas’.

The report prepared by NCPCR consists of 11 chapters mentioning the history of Madrasas and “their role in violation of educational rights of children”.

The NCPCR also recommended that state funding to the Madrasas should be stopped across all states and union territories and Madrasa Boards should be discontinued and closed down.

“The Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, is grounded in the belief that achieving values such as equality, social justice, and democracy is only possible through the provision of inclusive education for all. However, a conflicting picture between fundamental right of children and right of minority communities has been created,” the letter from NCPCR Chief Priyank Kanoongo said.

“In this regard, Commission has prepared a report titled Guardians of Faith or Oppressors of Rights: Constitutional Rights of Children vs. Madrasas. The report consists of 11 chapters touching upon different aspects of the history of Madrasas and their role in violation of educational rights of children. It is the duty of the State Governments to ensure that all children receive formal education in schools which are duly defined under Section 2(n) of the RTE Act, 2009,” it said.

The Commission also asserted that merely constituting a Board or taking a UDISE Code does not mean that the Madrasas are following the provisions of RTE Act, 2009.

“Therefore, it has been recommended that State funding to the Madrasas and Madrasa Boards be stopped across all States/UTs and Madrasa Boards should be discontinued and closed down. This is subject to the Judgment of the Supreme Court on SLP (Civil) No. 008541 of 2024 in case of Uttar Pradesh,” the Commission said.

“It has also been recommended that all non-Muslim children be taken out of Madrasas and admitted in schools for receiving fundamental education as per the RTE Act, 2009. Also, children from Muslim community who are attending Madrasa, whether recognized or unrecognized, are enrolled in formal schools and received education of the prescribed time and curriculum as per the RTE Act, 2009,” the NCPCR said.