Govt to upgrade Fazil, Kamil degrees

The government is actively considering to give Fazil and Kamil degrees of madrasa education the equal status to graduation and master degrees respectively of the general education, Education Minister Dr Osman Farruk told Parliament yesterday.

Osman Farruk told lawmaker Mohammad Giasuddin (Narayanganj-4) in a written reply that the government has plans to make the madrasa education modern and time befitting. He said to modernise madrasa education, a curriculum had already been prepared which is now under process of implementation.

Replying to another question from M Shaheed Uddin Chowdhury Anny (Laxmipur-3), Dr Osman Faruk said the government had suspended the salaries of teachers and employees of those schools and madrasas from where the pass percentage in SSC and Dakhil examinations in 2002, 2003, 2004 were between zero and 10.

Besides, the government salary of the teachers and employees of the schools, school and colleges and madrasas have also been suspended for recording zero percent pass in public examinations in two consecutive years (2003 and 2004).

He said the government salary of the teachers and employees had been suspended in those colleges where no student could pass in 2003.

Responding to Professor Shahidul Islam (Kushtia-2), he said there are around 9,000 Quami madrasas in the country now and the madrasas are being controlled by 'Refakul Madarisil Arabia' (Bangladesh Quami Madrasa Education Board).

Dr Faruk said that the government would consider controlling the Quami madrasas, if necessary.

Answering to MA Hashem (Noakhali-2), the Education Minister said the government had no plan to distribute textbook in higher secondary level at free of cost.

The government after taking the office has so far supplied 14,265 computers to different educational institutions of seven education boards, the Minister said while responding to Abu Syed M Shahadat Hossain (Jessore-2).