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Madrasa Schools to be regulated

22 Feb 2021

  • To come under State Ministry of Dhamma Schools and Bhikkhu Education

  • Aimed at promoting religious coexistence

  All religious schools in the country, including Madrasas’, are to be registered and regulated under the State Ministry of Dhamma Schools, Bhikkhu Education, Pirivenas, and Buddhist Universities, The Morning learnt. A decision was arrived at on Thursday (18) for all religious schools for lay students and institutions that educate the clergy of all religions to be brought under this state ministry. The registration of these institutions is currently under separate departments which fall under the umbrella of the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs. Speaking to The Morning on Thursday (18), State Minister of Dhamma Schools, Bhikkhu Education, Pirivenas, and Buddhist Universities Vijitha Berugoda said that the state Ministry will move forward with a programme in consultation with religious leaders and experts. This follows a discussion that took place between the state ministry and the two Ministries of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs and Education. “This decision has been taken to provide religious education whilst promoting religious coexistence. Nobody wants extremism. Plans to develop the necessary curricula and decide on how these institutions will be regulated will be made in consultation with religious leaders representing all religions and experts once my ministry is handed over this task officially,” said Berugoda. Officials and boards of directors are to be appointed to oversee the registration and regulation of religious education institutions under the State Ministry of Dhamma Schools, Bhikkhu Education, Pirivenas, and Buddhist Universities. Speaking to The Morning yesterday (21), Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Secretary Prof. Kapila Gunawardana said that this would allow the registration and regulation to be effectively monitored and implemented. “Discussions on this matter are still ongoing and we plan to appoint officials and boards of directors. Then the regulation and registration will happen properly and curricula will be introduced. At the moment only Catholic and Buddhists religious schools have a government-issued syllabus.” It is not yet clear as to whether the name of the State Ministry of Dhamma Schools, Bhikkhu Education, Pirivenas, and Buddhist Universities would be changed to reflect the new non-Buddhist religious schools which would be brought under it. However, Prof. Gunawardana said that the term “Dhamma schools” encapsulates all religious schools and is not exclusively about Buddhist religious schools. Responding to questions raised about Madrasas’ or Arabic schools and extremist religious teachings, Prof. Gunawardana said that these regulations have been taken in order to prevent extremist ideologies from being propagated through religious schools.  “The lack of regulation is what has paved the way for extremism. Currently, there is no proper way to regulate or monitor who is running these institutions, how they are being run and what is taught through them.” Following the Easter Sunday attack in 2019, Madrasas’ or Arabic schools came under intense scrutiny as allegations were made that these institutions, which provide religious education to Islamic students and prospective teachers of the religion, were propagating extremist ideologies. Meanwhile, Mohamed Shakeel, a principal of a Madrasa in Puttalam, was arrested on Wednesday (17) on charges of abetting and aiding Attorney-at-Law Hejaaz Hizbullah in connection to the Easter Sunday bomb attack.


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