Madrasas to teach Sanskrit in Uttarakhand: Waqf Board chairman

'It should be a top priority for our kids to learn our languages. In order to teach both languages, we will appoint Sanskrit acharyas and Arabic teachers in our madrasas,' the state Waqf Board's chairman Shadab Shams claimed.

Madrasas in Uttarakhand that are registered under the state Waqf Board will now teach Sanskrit, announced the chairman on Wednesday.

As per a report in The Indian Express, students will now be able to study Sanskrit and Arabic in addition to English in madrasas. The Waqf Board's chairman Shadab Shams claimed that the curriculum will combine scientific knowledge and Islamic studies.

Along with this, Shams promised to implement the NCERT curriculum in madrasas and improve their infrastructure.

Shams had announced last year that all madrasas run by the Waqf Board would have a uniform dress code, and classes from 8 am to 2 pm, just like other schools.

He added that a committee would be formed by the Uttarakhand government to inspect every madrasa in the state.

In conversation with IE, Shams said that the people of Devbhoomi differ from one another, thus, their education system ought to be unique as well.

“The people of Devbhoomi are different from others. If our language, culture, and traditions are different from others, then our education pattern should also be different from others. Our children should learn our languages and prioritise that.”

It should be a top priority for our kids to learn our languages. In order to teach both languages, we will appoint Sanskrit acharyas and Arabic teachers in our madrasas. Arabic, English, and Sanskrit will all be spoken by our children, he added.

The Uttarakhand Waqf Board is in charge of 117 madrasas. Four of these will be turned into model madrasas in the first phase by the board, one in each of the districts of Dehradun, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar, and Nainital.

“There will be namaz five times in the model madrasas. After the early morning namaz at around 6:30 am, an hour will be designated for Quran studies. From 8 am to 2 pm, the madrasa will run like a proper school. During that time, a school uniform would be mandatory just like any English-medium school,” Shams said.

The implementation of Sanskrit in madrasas is favoured by spiritual leaders, Shams added. He also appealed to them to adopt madrasas having less funds.