KOZHIKODE: Following the bitter lessons of the Confederation of Islamic Colleges (CIC) experiment, the Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulama has decided to evolve its own education system that synthesises the religious and secular streams.
According to the plan, students who complete SSLC will have two options. Those who want to study Islam can opt for a course whose stress will be in-depth religious studies. They will also be imparted elementary lessons in secular subjects.
Accent of the second stream will be on secular topics and it is intended to help students pursue those subjects in an Islamic environment. This course is envisaged in the manner to equip students to scale new heights in secular jobs even while nurturing Islamic principles. The aim of the first course is to mould Islamic scholars with calibre and the second one to create bureaucrats and other professionals with moral integrity and values.
It is learnt the Samastha found that the blending of religious and secular streams, followed in the Wafy-Wafiyya courses, had failed to serve their purpose. Both religious and secular content are given equal importance in the Wafy-Wafiyya stream, but under the new system students can select whichever stream they want to pursue. The courses will be started in selected colleges under the Samastha in the initial stage and will be monitored directly by Samastha scholars.
The Wafy-Wafiyya system will also be continued and Samastha hopes that the decision on the resignation of the CIC general secretary Abdul Hakeem Faizi will be taken by Panakkad Syed Saqdiq Ali Shihab Thangal at an appropriate time. It is learnt that some of the colleges that offer Wafy-Wafiyya courses have expressed their interest to shift to the new system.
Meanwhile, the first meeting to explain Samastha’s stand on the developments after Hakeem Faizi’s resignation convened by feeder organisations will be held at Kuttiady on March 11. The venue was moved from Rahmaniyya Arabic College Katameri to Kuttiady following interventions. Samastha leaders Koyyode Umar Musaliyar, A V Abdulrahman Musaliyar, Abdul Hameed Faizi Ambalakkadavu, K Moyinkutty and Sathar Panthaloor will speak.
Another meeting will be held at Mannarkkad on March 14 which will be attended by Samastha president Syed Muhammad Jiffiri Muthukoya Thangal. The meeting called by Samastha will be held on March 15 in Malappuram.