NEW DELHI: Armed with an increased budget, the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs has embarked on an ambitious Three T -- Teacher, Tiffin, and Toilet – programme to mainstream the country’s madrasas.
As part of the programme, gurukul-like schools will be set up for the minorities and one lakh toilets will be constructed in madrassas across the country. About 24 gurukul type schools have been set up in the last six months at a cost of about Rs 262 crore.
As per the government’s current plans, these minority gurukuls should be fully up and running by next year.
The ministry is proposing 40 per cent reservation for girls in these institutions.
Minister for minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said at a conference of state principal secretaries for minority welfare that the success of the scheme depends on cooperation from state governments.
Education is a major thrust area for the Minority Affairs Ministry. A high-level committee is working to chalk out a framework for the minority gurukuls.
The initiative is meant to address a major lacuna pointed out in the state of education among minority groups. According to the 2006 Sachar Committee Report, one-fourth of Muslim children in the age group of 6-14 years have either never attended school or are dropouts.
For children above the age of 17, attainment of matriculation among Muslims is 17 per cent as against the national average at 26 per cent. Only 50 per cent of Muslims who complete middle school are likely to complete secondary education, compared to 62 per cent at the national level.