Madrassa No More: Assam Renames 1281 Madrassas As 'Middle English' Schools

The Department of School Education in Assam announced on Thursday that as many as 1,281 Madrassas in the state will be renamed as Middle English (ME) schools.

The order by the state government stated that, "As per approval of the state government, the nomenclature of the 1281 Upper Primary Schools ME Madrassa under Directorate of Elementary Education, Assam shall be known as ME School with immediate effect."

The Assam education minister also shared the list of 1,281 schools whose names have been changed.

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What is the stance of the state?

State Education minister Ranoj Pegu wrote on X, "Consequent to conversion of all Govt and Provincialised Madrasas into general schools under Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA). Department of School Education, Assam has changed the names of 1281 ME Madrasas into Middle English (ME) School by a notification today."

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Why was the decision taken to rename Madrassas as Middle English (ME) schools?

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had stated that he intended to close all Madrasas because he preferred educational institutions over Islamic religious centers.

"No parent wants their children to become maulobis. This is to produce doctors, engineers, scientists, and teachers from Madrassas, instead of just a religious preacher," he said.

The Assam government had in January 2021 passed an Act for all government-run Madrasas in the state to convert to regular of general schools under the state board.

The Act had aimed to abolish the Assam Madrassa Education (Provincialization) Act, 1995 and the Assam Madrassa Education (Provincialization of Services of Employees and Re-Organisation of Madrassa Educational Institutions) Act, 2018.

Earlier in March, CM Sarma had said that he had shut down 600 madrasas, and is going to continue to do so.

Around 1,40,000 students are enrolled in more than 600 government-run madrasas in Assam, as per 2021 data by Assam Madrassa Teachers¡¯ Association (AMTA).

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