EDUCATIONAL INCLUSION OF MUSLIM CHILDREN:
EXPLORING THE CHALLENGES AND INCLUSIVE STRATEGIES
Dr. Sajid Jamal
And
Dr. Abdul Raheem
Associate Professor,
Maulana Azad National Urdu University,
College of Teacher Education, Bhopal
Associate Professor,
Maulana Azad National Urdu University,
College of Teacher Education, Srinagar
shadansj07@rediffmail.com
araheemedu@gmail.com, abdulraheem_011@yahoo.com
INTRODUCTION
 In most of the developed countries, education is free and
compulsory up to the elementary stage
 This importance of education is given due weightage in the
constitution of India and it laid down under the Directive Principles
of State Policy, that “the state shall endeavour to provide within
a period of 10 years from the commencement of this
Constitution for the free and compulsory education of all
children until they complete the age of 14 years.”
INTRODUCTION
 The Muslims along with the other weaker sections of the society have
been benefited with the programmes and India is now in the position of
100% enrolments at elementary level but there exists wide disparities
among the socio-religious communities of India, Muslim children being at
the lowest in hierarchy of almost all indicators related to UEE.
 And, (that is why) the RTE Act–2009 come into existence which
guarantees free and compulsory elementary education of the
children of age group 6-14 in neighbourhood schools.
INTRODUCTION
 Access and equity in enrolment, ensuring the retention, minimum
level of learning and quality are the demand of the RTE Act–2009.
 Now, in this context, it becomes necessary to look into the matter
of educational exclusion of Muslim children so that proper
strategies may be chalked out to include them in the mainstream
and to let them benefit from RTE Act-2009 because these are the
darken side of the same enlightened coin of UEE in India.
Certain ground realities about the participation of Muslim
minority children in (elementary) education:
 Sachar Committee Report reveals that literacy levels amongst
SCs/STs have increased at a faster rate than for other SRCs
(Socio-Religious communities) leaving behind Muslims
 Mean Years of Schooling (MYS) average is 4 years. The MYS of
Muslims is the lowest (about 3 years 4 months).
Certain ground realities about the participation of Muslim
minority children in (elementary) education:
 Despite the positive recommendations of different Committees, in
many states, there is a dearth of facilities for teaching Urdu. The
number of Urdu medium schools is very less in most States
 As many as 25 per cent of Muslim children in the 6-14 year age
group have either never attended school or have dropped out.
This is higher than that of any other SRCs
Certain ground realities about the participation of Muslim
minority children in (elementary) education:
 Draft report on Magnitude of child labour in India by National
Commission for Protection of Child Rights reveal that in 5-14 years
of age group the maximum participation in child work force is
from the Muslim community
 Though the all-India literacy level of Muslims are somewhat
satisfactory, stratified analysis of state data, by internal
stratification, place of residence and by gender, presents a less
flattering picture of the status of Muslims (Sachar Committee
Report)
Identifying Causes of Educational Exclusion of Muslim
minority children:
 Social causes: Lack of awareness, motivation and social hindrance
like caste system, purdah system, etc.
 Economical causes:

As it has double effect, unable to pay educational expenses, child
labour resulting in immediate return

Lack of motivation and scholarship for the Muslim children at all
the levels of education

Poor health and sanitation condition, under nourished children,
etc., causes absenteeism and dropouts
Identifying Causes of Educational Exclusion of Muslim
minority children: Educational causes

Illiteracy of Muslim parents as well as being the first generation
learners

Living in remote areas, no nearby schools, etc. causes nonenrolment, non-attendance and finally dropout.

Lack of access to government and good public/private schools
for Muslim children, insufficient number of (quality) schools
providing the elementary education through Urdu as medium of
instruction also contribute towards non-enrollment and dropouts.
Identifying Causes of Educational Exclusion of Muslim
minority children: Educational causes

Sometimes the non-availability of teachers from their
community develops the feeling of insecurity of their traditions
and cultures

Non availability of good books develop negative interest in
teaching learning and consequently contribute to the
absenteeism from the school.
Identifying Causes of Educational Exclusion of Muslim
minority children:
Political causes: The policies framed by the government in real
spirit sometimes do not reach adequately to the targeted
sections because of loopholes in the channel system
Consequences of Educational Exclusion of Muslim Minority
Children:
The deprivation of elementary education (either dropped out or low
quality) leads to
further deprivation of secondary, senior secondary and higher
education and ultimately of employment and livelihood.
These consequences not only have the impact on the particular
excluded group for a year or more, it encompasses generations to
generations.
.
Strategies for Educational Inclusion of Muslim Minority Children:
Social inclusion of Muslim children

First of all, it is required that the Muslims must the change
their attitude about themselves and make serious efforts to
be educated.This will help in real access to the important
resources of school and society, i.e., teachers and well off
personalities. This requires mass and targeted campaigns by
the government as well as NGOs under RTE Act, 2009.
Strategies for Educational Inclusion of Muslim Minority
Children:
 Economic inclusion of Muslim children:

Reservation for Muslims in education at all levels and employment
taking into consideration of all the internal stratification of Muslim
community.

Scholarship for the needy Muslim children at all the levels of
education, i.e., elementary, secondary, senior secondary and higher
education.
 Special health awareness and camp programme along with ensuring
the availability of mobile hospitals to such schools or locality where ill
health cases may arise.
Strategies for Educational Inclusion of Muslim Minority Children:
Educational inclusion of Muslim children
 Targeting the Muslim population in Adult/Continuing education
programmes and literacy awareness march under RTE Act provision.
 There should be sufficient number of schools (colleges) providing the
elementary (secondary, higher secondary and the higher) education
through the Urdu as medium of instruction. The RTE Act should take into
consideration of these peripheries for the inclusion of Muslim children at
the elementary level.
 When a Muslim child has been enrolled in particular class, as per the
RTE Act provisions, the school should be given responsibility for the
retention till he/she completes the elementary education.
Strategies for Educational Inclusion of Muslim Minority
Children: Educational inclusion of Muslim children
 There should be sufficient number of Government and public/private
schools with good infrastructural facilities and learning environment to
ensure quality education and the participation of the targeted Muslim
population should be ensured under RTE Act.
 Higher drop-out rate among Muslim girls is due to the non-availability of
schools within easy reach for girls at lower levels of education, absence
of girl’s hostels, absence of female teachers and availability of
scholarships as they move up the education ladder have also been
pointed out by Sachar Committee. A special targeting programme and
policies needs to be framed to ensure the retention and completion of
elementary education of the girl children under RTE Act.
Strategies for Educational Inclusion of Muslim Minority
Children: Educational inclusion of Muslim children
 Madarsas should also be entrusted and given responsibility for
elementary education of the children of Muslim minority by giving
proper financial aids and facilities under RTE Act.
Strategies for Educational Inclusion of Muslim Minority Children:
Political inclusion of Muslim children
 It must be insured that the Muslim Minority (children) including all within
stratifications are getting the benefits of the various planning and
governmental schemes.
 Government provisions as per the recommendations made NPE-1986 for the
betterment of SC and ST may prove to be fruitful for the Muslim minority children
also.
 Under RTE Act, the government should make priorities along these lines to
(qualitative) include educationally the children of the largest minority of India at
elementary level.
Conclusion:
 Educational inclusion of the Muslim minority children requires a
long-term strategic planning.
 RTE Act, while tackling educational exclusion of Muslim minority
children requires a multi-faceted approach to action on a number
of fronts.
 If only one aspect is considered and taken care off (e.g.
education), the success will be unlikely because other aspects of
exclusion will prevent effective progress.
 Whatever the laws, policies and programmes made, it is the
duty of the government to enforce them tactfully.
Thank U