Directorate General of Religious Education (DGRE)

 

  1. INTRODUCTION:

 

Madaris have been playing a significant role in the education system of Pakistan. Around three Million students are enrolled in 35000 Madaris (estimated) out of which 26,160 Madaris are registered with provincial / areas government under the society act. About 25000 Madaris are affiliated with their respective Masalik Boards i.e. five different organizations / boards (examining bodies) working under the supra-body of Madaris “Ittehad Tanzeemat-ul-Madaris Pakistan (ITMP).

 

Since creation of Pakistan various steps have been taken by the government to make reforms in Madaris through Establishment of Auqaf Department, equivalence of final degree at par with M.A. (Islamiat and Arabic), teaching formal subjects in 374 Madaris and training of 1500 teachers through workshops, introducing Dars-e-Nizami group at SSC & HSSC in general Scheme of Studies, establishment of Madrasa Board and registration of Madaris. However, there is no uniform contemporary education system available in the country for Deeni Madaris. One of the priorities of the present government is to introduce some educational reforms in Deeni Madaris to bring them at par with the educational institutions in public and private sector, under the umbrella of Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training.

 

Number of meetings held with the Itehad Tanzeemat-ul-Madaris Pakistan (ITMP) under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Federal Education & Professional Training.  After detailed deliberations on the set objectives of reformation of Deeni Madaris, the following issues and problems were realized to be addressed.

  1. Registration of Deeni Madaris with the Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training as the Madaris are Educational institutions
  2. Financial matters of Madaris (opening of Bank Account)
  3. Admission of Foreign Students / Visa policy
  4. Introduction of Technical and Vocational Education for students
  5. Equivalence of Madaris certificates and degrees and
  6. Introduction of Single National Curriculum

 

Consequently, the M/o Federal Education & Professional Training and ITMP agreed upon the following;

  1. Registration of all Deeni Madaris with M/o Federal Education & Professional Training (M/o FE&PT).
  2. Financial transparency regarding income and expenditure of Deeni Madaris.
  3. Facilitation of foreign students in their visa and admission.
  4. Introduction of technical and vocational education in Madaris and develop linkage with the job market.
  5. Ensure quality education that is in conformity with the single national curriculum.
  6. Ensure that sectarianism or any form of hate against the state or its institutions, or against any other religion or sect is not preached or taught.

 

Resultantly, an MOU was signed between Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training (M/o FE&PT) and Ittehad Tanzeemat tul Madaris Pakistan (ITMP) on 29th August, 2019. The salient features of the agreement are;

 

  1. Registration of Deeni Madaris
  1. All Deeni Madaris will get themselves registered with the Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training on already approved registration form
  2. Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training (M/o FE&PT) will establish Directorate General of Religious Education (DGRE) along with its sixteen (16) regional offices for registration of Madaris and other facilitations
  3. Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training (M/o FE&PT) will be the sole authority in the country to collect the facts / figures and other relevant information 
  4. Deeni Madaris who failed to get themselves registered with the Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training (M/o FE&PT), the federal government has to authority to shut them down.
  5. Deeni Madaris who violate the terms and conditions of registration will be liable to cancel their registration.
  1. Opening of Bank Accounts
  1. Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training (M/o FE&PT) will facilitate all the Madaris registered with the M/o FE & PT for opening of their bank account in the scheduled banks
  1. Admission of Foreign Students and Visa policy
  1. The registered Madaris will be allowed to grant admission to the foreign students. M/o FE&PT will provide facilitation for obtaining of student visa in line with the prevailing rules and regulations of Government of Pakistan
  2. Technical and Vocational Education
  1. To provide the opportunities of Technical and vocational education to Madaris Students, all the registered Madaris will be allowed to get themselves affiliated with the Board of Technical Education after SSC and HSSC.

 

  1. It was unanimously decided that Madaris will gradually introduce contemporary subjects in Deeni Madaris through their curriculum committees under a formal plan up to Metric and intermediate level in next five (05) years.

For this purpose Madaris will get them affiliated with the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education or any other examination board of the country for SSC and HSSC examination of their students as per their convenience.

 

  1. Deeni Madaris already registered under society act will be accepted by State Institutions till implementation of new registration process under Ministry of Federal Education

 

  1. PROGRESS SO FOR:
  1. Approval of the Federal Cabinet:

The case of the Education Reforms for Madaris was presented in the Federal Cabinet by the M/o FE & PT on 03-09-2019 for consideration. The Federal Cabinet made the following decision;

 

“The cabinet considered the summary titled “Deeni Madaris Reforms” dated                1st September, 2019 submitted by Federal Education & Professional Training Division and approved the concept in principle with the directions that all codal formalities will be completed for the individual measures proposed by the Ministry. The Ministry will also take all the stakeholders on board before finalizing the reforms”.

 

  1. Entry of scope of work in schedule-II (Rule of Business 1973):

A new entry on the subject “Matters relating to Deeni Madaris and mainstreaming of religious education” has been added in the schedule-II of Rule of Business 1973 and subsequently notification issued by Establishment Division on 19 Dec, 2019

 

  1. Pakistan Madrasa Education Board (PMEB) and Three Deeni Madaris:

The subject of Pakistan Madrasa Education Board (PMEB) and three model Deeni Madaris (Islamabad, Sukkar & Karachi) has been transferred from Ministry of Religious Affair and Interfaith Harmony to the Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training.

 

  1. Establishment of DGRE and 16 regional offices:

In order to strategize the implementation of the cabinet decision and the agreement between   M/o FE & PT and ITMP, Directorate General of Religious Education (DGRE) has been established as a Head Office at Islamabad which was formally inaugurated by the Federal Minister for Federal Education & Professional Training on 19th December, 2019 which is now fully functional.

 

To provide the facilitation to Madaris for registration and in other matters of Madaris 16 regional offices of DGRE which includes (Multan, Lahore, Rawalpindi/Islamabad), (Karachi, Sukkar, Hyderabad), (Peshawar, DI khan, Swat), (Quetta, Loralai, Khuzdar), (Muzaferabad, Mirpur) and (Gilgit and Skardu) and notified on 22nd October, 2019. The existing officers from National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) and Basic Education Community Schools (BECS) are transferred to DGRE and its 16 Regional Offices on attachment basis for execution of the DGRE activities.

 

 

     

Inauguration of DGRE Head Office by Federal Minister Mr. Shafqat Mehmood, Federal Secretary                               Dr. Sajid Yoosufani and Director General DGRE Muhammad Rafiq Tahir on 19th December, 2019
  1. Inauguration of 16 Regional Offices:

Regional Office Lahore has been inaugurated by Federal Secretary for Federal Education & Professional Training and is functionalized on 17 January 2020. Remaining regional offices will be inaugurated during March 2020.

 

 

 

Inauguration of DGRE Regional Office by Dr. Sajid Yoosufani and Director General DGRE Mr. Muhammad Rafiq Tahir and meeting with representative of ITMP

The Secretary for Federal Education & Professional Training and Director General DGRE visited DGRE Regional Office Peshawar on 5th February, 2020 for a meeting Secretary Elementary & Secondary Education Department and DGRE staff

 

  1. Preparation and approval of PC-1:

A PC-1 amounting to Rs. 1834.285 Million has been prepared and approved by the competent forum i.e. DDWP on 24th December, 2019. The main components of the PC-1 include Operating cost of DGRE, Financial Assistance to the Madaris for contemporary education, Trainings and workshops of the DGRE staff and Madaris etc.

 

  1. Registration Form:

The mutually agreed registration form has been printed by the printing corporation of Pakistan Press (PCP). To initiate the registration process of Deeni Madaris with Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training, an advertisement will be published in daily newspapers.

 

  1. Steering Committees:

To formulate the policies for Educational Reforms for Deeni Madaris and oversee the progress of implementation the following three committees are proposed to be constituted and notified:

  1. National Steering Committee

The Terms of References (TOR) of the National, Provincial Steering Committees and Regional Implementation Committee are mentioned are to;

  • Ensure Effective liaison with ITMP
  • Resolve issues pertaining to Madaris Reform
  • Ensure registration of all Madaris in the country
  • Verification of the data of Madaris
  • Ensure implementation of the Madaris Reforms
  • Assistance and facilitation to DGRE

 

  1. Provincial Steering Committee
  • To solve issues pertaining to Madaris Reform
  • To ensure registration of all Madaris
  • Verification of the data of Madaris
  • Reporting of any hatred and disgust speech of the Madaris
  • Implementation of the Madaris Reforms
  • Assistance and facilitation to DGRE
  1. Regional Steering Committee
  • Verification of the Data mentioned on registration form of Madaris
  • Monitoring of Madaris to comply by rules as mentioned in the Registration Form
  • Reporting of any violation by Madaris (hate speech etc.) as mentioned in Registration Form
  • Closure of un-registered Madaris on clear instruction of M/o FE & PT
  • Assistance and facilitation to DGRE
  1. National Execution Committee:

In order to implement the recommendations made in the agreement between Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training, and ITMP on 29-08-2019, a National Execution Committee comprising the following members was constituted and notified;

  • Secretary, Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training    (Chairman),
  • Additional Secretary                                                                           (Member)
  • Joint Education Advisor                                                         (Member / Secretary)
  • Five (5) heads of ITMP                                                                      (members)

 

  1. Training of DGRE Officers:

Two days Educational Reforms for Deeni Madaris specific orientation training for the sixty (60) officers of DGRE and 16 Regional Offices has been conducted on 21-22 November, 2019 at Islamabad. Now the officers are in position to handle this new assignment with enhanced potential and capacity.