3Ts to encourage madrassas to teach regular subjects, too

NEW DELHI: In its effort to encourage madrasas to promote mainstream education along with traditional religious teachings, the Union ministry for minority affairs has called upon state governments to give proposals so that the ministry can make “3Ts”- Teacher, Tiffin, Toilet for these religious schools possible.
Addressing a conference of secretaries working on minority affairs in different states, minister for minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Friday that to strengthen the Swachh Bharat Mission, the minority affairs ministry will be constructing toilets in one lakh madrasas across the country.“This is a part of “3T”- Teacher, Tiffin, Toilet for Madrasas. The states have a crucial role to play for this programme,” he said.
Elaborating on the 3T concept, Naqvi said that the plan will be implemented only in madrasas providing mainstream education along with religious education. “By ‘Tiffin’ we mean mid-day meal to children in madrasas. All this will be put in planning for execution starting from the new financial year next month,” Naqvi said.
It is estimated that there are around 70,000 madrasas in the country. This number includes madrasas affiliated to state madrasa boards and those that are non-affiliated.
The ministry is preparing to come out with a “Madrasa Empowerment Program” which would involve providing free mid-day meals and other incentives including scholarships to students. A committee of experts was set up earlier to work out the modalities for implementation of the programme.
Naqvi reiterated that in the Union Budget 2017-18, allocation for minority affairs ministry has been increased to Rs 4,195.48 crore for 2017-18. “This is Rs 368.23 crore more than 2016-17 Budget of Rs 3,827.25 crore with an increase of about 9.6 per cent. More than 70 per cent of this budget would be utilised for educational empowerment of minorities and job-oriented programmes for them.”
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the plan will be implemented only in madrasas that provide mainstream education along with religious education.