Assam government converts 1281 Madrasas into general schools

GUWAHATI — The Assam government has renamed at least 1281 Madrasas across 31 districts in the state and turned them into general schools, officials said on Thursday.

Taking to his X handle, state education minister Ranoj Pegu shared the information.

He wrote, “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.”

Consequent to conversion of all Govt and Provincialised Madrasa’s into general schools under SEBA, @SchoolEdnAssam has changed the names of 1281 ME Madrasas into ME School by a notification today. Here is the link for the list of schools. @himantabiswa @Samagra_Assam…

— Ranoj Pegu (@ranojpeguassam) December 13, 2023

The order shared by Pegu read as, “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.”

A legislation was passed by the Assam government in January 2021, opening the door for all government-run Madrasas in the state to become general schools.

With the exception of private Madrasas, it had an impact on 731 Madrasas and Arabic colleges that were part of the State Madrasa Education Board, Assam Higher Secondary Education Council, and Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA).

At a rally in Karnataka in March this year, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared that his government had closed 600 Madrasas and that he intended to close all Madrasas because he preferred educational institutions over Islamic religious centers.

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