Nepalgunj, January 11:

The Muslim community here is happy that the government has decided to recognise madrasa education and will register them for free.

The government this week decided to register the madrasas running classes up to five.

The Muslim community has been providing religious and other education in madrasas to their children since a long time.

The studies of hundreds of students studying in madrasas were not regular as the government had not given recognition to madrasa education previously.

“The government’s decision has given a sense of relief to our community which had been calling for bringing madrasas into the mainstream of national education,” chairperson of the Madrasa Islamic Association Nepal, Maulana Abdul Jabbar Manzari said.

“We are happy as the students studying in madrasas can also become doctors and engineers after this decision of the government,” Manzari said, adding that subjects like Nepali, English, Mathematics are being taught in madrasas for some years.

Earlier, there was the provision of depositing at least Rs 50,000 at the District Education Office to register a madrasa. Now, the government has made the provision of registering a madrasa free of charge. “Over 7,000 children are studying in 68 madrasas in Banke district alone,” spokesperson of the Islamic Association, Mohamad Harun said.

“The government’s decision has made the Muslim community happy,” chairperson of the Nepal Muslim Ittehad Association, Mohamad Umar Halwai said.

“A circular has been sent by the Ministry of Education and the registration process will be initiated early,” section officer at District Education Office Man Prasad Regmi said.