madrasa education: the bangladeshi experience mohammad niaz asadullah university of reading world...
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Madrasa Education: The Madrasa Education: The Bangladeshi ExperienceBangladeshi Experience
Mohammad Niaz AsadullahMohammad Niaz AsadullahUniversity of ReadingUniversity of Reading
World Bank-DFID South Asia Regional World Bank-DFID South Asia Regional Conference on Education for AllConference on Education for All
24-26 October 200724-26 October 2007
IntroductionIntroduction In Muslim countries, madrasas are inIn Muslim countries, madrasas are in the spotlight for the spotlight for
wrong reasons wrong reasons Religious militancy; Religious militancy; extremism; poor labour market extremism; poor labour market
demanddemand
Reform option: Reform option: Threat of closure vs. fiscal incentives.Threat of closure vs. fiscal incentives. Many argue against incentives on the following Many argue against incentives on the following
grounds:grounds: Islamic schools reject state interferenceIslamic schools reject state interference Curriculum reform doesn’t imply quality educationCurriculum reform doesn’t imply quality education Reform may not benefit girlsReform may not benefit girls
curriculum modernisation does not remove gender curriculum modernisation does not remove gender gap, an important MDG target gap, an important MDG target
Social polarizationSocial polarization
OutlineOutline
Part 1: Stylized facts about Part 1: Stylized facts about “modernized” madrasa education “modernized” madrasa education sector in Bangladeshsector in Bangladesh
Evidence from administrative dataEvidence from administrative data
Part 2: Evidence from survey dataPart 2: Evidence from survey data Do madrasa children have lower test Do madrasa children have lower test
score?score? Does religious education lead to polarized Does religious education lead to polarized
world views?world views?
Part 1: Education in BangladeshPart 1: Education in Bangladesh
Structure (1)Structure (1)
Secondary schooling system: 3 parallel streams Secondary schooling system: 3 parallel streams i. Secular: private/public schools i. Secular: private/public schools
Uniform cUniform curriculum: 10% religionurriculum: 10% religion
ii. Religious (pii. Religious (private), recognised (Aliyah)rivate), recognised (Aliyah) Government madrasa board (est 1979)Government madrasa board (est 1979) Open to employment of Hindu and female teachersOpen to employment of Hindu and female teachers Uniform curriculum: 50% religionUniform curriculum: 50% religion
Maths, Bengali, English, geography/science: grades 1-10Maths, Bengali, English, geography/science: grades 1-10
iii. Religious (piii. Religious (private), unrecognised (Quomi)rivate), unrecognised (Quomi) No single recognised board/associationNo single recognised board/association
7 regional boards (100-2000 members per association)7 regional boards (100-2000 members per association) established between 1959 and 1979established between 1959 and 1979
Part 1: Education in BangladeshPart 1: Education in Bangladesh
Structure (2)Structure (2) iii. Religious (piii. Religious (private), unrecognised rivate), unrecognised
(Quomi)(Quomi)
Majority inspired by Deoband (India) system Majority inspired by Deoband (India) system (established in 1866)(established in 1866)
Co-education not permissible Co-education not permissible Predominantly single sex, all-boysPredominantly single sex, all-boys
No single curriculumNo single curriculum share of modern subjects vary: share of modern subjects vary: 40%-100% 40%-100%
religionreligion grades 1-6/8: Maths, Bengali, English, geography etcgrades 1-6/8: Maths, Bengali, English, geography etc Grade 9 and onwards: 100% religious studiesGrade 9 and onwards: 100% religious studies
Part 1: Education in BangladeshPart 1: Education in Bangladesh
SizeSize PrimaryPrimary
8% [6,871 against aprxm 80,401 formal primary 8% [6,871 against aprxm 80,401 formal primary schools] schools]
SecondarySecondary 32% [8,407 at post-primary level against 17,389 32% [8,407 at post-primary level against 17,389
formal secondary schools]formal secondary schools] 15% of total PPE enrolment15% of total PPE enrolment
In contrast, Madrasas in Pakistan account for less than 1% of In contrast, Madrasas in Pakistan account for less than 1% of total school enrolment. total school enrolment.
Huge growth between 1980 and 2000 Huge growth between 1980 and 2000
Unregistered madrasas? Unregistered madrasas? Estimates vary between 4,000-16,000 (including Estimates vary between 4,000-16,000 (including
primary)primary)
Part 1: Education in BangladeshPart 1: Education in Bangladesh Stylized facts (1)Stylized facts (1)
The most-feminized and largest co-ed The most-feminized and largest co-ed madrasa system in the world!madrasa system in the world!
Table 1: Profile of recognised secondary schools and madrasas in Bangladesh (2003)
Madrasa School
# of madrasas
(in %) % co-ed
% of female
teachers
% of female
students # of schools
(in %) % co-ed
% of female
teachers
% of female
students Rural 92.4 88.0 5.8 47 86.5 79.8 15.0 53 Urban 7.5 76.5 11.6 39 13.5 58.7 35.4 51
All area 100
[N=8407] 87.0
6.2
46
100
[N=17389] 76.9
19.2
53
Co-ed higher secondary classrooms Co-ed higher secondary classrooms (i)(i)
Co-ed higher secondary classrooms (ii)Co-ed higher secondary classrooms (ii)
Co-ed higher secondary Co-ed higher secondary classrooms (iii)classrooms (iii)
Part 1: Education in BangladeshPart 1: Education in Bangladesh Stylized facts (2)Stylized facts (2)
Comprises of large number of potential “converts” i.e. Comprises of large number of potential “converts” i.e. formerly formerly traditional madrasastraditional madrasas
0.11 0.66
16.55
38.99
3.30 3.51 4.62
7.925.51
4.14 4.462.80
7.42
0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
30.00
35.00
40.00
45.00
1800-1850
1851-1900
1901-1947
1948-19711972
19731974
19751976
19771978
19791980
# of madrasas as a % of totalconverts (N=4393)
Part 1: Education in BangladeshPart 1: Education in Bangladesh Public subsidy schemes (1)Public subsidy schemes (1)
Scheme 1: Since 1980, registered Scheme 1: Since 1980, registered madrasas eligible for teacher salary aid madrasas eligible for teacher salary aid Schools also benefit from this schemeSchools also benefit from this scheme
90% of teacher salary is paid by the state90% of teacher salary is paid by the state
Scheme 2: Since 1994, registered Scheme 2: Since 1994, registered secondary schools and madrasas secondary schools and madrasas admitting girlsadmitting girls eligible for eligible for developmental funds as part of the developmental funds as part of the “Female Stipend” scheme “Female Stipend” scheme
Part 1: Education in BangladeshPart 1: Education in Bangladesh Public subsidy schemes (1)Public subsidy schemes (1)
Key questionsKey questions Is feminisation linked to incentives? Is feminisation linked to incentives? Is adoption of “modernise” curriculum Is adoption of “modernise” curriculum
induced by incentives? induced by incentives? Did previously-traditional madrasas Did previously-traditional madrasas
additionally open their gates to females?additionally open their gates to females? ““co-eds” today BUT “all-boys” yesterday?co-eds” today BUT “all-boys” yesterday?
Evidence?Evidence? No data on pre-reform, traditional No data on pre-reform, traditional
madrasasmadrasas Data from Census of secondary schools and Data from Census of secondary schools and
Aliyah madrasas (2003)Aliyah madrasas (2003)
Part 1: Education in Bangladesh Part 1: Education in Bangladesh Public subsidy schemes (2)Public subsidy schemes (2)
% of female teachers % of female students Year Madrasa School Madrasa School 1970 - 7.2 4.3 18.4 1975 0.1 8.6 4.6 25.0 1980 0.1 10.1 4.9 26.1 1985 0.1 10.1 7.8 32.6 1990 0.8 9.7 7.7 33.9 1995 1.7 13.9 30.1 47.0 2000 3.5 15.1 39.4 52.6 2003 6.5 19.2 46.8 53.2
Table: Sex-composition of students and Table: Sex-composition of students and teachers in post-primary madrasas in teachers in post-primary madrasas in
Bangladesh, 1970-2003Bangladesh, 1970-2003
Part 1: Education in Bangladesh Part 1: Education in Bangladesh Public subsidy schemes (3)Public subsidy schemes (3)
Census of secondary schools and madrasas, Census of secondary schools and madrasas, 20032003
Use data on year of establishment of registered onesUse data on year of establishment of registered ones
Distribution of “converts” (formerly unregistered madrasas established before 1980) by registration date Year of registration Pre-1980 1980--1992 1993--2004 Total 120 3,384 444 3,948 (3.04) (85.71) (11.25) (100)
Part 1: Education in Bangladesh Part 1: Education in Bangladesh Public subsidy schemes (4)Public subsidy schemes (4)
““Converts” predominantly co-educational.. Converts” predominantly co-educational.. opened their gates to girls.opened their gates to girls.
Figure: Sex-orientation of post- and pre-reform registered madrasas
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
Post-1980 reform Pre-1980 reform Boys Girls Coed Boys Girls Coed
school madrasa
Part 2: Evidence from survey Part 2: Evidence from survey data:data:
Study 1: Learning Achievement in Study 1: Learning Achievement in Madrasas (1)Madrasas (1)
Asadullah et al., Asadullah et al., Economics of Economics of Education ReviewEducation Review, 2007 , 2007 SampleSample
Rural registered schools (N= 227) and Rural registered schools (N= 227) and madrasas (N=94)madrasas (N=94)
20 Maths questions20 Maths questions Very low overall score Very low overall score Madrasas (36%) vs. schools (38%)Madrasas (36%) vs. schools (38%)
Part 2: Evidence from survey Part 2: Evidence from survey datadata
Study 1: Learning Achievement in Study 1: Learning Achievement in Madrasas (2)Madrasas (2) Regression Analysis Controlling forRegression Analysis Controlling for
Individual Individual FamilyFamily School School TeacherTeacher
There’s no difference in the quality of There’s no difference in the quality of formal secondary schools and registered formal secondary schools and registered madrasas once we account for the selective madrasas once we account for the selective nature of student intakesnature of student intakes
Secular, government-aided schools not necessarily of Secular, government-aided schools not necessarily of superior qualitysuperior quality
Part 2: Evidence from survey Part 2: Evidence from survey datadata
Study 2: Attitudes and values Study 2: Attitudes and values Derivate Study from a Larger Study involving a Derivate Study from a Larger Study involving a
random rural sample of 231 non-religious random rural sample of 231 non-religious secondary schools and 94 secondary madrasas secondary schools and 94 secondary madrasas 1000 Teachers (335 Madrasa Teachers)1000 Teachers (335 Madrasa Teachers) 191 Females who graduated from a random sub-sample 191 Females who graduated from a random sub-sample
of secular and madrasa schools (61)of secular and madrasa schools (61) Detailed current and retrospectively matched Detailed current and retrospectively matched
school/teacher informationschool/teacher information
Impact of the madrasa reform on social integration?Impact of the madrasa reform on social integration? No divide in attitude towards democracy No divide in attitude towards democracy Some divide in fertility preference and gender equitySome divide in fertility preference and gender equity
BUT…….BUT……. Presence of female teachers significantly close the Presence of female teachers significantly close the
attitudinal gap between madrasa and school graduatesattitudinal gap between madrasa and school graduates
Questions on Social and Questions on Social and Economic Attitudes Economic Attitudes
Sub-set of Questions from Sub-set of Questions from World Values World Values SurveySurvey Attitudes towards working mothersAttitudes towards working mothers Desired FertilityDesired Fertility Higher education for boys vis-à-vis girlsHigher education for boys vis-à-vis girls Political regimes (military, Islamic, secular)Political regimes (military, Islamic, secular)
Teacher-Student Matched Teacher-Student Matched Analysis: Empirically Focus on Analysis: Empirically Focus on
2 Questions2 Questions
(1)(1) Does the madrasa system produce Does the madrasa system produce students with polarized views ?students with polarized views ?
(2)(2) How are these views modulated by:How are these views modulated by:(a)(a) ‘‘Traditionalist’Traditionalist’(b)(b) Female/Secular TeachersFemale/Secular Teachers
(3)(3) Regression Analysis Controlling forRegression Analysis Controlling for Individual Individual FamilyFamily CommunityCommunity School School TeacherTeacher
Yes, There are Differences in Yes, There are Differences in Attitudes,Attitudes,
But Female Teachers Help to But Female Teachers Help to Attenuate the Polarization Effect Attenuate the Polarization Effect
of Madrasasof Madrasas Differences in attitudes of madrasa Differences in attitudes of madrasa
graduates regarding demographic graduates regarding demographic decision, investment in female education, decision, investment in female education, and Islamic rule – are all greatly reduced and Islamic rule – are all greatly reduced by exposure to female teachersby exposure to female teachers
Findings confirm a broad consensus in Findings confirm a broad consensus in the development literature that female the development literature that female teachers are a key agent of social changeteachers are a key agent of social change