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