The landscape of education in Assam underwent a substantial transformation as the State Education Department officially announced the conversion of 1,281 Madrasas into Middle English Schools. The Assam Secondary Education Board facilitated the conversion of these government and provincially recognized Madrasas into mainstream educational institutions. Under the purview of SEBA, the Assam State Education Department successfully transitioned 1,281 Madrasas into Middle English Schools.
The Evolution: From Madrasas to Mainstream Education
At the onset of the year, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed the desire to close all Madrasas and Islamic religious schools within the state. This move culminated in a legislative enactment by the Assam government in January 2021, clearing the path to transform all government-affiliated Madrasas into normal schools. The impact of this decision was felt across 731 Madrasas and Arabic colleges, entities that were part of the Assam Madrasa Education Board, the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council, and the Secondary Education Board, Assam (SEB).
In a rally held in March, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reiterated the closure of 600 Madrasas, reaffirming the intent to shutter all such institutions, prioritizing educational establishments over Islamic religious centers.
Official Notifications and Renaming Institutions
In alignment with this shift, the department released a notification on December 13th, announcing the renaming of these institutions. The notification specified that, as per government approval on December 4th, 2023, the listed primary high schools will immediately be known as “Middle English Schools” under the Directorate of Elementary Education, Assam. It’s important to note that the current government in Assam is led by the BJP.
Bridging Education: Reserved Seats in Engineering Colleges
Simultaneously, the Assam government took a decisive step to reserve 5% of seats in engineering colleges for students from state-run schools. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted that this decision aimed to encourage higher enrollment in state-operated schools.