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Female Madrasas in Pakistan: a Response to Modernity

Abstract

Exploring the intrinsic appeal and practical benefits of Madrasas and gauging reason for the rise in female enrollment rate within Madrasas in Pakistan.

The paper examines the rise in Madrasas enrollment rate in Pakistan and aims to ascertain whether preference for Islamic education arises solely as a result of religious beliefs. Interviews of parents, teachers, students and members of Muslim education board conducted from 8 districts across Pakistan reveals that Islamic education is considered complementary to worldly education whereby Islamic education is responsible for teaching females cultural and religious values that allows them to dutifully perform their role as a wife, mother and daughter. Madrasas provide a means to increase social contact whereas knowledge of the religion further allows females to enhance their social status and explore earning opportunities for disseminating the knowledge.

The study emphasizes that the economic and cultural change experienced as a result of globalization results in females to express desire to attain education and seek job but the lack of educational and employment opportunities within  Pakistan means that education from Madrasas is sought in order to cope up with uncertainties of life. Therefore, Islamic education is an informal education system that is not destructive of the development process. The paper concludes that although religious beliefs have an intrinsic appeal and drive female enrollment to Madrasas, the decision of enrollment is also based on realistic benefits and is a logical response to the socio-economic and cultural changes faced by parents and daughters. 

Publishing Year: 2010

Attached File:

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