Is Bihar's Madrasa Curriculum Putting Children At Risk? NCPCR Chief Questions UNICEF's Role

Priyank Kanoongo, the chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), expressed serious concerns regarding the "radical" curriculum allegedly being taught in government-funded madrasas in Bihar, on Sunday.

Kanoongo's concerns were primarily directed at the content of certain books being used in these institutions, which he claims label non-Islamic individuals as "Kafirs" (infidels), as reported by Hindustan Times.

Photo Credit: X

Bihar's Madrasa Curriculum

Kanoongo highlighted that the Bihar Madrasa Board had acknowledged the involvement of UNICEF India in preparing the curriculum. He criticized this collaboration, calling it the "height of appeasement" by both the Bihar Madrasa Board and UNICEF India.

Kanoongo took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to voice his concerns, particularly about the use of the book "Talimul Islam" in these madrasas. Additionally, Kanoongo raised alarms over the reported enrollment of Hindu children in these madrasas, accusing the Bihar government of withholding official data regarding the number of such students.

He argued that the alleged misuse of funds, originally intended for child protection, to develop a curriculum outside the scope of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, violates both the Indian Constitution and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

Kanoongo called for an investigation by the United Nations in India to closely monitor the situation, stressing the importance of global oversight in this matter.

Further escalating the issue, Kanoongo alleged that some of the books used in the madrasa curriculum were published in Pakistan, with ongoing research to examine the content of these texts. He also stated that madrasas should not serve as institutions for basic education and that Hindu children should not be enrolled in them. Kanoongo suggested that the Bihar Madrasa Board should be dissolved.

A response from UNICEF on the matter is still awaited, as per media reports. The controversy highlights growing concerns over the curriculum and the nature of education provided in certain religious institutions in Bihar, potentially leading to broader discussions on educational reforms in the state.