Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development, an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRD) has initiated a training course on ICT and the basic computer applications for Qawmi Madrasa students in Cumilla as a part of their action research programme. This is the first time any government organisation has taken an initiative entirely dedicated to the Qawmi Madrasa students.

The programme started on June 5 and will conclude tomorrow on June 17.  Under this programme, the students were provided with basic computer and ICT education that involves Microsoft Office, basic hardware operations, operating emails, safe internet, social media and cybersecurity. The Madrasas that participated in the programme were given a computer each, courtesy of "Shongjog- Connecting People" to keep the practice going.

According to the Household Income and Expenditure Survey data from 2010 and 2016, male student enrolment to Madrasas on the primary level saw a growth of 256%, while that of the female students saw a growth of 426% in a period of six years. Currently, there are 1.5 million students enrolled in the Qawmi Madrasas, with almost no institutional facility for skills development and vocational training. 

"Initially, we ran research on the Qawmi Madrasas in the country, amidst the discussions of its curriculum being rigid and not updated. We started thinking about how this huge population can be turned into a skilled workforce and human capital. We started paying regular visits to some of the Madrasas, proposed our ideas of a training session for the students and eventually, they were on board," said Abdullah Al Hussain, Deputy Director, BARD, Cumilla.

"This is just the beginning. We plan to try different areas and modalities of this training for the students of the Qawmi Madrasas, and continue the project further," he added.