Focus on improving education of displaced Muslims

by Mohammed NAALIR

Displacement has severely affected the livelihood and proper education of Muslims. Greatest attention should be paid to improve the education standards of the displaced Muslim children, a survey conducted by All Ceylon Muslim Education Conference revealed.

It said, the education standards of the Muslims which was at a peak was brought to zero due to refugee life and the insufficient economy.

Even-though they represented only five per cent in the North compared to the Tamils they were part and parcel in the education and other sectors.

Unfortunately, the Muslims in the North were ordered by the LTTE to evacuate their homes and villages in two hours in some areas in Jaffna and most of other places the deadline to evacuate their villages was 48 hours.

Those who left with empty hands sought refuge in public buildings and IDP camps depending on the dry rations given by the Government. Due to this tragic situation the well established education system of Northern Muslims collapsed.

As there is no more terrorism in this prevailing peaceful situation the forcibly evicted Muslim community of North got a chance to go back to their original lands after nearly 20 years.

Before the displacement, the Muslims in the North had their own educational institutions. Most of the Muslim settlements had formal and secular educational institutions such as Government and private schools. Classes were available in those education bodies at various levels from primary level to GCE (A/L). The Muslim Children of the North received education in Non-Muslim schools. Muslims of the North benefitted through formal educational institutions of their own and were able-to upgrade their standards.

Apart from formal education system there were several informal educational institutions belonging to Muslims including Islamic education and Arabic learning institutions.

Displacement caused many negative impacts on the Muslims of the North including a declining level of education. There were a number of reasons for the drop of displaced Muslims' education.

The change of the living environment after the displacement, housing the displaced people in refugee camps in a small area without enough fundamental facilities and poverty caused due to unemployment among displaced families were other factors.

At the very outset the displaced persons were housed in public buildings with the facilities available in the common places. This situation lasted for several months. The camps were located in isolated places they were far from the public facilities of schools, hospitals and other important facilities. As the camps were overcrowded the students unfortunately missed the chance for education as they were compelled to obtain education in the nearby schools located close to their refugee camps.

As the displaced people were depending on Government's dry rations to feed the family it was insufficient to cater to the entire family. So the displaced Muslim children were compelled to indulge in labour on a daily wage basis to meet their daily expenditure. The parents were also financially weak to meet the cost of their children's education.

The vicious poverty cycle caused due to the displacement exerted an immense impact on the education of the displaced Muslim children. The majority of displaced Muslims are from Puttalam where they have lived for 17 years. These children received education in schools closer to their dwellings located in Kalpitiya Divisional Secretariat Division.

The survey reveals that nearly 60 per cent of the displaced Muslims are living in the Puttalam District. Thirty per cent of the displaced Muslim children are getting education in the schools located in Puttalam Divisional Secretariat Division.

The Government with a view of catering to the education needs of the displaced Muslim children constructed three schools where a majority of the displaced Muslims live.

Meanwhile, Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services Minister Rishad Badiudeen also opened five schools up to grade five in places where the majority of displaced Muslims live.

The displaced Muslim Children in Anuradhapura, Kurunegala and other districts are in a disadvantageous position as they live away from towns.

According to the survey 240 displaced Muslim children have stopped education in Alankuda area in Kalpitiya.Vacancies prevail for 500 teachers, according to the student-teacher ratio only 240 teacher appointments have been made in Puttalam District where most of the teacher vacancies are found in primary classes.