Low quality formal education at state-run institutions and poverty are among major reasons that force people send their children to religious seminaries, where free food and shelter is an extra luxury.
"My two eldest sons failed to learn anything from school where I sent them for education," said Mohammad Afzal, father of Jamia Faridia student Mohammad Kamal, who was in facilitation centre set by the government at Jinnah Stadium, on Kashmir Highway.
Afzal's two sons failed to go beyond the fourth class due to low quality of teaching provided by government teachers. "My eldest son was not going to school regularly because of fear of his teachers. My second son was hard working and, in case he was taught properly, he would been a good student," he said along with other relatives of the students of Jamia Faridia, who were made to wait from early morning till after sunset at the facilitation centre.
No relative could get released at least one of the Jamia students even after the sunset while the government had announced that relatives should reach the facilitation centre in the morning.
Afzal said that due to failure of two eldest sons in formal education, he decided "to send my third son to a religious seminary. There are no proper arrangements from the government to include a detailed study of Islamic education in the syllabus of formal education," he said.
"The government is least bothered about education and it is perhaps the most neglected sector in the public sector. The government does nothing to improve the quality of formal education at lower level," he said. Sherbaz Jan, 40, from Upper Dir district, said that he had sent his son Muhammad Asif for religious education, as he was not in a position to send him for formal education to a school.
Niaz Ahmad Khan, 38, of Charsadda district, said that he had only one son. "I am a poor man, and could not send my son to a government school. In Madrassahs, the students are fed, clothed and accommodated without any cost," he said.
Muhammad Jehanzeb, 38 from Mian Chunnu, said the government was not fulfilling its commitment. Interior Minister Aftab Amad Khan Sherpao had promised some days back that all minor students or under the age of 18 would be freed. "But, today, I don't know the whereabouts of my son, Jalal, student of Jamia Faridia," he said. He said that he had met him in Bara Kaho police station on Friday, but on Sunday, the police station was giving no information. "I checked the list at the facilitation centre, but my minor son of 15 years is not mentioned."
The quality of education in state-run government schools is very poor, Mohammad Kamal, father of a Jamia Hafsa student said. Most persons educated from government schools remain almost uneducated. "My two eldest sons remained so despite having done 12 grades from government education system," he said.
Most of the students who are staying in facilitation centre, say that they would continue their religious education in the madrassah despite this operation against Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa.
Hailing from district Kohistan, Noorullah, 17, student of Jamia Faridia, said he would continue his religious education. "Jehad is the basic part of Islamic education. But there are different ways to go for Jehad. I will teach Islamic education to next generations. This will be my Jehad," he said.
Another student, Muhammad Jonaid, 15, from Batagram district, said he would think about my studies in next couple of weeks. "As I have already spent 2 years in Jamia Faridia, if I discontinue my studies, I would not be able to get the sanad (certificate)," said Jonaid with a very thin beard on his chin.
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