Assam govt to remove 'Maktab' the arabic word for elementary school

The Assam government has decided to delete the Arabic word ''maktab'' - traditional islamic elementary school - from the nomenclature of 63 state and state-aided primary schools immediately, a senior minister said here on Saturday.

"We have come across 63 such schools in Assam which have the word ''maktab'' as part of their names. A search may reveal more such schools. But 63 such schools have come to our knowledge in this regard. The state government has passed an order directing these schools to drop the word ''maktab'' from their names," education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told mediapersons.

However, these schools would



be allowed to retain the remaining part of their names.

The classical definition of Maktab refers to the traditional Islamic elementary school primarily teaching literacy and the Quran.

Sarma said the term has become irrelevant now as the Maktab education system doesn''t exist in Assam anymore.

He said the nomenclature of these schools landed the students in difficulty if they sought admission in higher classes in general schools after studying in ''maktab'' schools for a few years.

The process would start after the presentation of the state budget, and be completed by August.