Pakistan's Islamic girl schools

[Shereen]

<b>In the Jamia Hafza Madrassa (religious school) in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, hundreds of girls are taking their exams.</b>





<i> omg ! look at the cute little girl....good on her for joining it... [img]style_emoticons/default/smile.gif[/img]</i>


But although they are taught subjects like maths and geography, they are not tested on them. Their exams are only on matters relating to Islam.


<b>Many of the 2,000 girls here are draped in black from head to toe. Others cover their hair with brightly coloured scarves. </b>


But now, some groups ideologically close to the brand of austere Islam preached by the Taleban appear to be changing their strategy. Islamic clerics in Pakistan are expanding the number of madrassas for girls. (omg ! I wanna join the madrassa too [img]style_emoticons/default/smile.gif[/img] )


Gul Shaida, an earnest-looking young woman in black, who has been studying at the madrassa for five years, told me she enjoyed her studies.


<b>"I want to read and what I want I can find here," she said. "After I graduate I want to teach all over the world and I want to tell the world what is Islam and what is Muslim." </b> (that's the spirit sis :bigok: )


The madrassa teachers claim the girls diplomas are equivalent to a master's degree, and that they can go to other more secular institutions.


The teachers were eager to show me the computer room. With five computers, they have one for every 400 girls.


When I ask if they have access to the internet, the teachers laugh. "No, that is not possible for us," says Binte Rafiq.


"[We teach them] just only how to shut down the computer, and how to start it. Basic IT." (some funding would do good)


They seem to have concluded that what they teach a girl, she will teach her children. And many parents are keen to send their daughters to madrassas because they offer free lessons, food and lodging.


Others, however, send their children there because they do not want them to lose their Islamic identity.


For the girls learning to recite the Koran at the Jamia Hafza Madrassa, there seems little risk of that.