Education Ministry must monitor Madrasas: Harsha

Non-Cabinet Minister of Economic Reforms and Public Distribution, Harsha de Silva said yesterday Madrasas or Muslim religious schools should be monitored by the Ministry of Education - like what happens with Pirivenas.

However, the newly formulated Madrasa Schools Regulation Bill stipulates that it should be handled by the Muslim Religious Affairs Ministry. “Even Pirivanas are regulated by the Education Ministry. As such, Madrasas should also be brought under the purview of the Education Ministry.

Law should be applied equally to everyone,” the minister said, adding that laws should be introduced to make it compulsory for Muslim women to expose their ears when required. “Muslim women wear the hijab, closing their ears, but they should be made to expose their ears whenever it is needed,” the minister said.

He said the claim made by some that swords were kept in houses for the householders' safety is unacceptable as such a thing is practised only in countries such as Saudi Arabia.

The minister said he was ashamed as a member of the government that it was not able to save the country from the Easter Sunday carnage despite the prior warnings given by the intelligence units. (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana)