Perception of BRAC graduates studying in Madrassah on some selected social and cultural issues: a comparative study

Abstract

This study aimed at exploring perception of BRAC graduates studying in grade IX in Madrassah on some social and cultural issues. The issues were chosen based on empirical knowledge of the author that are generally perceived and practiced especially by women from religious point of view. Forty-four BRAC graduates (girls) studying in Madrassah were selected as study group. Equal number of girl students from each of three other categories of student, i.e., BRAC graduates studying in high school, non-BRAC students studying in high school and in Madrassah were chosen as control groups. The respondents were interviewed in groups. The study reveals that majority of the BRAC graduates studying in both Madrassah and high schools had progressive perception on most of the issues. Some of both the groups of BRAC graduates had some degrees of religious fanaticism and superstitious beliefs on some of the issues. BRAC graduates studying in Madrassah had more progressive perception on most of the issues compared to the non-BRAC students studying in Madrassah. Non-BRAC students studying in high schools had more progressive perception on the issues compared to the other three groups. Perception of mothers and their daughters on the issues was not seemed to be associated. It was realised that Madrassah education alone was not responsible for the backward perceptions of the respondents, rather influence of religious fanaticism and fundamentalism from time immemorial were also responsible. As the girl students studying in higher classes in schools and in Madrassahs still have backward perceptions on social, religious and cultural issues, the government and/or NGOs should take it into consideration to strengthen development efforts.