Diversification in Islamic Seminaries: An Approach to Integrated Education System

Abstract

This qualitative study aims to investigate the need for diversification of Islamic seminaries. The inclusion of contemporary sciences is needed not only to benefit society but to improve and widen the scope of the seminaries. The acceptability of the seminaries graduates to the employer would become extensive and they could be merged into the mainstream of the public sector. Phenomenology was used as an inquiry technique for which purposive sampling was employed. The sampling size of this study was comprised of six respondents, each two were purposively selected from the Madrasas students who had quit school education for joining Madrasa in class 9th, two were selected from the public sector high school principals, and the remaining two were selected from the Madrasas Mohtamin (HoDs). The data was collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews and then thematically analyzed. The findings of the study showed the infrastructure of the seminaries is shabbily cramped and is not up to the mark. Some administrators were also reluctant to accept the diversification, as they considered it an onslaught on the very culture of Madrasas. Moreover, the government is also spending very little amount in this sector of education. This study recommends that the government enlarge its budget for the improvement of seminaries and the administrators of the Madrasas also ought to be flexible in the diversification of Islamic seminaries.