Pakistani madrassas changing curriculum

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, March 11 (UPI) -- Pakistan's Islamic religious schools, which had resisted efforts to stop them from teaching extremism, reportedly are beginning to adopt modern curriculum.

The change at these schools, or madrassas, is the result of dialogue and respect for the madrassa leadership, which replaced the government's earlier decrees, supervisory boards and offers of money, The Dallas Morning News reported.

The report said in the past year alone, about 15,000 madrassas have pledged not to teach or promote militancy or religious hatred, while the main ones have also started teaching math, science, social studies and even English.

These madrassas, which account for about 1.6 million students, or 8 percent of the country's school population, have voluntarily registered with the Pakistani Ministry of Religious Affairs, a ministry spokesman told the Morning News.

There is still the radical fringe that continues to train and arm pro-Taliban and al-Qaida elements. However, the report said, those involved in promoting reform in Pakistani religious education hope the new madrassa leadership will be inspired to oppose the radicals going forward.

Pakistani religious teachers, who attended recent workshops sponsored by the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy in Washington, say it is now up to them to show intolerance has no place in classrooms.