Systemic Challenges and Socio-Economic Realities: Understanding Enrollment Trends in Bangladesh's Islamic Education

This study analyzes the complex landscapes of Islamic education in Bangladesh, emphasizing its historical development, institutional structures, and socioeconomic importance. Through following a qualitative approach, conducting semi-structured in-depth interviews of 30 teachers, students, and guardians, holding 5 focus group discussions, and examining archival resources of Alia, Qawmi, and pre-primary madrasah systems, the study demonstrates how these establishments meet the socioeconomic demands of a variety of communities while striking a balance between Islamic teaching and general education. Primary data were collected from some of the urban and rural madrasahs in the area of Chittagong and Dhaka divisions in Bangladesh. The study reveals that enrollment is influenced by cultural-religious beliefs, parental choices, and cost-effectiveness, especially for marginalized communities. Sustainable educational results are hampered by systemic issues, including financial inequalities, technical gaps, and inadequate infrastructure. The report emphasizes the necessity of well-rounded changes that tackle systemic injustices, improve teacher preparation, and make use of technology to guarantee that madrasah education exists relevantly in a socio-educational environment that is changing quickly.本研究剖析孟加拉国伊斯兰教育的复杂生态，着重探讨其历史沿革、制度架构与社会经济价值。本研究采用质性研究方法，通过对30名教师、学生及监护人开展半结构化深度访谈、组织5场焦点小组讨论，并梳理阿里亚（Alia）、考米（Qawmi）及学前伊斯兰经学院（madrasah）体系的档案资料，阐明此类办学机构如何在伊斯兰教学与普通教育之间寻求平衡，同时满足多元社群的社会经济需求。本研究的原始数据采集自孟加拉国吉大港专区与达卡专区部分城乡伊斯兰经学院。研究表明，学生招生规模受文化宗教信仰、家长择校意愿与成本效益因素的共同影响，对于边缘社群而言这一影响更为突出。系统性问题掣肘了教育成果的可持续性，这些问题包括教育经费不均、技术储备不足及基础设施薄弱。本研究强调需推行全面改革，以解决系统性不公问题、完善教师培养体系，并借助技术手段确保伊斯兰经学院教育在快速变革的社会教育环境中始终保持适配性。