Bengaluru: In keeping with the assurance of Karnataka waqf minister Shashikala Jolle to take forward Muslim women in education, the State Waqf Board on Wednesday announced its plans to set up 10 colleges for women in various districts.
“After the hijab controversy, there has been an increasing demand for women’s colleges in our community. Minister Jolle is very much keen on making sure that Muslim women move forward in education. She has told us to do everything possible for the betterment of women,” Waqf Board chairman Maulana Shafi Saadi said here.
For this purpose, the board has allocated ₹25 crore and proposed to build 10 women’s colleges where wearing hijab will be allowed, he said, adding that schools will also be opened for which locations are being identified.
The women’s colleges will be established in Mangaluru, Shivamogga, Kodagu, Chikkodi, Nippani, Gulbarga, Bijapur and Bagalkote, Saadi said.
He said school attendance among those Muslims, who strictly follow Sharia is very low and high among those who are lenient. “There are two types of people in our community. One is those who strictly follow the Sharia and those who are a bit lenient,” he said.
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The chairman added that there would be no autonomous rules for these colleges and that they would follow the board and universities’ rules. According to sources, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai is likely to make a formal announcement about these schools and colleges in the last week of December.
He further said, “There is no connection with the Hijab protest. This decision was taken before. Everybody is allowed to get admission to this college. There will be general school and college rules and it will follow university guidelines.”
