Beyond Recognition: Job Market Access for Qawmi Madrasah Students in Bangladesh

This study aims to understand, explore, and analyze the current availability of the employment conditions ofmadrasahstudentsinBangladesh.Morespecifically,itexplorestheextenttowhichtherecentrecognition of Qawmi Madrasah (QM) graduate certificates by the Bangladesh government has either facilitated or constrainedtheiraccesstoemploymentopportunitiesinthejobmarket.Thestudyhasimplementedamulti- method approach to data collection, utilizing qualitative research techniques. Primary data was obtained through a questionnaire survey followed by in-depth interviews (IDI) of QM graduates, students, teachers, and other stakeholders involved in this stream of the education ecosystem. We complemented these data with rigorous content analysis data from various secondary sources, including journal articles, books, book chapters,andpolicydocuments.Thestudyshowsthateventhoughthegovernmentwasbravetosaythatthe QM’s highest certificate, Dawra-e-hadith, was the same as a postgraduate degree, it has not led to more job opportunitiesforitsgraduates.Thisisbecauseofthingslikeskillmismatches,atheology-basedcurriculum, andalackofEnglish,ICT,andtechnicalskills.Additionally,thestudyrevealsthatdespitethisrecognition, junior certificates issued by Befaq have not been officially accredited by the government, creating further challenges for QM graduates seeking employment. The study offers practical suggestions to address these issues, providing valuable insights for policymakers toconsider.