The Curriculum Development (CD) team of the Madrasah Centre of Excellence (MCE), in conjunction with the Centre of Islamic Learning (CIL), NASIMCO, held a consultation workshop on the Draft Curriculum Framework for Madrasah in Toronto on Saturday 21st June 2014. This was the last regional workshop that MCE was conducting on the curriculum framework.

40 participants from Madaris in Toronto, Buffalo, Los Angeles, Miami, Kitchener, Vancouver, Orlando, Minnesota, Boston, New Jersey and New York attended the full-day programme. The CIL team was represented by Al Haj Gulam Najafi, Al Haj Hasnain Walji, Siddika bai Jessa, brother Aqil Najafi and brother Arif Teja.

The programme included the following topics:

  • Introduction and update from MCE
  • Journey so far in Curriculum Development
  • Discussion on Guiding Principles
  • An overview of the integrated approach
  • The Qur’anic Worldview for the curriculum
  • Main themes of the Curriculum Framework
  • Presentation of demo lessons
  • Planning the transition and implementation of the MCE curriculum
  • Next steps and piloting
  • Questions & Answers

At the end of the workshop, the participants were asked three questions:

    1. Do you agree with the integrated approach?
    2. Should MCE proceed with developing lessons?
    3. Would your madrasah be willing to participate in piloting the MCE curriculum?

In line with responses from other regions, over 95% of the participants answered in the affirmative to each question. Members of the CD team were Maulana Syed Muhammad Rizvi, Shaykh Safder Jaffer, Dr Bashir Datoo, brother Aly Nasser and Al-Haj Naushad Mehrali. For further details about the curriculum framework, please email [email protected].

The CD team members were delighted to have had the opportunity to attend the Recognition Day ceremonies at each of the three Madaris in Toronto (Al-Qaaim, Al-Haadi and Al-Muntadhir) on the day after the workshop.