Contributions to Educational Reform

Abstract

Colonial discourse assumed that the “Orient” is in “decline” and that it is in need of the “enlightened” rule of the British in order to develop and civilize. The British introduced modern education as a means of implementing their “civilizing mission” and of modernizing Kerala society. Motivating Mappilas to embrace modern education was the greatest contribution of Vakkom Moulavi. This was the primary objective of all his socio-religious reform movements. Even though Mappilas were the oldest Muslim community in the Subcontinent and were given a higher social status, toward the end of the nineteenth century, they were an educationally backward community. While other communities in Kerala were competing to partake of modern education, Mappilas rejected it. Their long traditions of resisting colonialism and hatred for the British were the major reasons for it. Vakkom Moulavi published several articles to underlie that, in educational matters, they lagged behind most of the other communities of Kerala, and he strove to bring this to the attention of community leaders as well as government officials. He convincingly argued that modern education is essential for the development of the Muslim community. It was his patriotic thinking that motivated him to work for his community.