DHAKA: Bangladesh is planning to integrate hundreds of Islamic religious schools into the mainstream secular education system in a revamp costing $70 million, an official said Monday.

Up to five million children, out of a total of 32 million pupils, study at madrassahs, but a 2010 government study found that they score significantly lower in subjects like English and maths than youngsters at mainstream schools.

The overhaul seeks to improve the quality of education offered at madrassahs by training Islamic teachers and bringing facilities up to national standards, education ministry spokesman Subdoh Chandra Dhali said.

“Madrassahs will be able to train their teachers in subjects such as English, science, information technology and mathematics,” he said.

The project, which is being bankrolled by the Asian Development Bank, aims to bring madrassahs — considered by critics to encourage hardline Islam — more closely into the mainstream school system, he said.

“The aim is to gradually reform and modernise this age-old education system,” he added.

The project is a continuation of a programme launched last year by Bangladesh's secular government to reform madrassahs, including the introduction of compulsory lessons in science, English and information technology.

The government now funds some madrassahs in exchange for control over the curriculum and greater flexibility over admittance — including allowing girls to study at the traditionally all-male seminaries.