By Shafee Ahmed Ko, TwoCircles.net,
Malappuram district in Kerala is unique and trend-setter for empowerment of Muslims through educational achievements in a short span of time, say within 42 years. With the literacy rate of 88.61% (male) and 85.96% (female), Malappuram has today excelled all districts of India. An organization which can claim lion’s share of this progress is All India Muslim Educational Society. In an interview to TwoCircles.net T.P. Imbichamad, General Secretary of the Society, throws light on his organization’s contribution to educational empowerment of Malappuram.
According to Census 2001, Malappuram district has a total population of 38,29,640 (Male: 17,59,479; Female: 18,701,61) and male-female ratio is 1000:1063. Its literacy rate is remarkably astounding: Male- 88.61% and Female 85.96%. Hindus constitute 55% of population of Kerala and Muslims 24.70%. But in Malappuram district Muslims form the majority with 86% and Hindus are 14%. The literacy rate of Kerala state is 90.92% (Male: 94.20% and Female: 87.86%. State-wise, the lowest literacy rate in India is in the state of Bihar: state literacy rate 47.53% (Male: 60.32% and Female 33.57%).
The very astounding and noticeable fact about Kerala is that every individual whether highly educated or low rung laborers could able to articulate day to day affairs be it domestic or international political affairs. It is not a hyperbole that a majority of journalists are from the state of Kerala.
What are the factors that Malappuram district has stood out most successful in educational achievements excelling all other India districts? This question has been, naturally, very probing and worth understanding so that the district may set a model to follow.
Prominent social worker, educationist and General Secretary of All India Muslim Educational Society T.P. Imbichaamad, fondly called “Mr. Bicha Sahib” by friends and educational fraternity presented some facts and figures when asked: How Malappuram Muslims could make such colossal achievement in education.
“Of course we are proud that Malappuram is leading in education. Why no district in states like Bihar, UP and Assam”, quipped Bicha Sahib, “the pathetic condition of Muslims is deplorable though not incorrigible”. I could sense his patriotic zeal in his statement. He proceeded:
“Janab Marhoom Dr. Gaffor Sahib, a graduate of Aligarh Muslim University, did MBBS from Kerela University and later became a post graduate in neurology with added degrees like MRCP. His insatiable desire and far-sighted intuitional vision was marvelous, that then existing pitiable dismal and poor condition of the Malappuram ought to be changed if all the generous philanthropists were amalgamated into one convergence of his views to stand united as a rock to organize a forum for educational purpose. He believed that the poverty and illiteracy could optimistically be wiped off if all stood united. His plan worked dramatically. This is the genesis of MES.”
“It happened in phased manners from humble schools to high school, colleges, Engineering Colleges, and to state-of-the-art Medical College at present”, said Bicha Sahib. He went on further: “Driven by poverty to win their daily bread, those inhabitants of Malappuram whether skilled or not migrated largely to Middle Eastern countries. While they sojourned far away from their homes, they dreamt that their children should not suffer and cry bitter for education that they lost in their lifetime.
Dr. Gafoor Sahib’s plan was a successful answer for them: While every individual whether Muslims or Non-Muslims became philanthropic to contribute funds in their own capacities from their working spots in Kerela, diasporas spread across the world and local business tycoons joined together and Malappuram found a Herculean task made easy.
Bicha Sahib gave further details about his organization from his finger tips: “It has 72 English-medium schools, most of them are affiliated to Indian Council of Secondary Education, and rest to Central Board of Secondary Education, 24 colleges including 14 arts and science colleges, 5 B.Ed colleges, many Business management colleges, 2 Engineering colleges, Nursing and Dental Colleges, and a state-of-the-art Medical College with which is attached a well-equipped hospital with latest sophisticated electronically operated testing machines and equipments. Apart from these, there are homes for forsaken elders, destitute, orphanages in Malappuram and Kozhikode districts. Further he added,” the total assets as on today is Rs. 8000 crores. Total numbers of students are 60,000 and, more than one-third of them are Non-Muslims.
I asked Bicha Sahib, whether the government of Kerala played any pivotal role. He referred to the United Front Government telling, “Janab C.H. Mohammad Koya Sahib and other leaders successfully held different portfolios in successive ministries and made great contribution in popularizing education for Muslim boys and girls”.
How MES is administered, I asked. “We do not have any personal fiefdom like a feudal lord. We have neither internal conflicts nor groups. It is community based mass organization. MES is a decentralized system of functioning with regular elections. There are committees at local, district and state levels. There are around 14,000 members. Membership is open to any adult with different categories”. “One can download application forms from the official website of MES, fill them up and send them online to the Central Office for scrutiny.”
Apart from Malappuram, there is MES Razeena Matriculation and Higher Secondary School in Chennai, which started functioning with mere 25 students in early 1980 with its own land, spread around 4 acres in a posh locality of Chennai, Kilpauk. It is in memory of late Razeena who passed away at the tender age. She was daughter of Janab Abookacker Hajee. Now it has strength of 1000 plus both Muslims and Hindus with equal percentage in gender. It has now multistoried buildings.
Links:
http://www.meskerala.com/mes-act-scholar.htm