By Shafee Ahmed Ko, TwoCircles.net,
Chennai: The National Committee on Girls Education is going to hold its Southern Zone conference on “Empowerment of Minority Girls through Education” on 31st January 2011 in Chennai. Four South India states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Kerala and Karnataka discuss problems related to the subject at grass root level.
Dr. Shabistan Gaffar, Chairperson, National Committee on Girls Education, Government of India, has communicated Dr. Sumayaa, Member Committee on Girls Education, Tamil Nadu to organize the one-day conference.
Dr. Sumayaa recently called an ad hoc planning committee meeting under the chair of Alhaj Abdul Qadir Rahman, Pro Chancellor B.S.A University Chennai. Various issues were taken as stock to address the present scenario of the minority girls education, their challenges and bottlenecks, and a way forward to look, and these were listed in agenda for wider and collective focusing in the conference among the intelligentsia at the forthcoming conference. The subject will cover minority girls of primary, secondary, collegiate education, technical, professional, skill development and vocational training.
The meeting also discussed other subjects such as invitees for inauguration, valedictory function, participants which will include Educational Institutions, NGOs, INGOs (UNICEF), student representatives, and MWAS/FeMWAS, media both print and electronic. Four speakers – one from Muslim, Christian, Jain and Sikh communities have been listed. State wise panels, Moderators, for education, professional education, all have been taken into consideration. The patrons and sponsors also have been listed. It was decided to hold one more round of discussion with all the patrons and sponsors on 13th January.
Dr. Sumayaa, Ms. Sharifa Khanum (Correspondent Crescent group of schools), P. Abdul Khader (SEED) Chennai, Prof. Thashreef Jahan, FeMWAS (Madurai), Dr. Hasan Ali, MWAS (Erode), Zakir Husain (MWAS, Erode), Syed Ahmed (FeMWAS) Madurai, Mohammad Baig (MWAS Kanchi), S. Sadiq (former vice-chancellor-Madras University-OMEIT), Father Alphonse, former principal, Loyala College Chennai, Paul Bhaskar (Peace Trust) were prominent among those who attended the meeting.