By TCN News,
Guwahati/New Delhi: A discussion conclave on ‘Educational rehabilitation of strife-affected students of BTAD’ was held at the Regional Institute of Science & Technology (RIST) on the outskirts of Guwahati on 8th September. The programme was organised jointly by the ERD Foundation Guwahati and Committee on Girls Education (NCMEI), Ministry of HRD, Government of India.
Bodo Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) in last two months saw violent clashes resulting in the exodus of over four lakh people from their homes to relief camps, affecting the education of thousands of students. The unrest in BTAD and adjoining areas of Assam uprooted about four lakh families from their homesteads and caused many deaths besides loss of property. On the backdrop of this, the Conclave was organised to mobilise the resources of the society to bring succour to the affected people.
All India Confederation for Women’s Empowerment through Education, Markazul Maarif, Justice & Equity Demand Samiti, Ajmal Foundation, Unity Education Foundation, Assam Zakat Foundation and Pragjyotish Group of institutions extended support to the daylong program. Over 100 heads of leading educational groups, representatives of NGOs, social workers and activists, corporate heads, opinion leaders and philanthropists from across the country, particularly, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, West Bengal and North Eastern States attended the Conclave.
At the outset, Mahbubul Hoque, Chancellor, University of Science & Technology Meghalaya made a power point presentation to acquaint the gathering about the background of the BTAD unrest and the loss suffered by the education sector and student community on account of the strife. Dr Shabistan Gaffar, Chairperson, Committee on Girls Education, NCMEI, Ministry of HRD, GoI said that the victims of ethnic strife need our empathy and support. She said, “While there is scope to take up work for socio-economic uplift of the affected people, we are concentrating on the educational rehabilitation of the student community as education is the field of our focus. Similarly, others can take up work in the field of health and hygiene, family planning, financial literacy etc.”
Justice MSA Siddiqui, Chairman, National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI), in his keynote address, said, “We need not look at the clashes in and around BTAD area of Assam from a communal angle. In a developing society, clashes may happen when communities are in transition. Let us look at these as ‘human tragedies.’ But we have to have faith in our Constitution and look forward. NCMEI will extend all its support for the rehabilitation of students affected by the recent strife, irrespective of their caste, creed, community or denomination.” He expressed his confidence that proper education can vanquish communalism.
Siddiqui also called upon Tarun Gogoi, Chief Minister of Assam, during his visit to the city and discussed issues relating to rehabilitation of strife-torn students with him. Besides assuring of all support to the initiative taken by ERDF and NCMEI in this connection, the Chief Minister informed that his Government will soon take up the issue of establishment of a separate hostel for girl students of the minority community who come to Guwahati for higher studies.
Former Darul Uloom vice-chancellor, Maulana Ghulam Mohammed Vastanvi,who is an MBA graduate also, harped on the need for frequent social interaction between communities. Vastanvi, a votary of introducing modern subjects like medicine, engineering in the seminaries and goaded the community leaders to persuade the students to “study well” to partake in the development of the country.
Nadeem-ul Hoque of TMC, Rajya Sabha Member from West Bengal, assured his support in arranging transportation of students who will need to travel to new educational institutions by Indian Railway. Maulana Tayeebur Rahman, Amir-e-Shariat, North East, appealed to well-off families to adopt affected students and fund their educational expenses. He said, “Education would enable us to befriend others and emerge ourselves as better human beings.” He also said that he would garner a fund of Rs.7 lakh for the victims of the BTAD violence.
Kerala Muslim group to adopt 1000 children
Sayyid Ibraheemul Khaleelul Bukhari, Chairman, Ma’din Islamic Academy, Malappuram, Kerala made a short speech saying that his organization would be able to adopt 1000 children of different age.
Mrs. Atiya Mustaque, Coordinator, NCMEI, Kolkata and Member, Committee on Girls’ Education, made a few important points (i) there is a need to have trauma counselling for the children affected in violence, (ii) There should be mobile schools and library in violence affected areas, (iii) there should be skilled based training so that the children eventually become employable in different sectors and they also can find avenues for self employment.
Mrs. Lovina Khan, Member, Committee on Girls’ Education and President, Peters’ Day English School, Kolkata from Kolkata, shared her views and said that her organisation would be able to adopt four students.
Mr. Mohammad Mon Haji, Vice President, Mukkam, Orphanage, Calicut, Kerala, said that those who would be selected for educational rehabilitation would need to have birth certificates. He suggested the formation of a coordination committee to chart out these matters efficiently. He felt that the affected children should be moved out of the place of violence so as to enable them to get over from the trauma they have faced as a result of violence. He also extended that his organisation is able to sponsor some students.
Mr. Syed Ahmed Vohra, General Secretary of MESCO, Mumbai, argued that in order to do a meaningful approach towards educational rehabilitation of affected children one has to prepare a concrete proposal. He also said that his organisation would be able to garner a hefty fund for the victims of the BTAD violence. Mr. Mohsin Shaikh, Administrator, MESCO, Mumbai also shared the views of Mr. Vohra.
Dr. Jamaluddin, MES Medical College, Kerala, told that his team comprising 4 doctors and 3 paramedical personnel had been camping the violence hit areas and rendering services to the needy people. His organization would take up later on after assessing the needs of the affected students properly. He suggested that newly set up schools to accommodate the violence affected areas should follow CBSE courses. He also extended the support of his organisation for establishing a CBSE institution in the affected areas in collaboration with Committee on Girls’ Education, NCMEI.
Mr. Haji Taj Mohammad Khan, Secretary, Rifahul Muslimin Educational Trust, Mysore, Karnataka said that his organization had generated Rs.26 lakh for the welfare of the people affected by the violence. Without making any distinction on the basis of religion, his organization would take up the responsibility of education for 5 girl students in dental course, 10 girls for B. Pharm course, 10 girls for B.Ed, 2 for MBBS course in each of 10 medical colleges.
Need of inter-faith schools
Mr. Abdul Khader, Professor and Head of Chartered Accountancy, BS Abdul Rahman University, Chennai, also supported the idea of inter-faith schools. He said that his organization would be happy to associate itself with the projects o setting up schools and colleges of engineering and technology. His colleague Mohammad Bilal, Professor, said that it would be possible for his organization to set up such institutions of higher education in Assam for the benefit of the violence affected children.
Mrs. Abeda P. Inamdar, Vice-Chairperson, Committee on Girls’ Education, (Azam Campus, Pune, Maharashtra) NCMEI, said, “Peace is the first requirement. We must work in the direction of re-establishing the values of India’s composite culture. This is the time for working with hosh (intelligence) and not josh (emotion).” She mentioned about the Azam educational foundation which has about 25,000 students spread over 12 educational institutions. She said that her organization would be able to take the responsibility of 50 students who are 18+ age. She offered help in matters of employment of the youth, offer scholarship through e-banking to those who did not like to leave their place of birth.
Mr. Mazhar Hussain, Executive Director, COVA, Hyderabad was of the opinion that the grown children only could be separated from their families for pursuing education outside the region while those up to class VII may continue to stay with their families and their cost of education could be funded through philanthropy.
Resolutions of the conclave
Dr. Fakhruddin Muhammad, Secretary, MESCO, Hyderabad read out the resolutions of the meeting at the end of the session. It was resolved to form a local Committee of Nodal Agencies to give shape to the offers and suggestions made at the Conclave. Another national Committee would be formed for the identification of beneficiary students and tagging them with institutions offering them opportunity for continuing their education. While survey of the situation will continue on an ongoing basis, endeavour would be made to set up a modern public school with CBSE affiliation at a vantage location in the State to enable those who are not in a position to leave the region to continue their educational pursuit.
Prof Abdul Mannan, Department of Statistics, Gauhati University offered the formal vote of thanks at the end of the session. In a post-lunch session, heads of educational institutions and stakeholders from the education sector discussed the feasibility of forming an All India Federation for Minority Institutions.