By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Gorakhpur: Ashfaq Husain Ansari Memorial Society runs a free coaching cum guidance centre in Gorakhpur for poor, underprivileged students from the community.
The original idea of the coaching/guidance center came from Aligarh Alumni Association of Washington DC. Center is supported by the Federation of Aligarh Alumni Association, Aligarh Alumni Association of Washington, DC, Aligarh Education Endowment Fund, Aligarh Alumni Association of New England and American Federation of Muslims of Indian origin.
The center began in June, 2012 and offers free coaching and guidance to intermediate classes and various competitions. For Intermediate classes, the centre offers free coaching in English, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology. For competitions, we are preparing students mainly for Banking, Civil Services, SSC, B.Ed., and Railways (Junior Engineers).
In the present batch there are two dozen students participating in the Intermediate classes, whereas approximately 30-35 students are enrolled in the competition batch.
Tanvir Salim of the Ashfaq Husain Ansari Memorial Society told TCN, “There is improvement in the performance of the students in the Intermediate classes. Now they are motivated towards further studies.”
It was not easy for them to convince the poor members of the community as most were not sure as to how long this ‘free’ coaching is going to last. Salim tells TCN, “Some thought that after the initial ‘honeymoon’ period, we will start charging, and at that time they will not have the option to go elsewhere, because by that time all other coaching classes will be sold out.”
Elaborating on the initial hiccups Salim added, “It was not easy. The response from the community was lukewarm and disappointing. In spite of the banners and posters, there were few takers.”
“It took us some time to realize that we were trying to sell a product at a place which was full of hopelessness. It was difficult to change the mindset of the community overnight, because nobody believed that they can use the education as a tool to change their destiny,” he further said.
Salim is happy, however, of the slow but steady progress that the centre is making.