By Abdul Gani, TwoCircles.net,
Guwahati: What can be clearly termed as a correct step in the right direction, for the first time madrassa students in Assam are undergoing special training to enable themselves for higher studies. For the first time in Assam, Madrassa students are going to peruse higher studies from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).
As many as 21 Madrassa students are being trained ‘Bachelor preparatory programme’ with the assistance of a club in Jorhat, some 300 kilometre from state capital Guwahati.
TCN file photo
Following this the students will be able to take admission in different courses of bachelor’s degree in IGNOU. Deputy Director of IGNOU’s Jorhat-based regional centre Anil Borah said that they are extremely elated for this path breaking achievement.
“This is a very positive step for us as for the first time Madrassa students are being enrolled in the programme. The number of 21 students is quite overwhelming for us. Normally the Madrassa students belong to the poor section of society and they do not have much information. I hope this is just the beginning,” Borah told TwoCircles.net.
They are the students of Jorhat Hafijia Madrassa and Melamati Madrassa of Jorhat district.
The study materials are prepared for the six month course in a very selective way and the students will not face any problem while continuing the preparatory course and their religious learnings while at the Madrassa.
These students who have been enrolled in the course have not passed their class X.
Borah also said that for the next course, they are looking for such students from Sivasagar, Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur districts among others. “Gradually, we can increase the number of the students. We are also appointing mentors so that it can help them in studies as English will be a new medium for them,” added Borah.
Jorhat Central Club (JCC) has also played a crucial role in this regard as they organized meetings and awareness programmes in different rural areas and motivated the poor students to take up the course.
“Education can root out the evils from the society. Other countries in the world have advanced so much. We thought let’s do something according to our limit to spread the message of education. We tried to interact with these Madrassa authorities and students. Eventually we succeeded in getting 21 students for the course,” Zakir Ahmed, president of JCC said.
Ahmed, a doctor by profession said that the students and their parents are also delighted to take the new course. For the students too it’s a great experience.
“I hope to cherish my dream to be teacher. We would like to thank the Jorhat Central Club for their gesture to make our life better,” said one of the students.