Bihar Taleemi Caravan! Society equally responsible for educational backwardness, K Rahman Khan

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This past week on Saturday (August 17, 2013) Jalkora village in Khagaria district of Bihar was host to a remarkable educational awareness programme, which was attended by prominent ministers, politicians, social workers, education lovers and common people. Daudi Educational Trust in association with Human Chain had organised an exclusive programme focused towards education and upliftment of minorities and dalits. Named as ‘Bihar Taleemi Caravan’ the programmed was comprised of a conference on the topic “Challenges for the Empowerment of Minorities and Dalits”. 

K Rahman Khan inaugurating the Conference

 Organised at Jalkora Football ground the programme was attended by more than ten thousands of people. Along with Chief Guest K Rahman Khan, Union Minister for Minority Affairs the event was attended by P. K. Shahi, Education Minister, Govt of Bihar, Rajya Sabha Member and JD(U) leader Ali Anwar Ansari with Prof. M.J. Warsi of Washington University. While addressing the gathering, Mr. Rahman insisted on the need of education and especially mentioned about the findings of Sachar Committee Report for Muslims of the country. He said, “Not only the government, people of the country are equally responsible for educational backwardness.  Need of the hour is that people should come forward to fight the battle for their basic rights including education.”

Guests at the stage

Further Mr. Rahman said that he had recently reviewed the MSDP project with Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar short while ago and highlighted the shortcomings before him. Highlighting the Multi Sector Development Programme (MSDP) run by the Centre, Mr. Rahman said that 710 blocks of the country are listed under this project that include 140 blocks of Bihar. The Central government gives Rs. 10 crore aid to each identified block. As per government stats the rate of school drop-outs is high among Muslims and Dalits due to lack of educational awareness. The conferences and programmes like ‘Bihar Taleemi Caravan” can bring a positive change at Jalkora and other parts of Bihar where literacy rate is low and school drop-out rate is high. Many non government organizations like Daudi Educaitonal Trust and Human Chain should come forward and organize educational awareness programmes in their areas. 

Elaborating further about MSDP, P.K. Shahi, Education Minister, Govt of Bihar said that only 75 blocks of Bihar have been included in the project. However, still the project has to be launched into the blocks having more than 25 percent minority population. He said under the High School establishment project of govt of Bihar around 1,000 schools will be opened in a couple of months. 

Asif Rameez Daudi, Chairman Daudi Educational Trust and AMU (Aligarh Muslim University) alumni said, “Jalkora and Khagaria district encompasses long educational background. The students from the area have made a mark for themselves and their native places in India and abroad till the past decade. However, the rate has dropped drastically in the recent decade” . “The Taleemi Caravan is organised to know the reason of the drastic change in higher education rate and find out the possible solution. After this programme we will launch education focused programmes to bring the literacy rate to a satisfactory level,” mentioned an optimistic Daudi, who hails from Jalkora and currently working with Jubail Industrial College, Jubail in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Mohd Aslam, President of Human Chain was present in the event and said that the programme is certainly going to be a landmark for empowerment of minorities and dalits of Khagaria and Seemanchal area. He has shared the dismal economic and educational status of the area with the audience and guests. Very soon Human Chain will establish free coaching centres named as Navodaya30 for preparation of Navodaya entrance conducted for admission in Class VI, added Mr. Aslam who is an Alig and belongs to Kishanganj.

Minnat Rahmani, Convenor of Bihar Taleemi Caravan and also the anchor of programme said Bihar Taleemi Caravan has been inaugurated from Jalkora. The caravan would be organised in other parts of Seemanchal for educational awareness and empowerment. Mr. Rahmani, who is also the secretary of Human Chain said that the non government organization is going to organize Seemanchal Education Conclave in November at Kishanganj, which would be participated from schools and colleges of the area along with educationists and people from various fields including ministers.