‘We can overcome poverty only through education and skill development. Poverty hinders educational and social progress and makes people stagnant. To achieve this, we need to devise a well-thought-out plan and both short-term and long-term goals for our activities.’ Said Syed M. Hussaini, President of Support for Educational & Economic Development (SEED), Garland, Texas. Mr Hussaini was speaking to a select gathering of teachers, educational activists, community workers and intellectuals at the Oxford International School campus in Kishanganj, Bihar in a one-day symposium on ‘Education for Marginalised Sections: Problems & Challenges’. It was jointly organized by DISHA Foundation, Kishanganj and Muslim Education Trust (MET), New Delhi. Mr Hussaini, an NRI based in the US and head of an organization that works for the education among underprivileged children in India,also expressed his willingness to support and work with local organizations for primary education in the Seemanchal region.
Earlier, the symposium started with a welcome speech by Tafheemur Rahman, General Secretary, DISHA Foundation. He gave a brief outline of the subject and hoped that this symposium would lead to some basic though long-lasting changes in the field of education in the Seemanchal region. Mr Najmul Huda Sani, chairman, Oxford International School, Kishanganj (OIS-K) introduced the distinguished panel of guests to the participants. He hoped that the new generation of community workers would gain a lot by working with the seasoned community activists like Amanullah Khan and Syed M Hussaini.
Master Muhammad Mohsin, chairman, al-Manar EduCare, Araria, in his keynote address, asked the participants to look beyond the narrow definition of ‘education’. He said that besides school and society, family had the most important role to play in a child’s education and moral upbringing. He emphasized the need to revive the old ‘maktab’ system which, in the past, had a crucial role to play.
Mr Amanullah Khan, in his presidential address, talked at length about his experiences with community activists and elites. He said that lethargy and lackadaisical approach among Muslim social workers and activists need to be addressed. Remembering his last visit to inaugurate the Oxford International School in March 2015 he pledged his support to education for underprivileged sections of the society. He also announced that MET would soon open five nursery level schools in various parts of Seemanchal and one information centre for students in Kishanganj district headquarters. All these schools and the information center would be managed in collaboration with the DISHA Foundation.
Former MLA, Kochadhaman, Kishanganj, Mr Akhtarul Iman also addressed the gathering. Quoting official statistics, he pointed out the abysmal educational scenario in Seemanchal shouldn’t be seen separately. It was linked, he observed, to poverty, mass migrationand political apathy. He also lamented the demise of the old-fashioned maktab system and asked the organizers to revive it with, mostly, women as teachers.
The participants, who were chosen carefully and represented Kishanganj, Araria, Purnia, Katihar and Uttar Dinajpur districts, took part in discussion and expressed their views. On the president’s advice, many of them submitted their views in written.
