Guwahati, Feb 15 : In the backdrop of the Assam Government’s decision to close down Madrassas that has brought thousands of children and youths on the crossroad where they are option less and helpless with a blurred future in front of them which may further lead towards a fragile society, the Outreach Division of the University of Science & Technology Meghalaya (USTM) in association with ERD Foundation Guwahati has organised a seminar and brainstorming session titled “Employability for Madrassa Students Through Mainstream Education” today at KNB Women’s College Bardarpur in order to find a roadmap in this direction.
The programme was addressed by Prof G. D. Sharma, Vice Chancellor, USTM as the Chief Guest, Prof. K. Mohd. Basheer, former Vice Chancellor, University of Calicut, Kerala (presently teaching at Assam University Silchar) as the Keynote speaker and by Mahbubul Hoque, Chancellor of USTM.
Addressing the participants, Prof G D Sharma said, “The aim of our discussion is development of the students through skill based education—to make them job creators, instead of job seekers. Keeping in mind the mandate of New Education Policy-2020, the Outreach Division of the USTM has developed several professional, technical and skill-based courses as per the rule of UGC for Madrassa students which are backed up by the most advanced technological support to not only make them qualified but equally skilled and self-reliant”.
Prof K. Mohd. Basheer, who is one of the advocates of this bridge course stated that this unprecedented move to guide the students passed out of Madrassa for mainstream education has been taken with an aim to cater to higher educational need of the Madrassa students, who would otherwise be deprived of mainstream education and become victim of massive unemployment. “The students will be guided and especially trained towards becoming successful entrepreneurs, job creators instead of job seekers, thereby making them contributors in the nation building process”, he said.
Earlier, welcoming the delegates and all the participants of the brainstorming session, Mahbubul Hoque, Chancellor of USTM said that under this initiative, the Madrassa students will undergo a varied duration of bridge courses to be eligible for various professional and technical courses being offered at USTM. “These courses have been designed based on the level of courses the Madrassa students have completed from their Madrassa and accordingly they may undergo 1-year, 2-year and 3-year bridge courses so that they can acquire the requisite level of knowledge and skill in order to undergo a technical or a professional course. ERDF invites all Madrassa students to join in this mission for their brighter future and thus shaping a better society”, he added.