Among the many problems faced by Urdu schools are under-utilisation of funds and need for modernisation.
Minority educational institutions will soon form a pressure group to take their problems to the state government, said the heads of minority schools and colleges from across the state at the All India Urdu Kitab Mela, organised by the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) at MH Saboo Siddik College, Byculla. Among the many problems faced by Urdu schools are under-utilisation of funds and need for modernisation.
The panel of experts presided over by Zahir Kazi, president of Anjuman-i- Islam, discussed about forming a pressure group to bring issues like technology, funds and trouble in acquiring government permissions in starting new Urdu medium schools to the forefront and ensure that the government comes up with policies for promotion of Urdu and Urdu medium schools.
“Right now, the state government has formed a committee to solve minority issues, but the largest minority institution in the country is not a part of it. We need to devise a strategy, get organised and use this opportunity to draw government attention to problems of Urdu institutions... Through acts like the Right to Education, the government is infringing on our constitutional rights,’’ said M Peerbhoy, an educationist on the experts panel.
With Urdu medium schools in dire straits, modernisation of classrooms and character-building lessons for students are the need of the hour, said Peerbhoy.
Another problem faced by such institutions is that funds allotted for them are being underutilised by the government. For instance, even though funds were allotted for around 40,000 Urdu medium Anganwadis to be built in the state from 2008 to 2011, only 170 have been built, said principal Sohail Lokhandwala, who inaugurated the seminar.
Similarly, not a single hostel for girls studying in Urdu medium schools has been built, even though funds were allotted for five girls hostels.
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