150 poor students get education aid

Malakpet: As many As 150 students from economically weaker sections of the minority community from the City pursuing Intermediate and graduation were provided education aid worth Rs 17.50 lakh for the current academic year by SEED, USA. The programme was jointly organised by Helping Hand Foundation (HHF) at MESCO Auditorium in Malakpet on Sunday.

Amongst the beneficiaries was a young girl from old city who is pursuing her 3rd year MBBS, who is also a sole bread earner of a family and stays in a single room with ailing father and a post graduate communication engineer from BITS Pilani with good academics was also another beneficiary of the scholarship given by the NGO.

Speaking on the occasion, Advisor to State government (Minority Affairs) A K Khan said that educating a girl would immensely impact the generations and has the power to change the society.

He advised students to hold steadfast to social and religious values but study smart, cultivate social skills and strive hard to achieve higher goals. He urged them to apply for civil services. Expressing content over enrolment of Muslim girls in civil services training programmes organised by the government, Khan explained that out of 1,700 candidates who appeared for the civil services training by the government more than 900 were girls.

Speakers, including educationists, academicians and Muslim intellectuals at the forum reiterated that higher education in Muslim minority students continues to be a cause of concern, as only 6% of the students enrol into higher education.

President of HHF, Mujtaba Hasan Askari, observed the representation of Muslim students in post graduation is also abysmally low at 2- 3% and in order to give boost to the post graduate students.

Addressing the PG students who were presented scholarships, Syed Mazharuddin Hussaini, Executive director, SEED (USA) said nearly 25-30 per cent students from the weaker sections of the community enrol into higher education and out of which nearly 25 per cent drop out due to financial reasons.

Such students are provided financial assistance by SEED while drop outs are provided vocational training in job oriented technical courses, which is working across 13 states in India with educational grants of more than 1.75cr in a year.

Educationist, Mahapara Ali, Secretary of MESCO Dr Md Fakhruddin, Secretary of Tameer e Millat, Mohammed Ziauddin Nayyar, noted neurosurgeon, Dr Farooq Nukande, Dr Iftekharuddin and others were also present on this occasion.