ALIGARH DECLARATION 2009 ON EDUCATIONAL AGENDA FOR THE MUSLIMS

ALIGARH DECLARATION 2009 ON EDUCATIONAL AGENDA FOR THE MUSLIMS

Whereas the Educational Backwardness of the Muslims has been established by several reports having the final authentication by the Prime Minister High Level Committee on Muslim Affairs popularly known as Sachar Committee, and

Whereas the Aligarh Muslim University has been empowered under Section 5 (2)(c) of AMU (Amendment) Act 1981, to take all necessary steps for the Promotion of Educational and Cultural Advancement of Muslims of India. The Aligarh Muslim University envisages a national role for promoting the educational aspirations of the minorities, more especially the Muslims of India. Being a Central University of international repute, AMU intends to establish a strong bond and an enduring academic linkage with minority managed educational institutions and create a networking environment so that the synergy created could be of immense benefit to the Educational Institutions in India., and

Whereas Professor P.K. Abdul Azis, the Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University has seen in this effort a unique opportunity, as it confers on the AMU the power to carry out extensive work of specified nature all over the country for educational and cultural upliftment of the Muslims. No other university in the country has been vested with this kind of power. Keeping in view the spirit of Section 5(2)(c), the AMU had created the Centre for Promotion of Educational and Cultural Advancement of Muslims (CEPECAMI) in 1988, and

Whereas based on the initiative taken by Prof. P.K. Abdul Azis, a National Seminar on Minority Education in India was held in Aligarh on 7th & 8th March 2009 under the aegis of CEPECAMI, and

Whereas in deliberations held in the two-day Seminar, it was the unanimous view of the delegates and participants to re-launch the "Aligarh Movement", which was originally conceived and given shape by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, the founder of the Aligarh Muslim University to be called as "Aligarh Declaration" presenting a National Agenda for the Educational Advancement of the Muslim Community as a mandate by AMU Act under Section 5(2)(c).

1. This declaration would be called as Aligarh Declaration 2009 on National Educational Agenda for the Muslims of India.

2. That the reasons for the success stories of southern states may be enumerated as under:

a. That these states were spared of the cataclysmic impact of partition in 1947 and the communal violence that followed and the sense of fear and social insecurity felt by Muslims elsewhere in India.

b. That the Muslim leadership of these states have taken a pro-educational and empowerment initiative.

c. That a detailed survey taken up by the Minority commission of Karnataka had helped to secure 4% reservation for Muslims in Karnataka which later paved the way for reservation in Andhra Pradesh.

d. That the community leaders took full advantage of the existing schemes available for the educational and economic development and had the positive approach towards the cause.

e. That large number of NGOs came into being with a mission to serve the Community.

3. That to repeat the success stories of southern states and bring the community ahead of their brethren in the country, following steps need to be taken:

I. That a National Group consisting of prominent Muslims working in the field of education be constituted.

II. As a first step, a detailed survey of U.P., Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and Rajasthan be taken up on the Karnataka pattern which will give the impetus for the professional approach towards the problems faced by the Muslims.

III. That Muslims should be encouraged to create NGOs for the educational & economic development at the local Masjid level. The existing NGOs be sensitized regarding the avenues available under numerous government programmes at the State and Central Level. A network of NGOs also be created.

IV. That for educational development the entire agenda be segregated as under

a. Primary Education:

· Full use of Serva Shiksha Abhiyan, Mid-day Meal and other welfare schemes and linking them up with the Maktabs at village level.

· Spreading the message of girls' education through the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV).

· The right to education should be utilized for acquiring 100% primary education among the Muslims.

· Establish high quality primary schools in Muslim dominated areas.

b. Secondary and Senior Secondary & Adult Education:

· Massive awareness about the literacy schemes under National Literacy Mission(NLM) , Bachelor Preparatory Programme (BPP) of IGNOU, National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS).

· Linking the Madarssas through EDUSAT wherein no additional infrastructure is required as the present facilities will be treated the virtual classes.

c. Vocational:

· As the community is known for its talents, a chain of vocational guidance centre, ITIs and Polytechnics be established in every Taluk/Districts.

· Massive initiative be made for para-medical courses which are low cost projects with high employment opportunities within and outside the country.

d. Establishment of Schools:

· To establish at least one Senior Secondary Residential School in each Muslim concentrated district. All such schools should aim at promoting excellence.

· To establish at least one English Medium Senior Secondary School in each of the Muslim dominated towns.

e. Professional Colleges:

· The Community be made aware of the role of various Councils and Professional Bodies like NCTE, AICTE, MCI, DCI, INC, RCI, NHCI and the schemes by the several state governments.

· Detailed checklist together with the project reports be made available to the community to make them fully abreast of requirements to establish professional colleges.

f. Higher Education

· Keeping in view the fresh openings in the field of Deemed & Full fledged Universities for degree and P.G. Courses, efforts be made to establish at least five such universities in each of the states like U.P., Bihar, Rajasthan, Delhi, West Bengal, Assam and Kerala.

· The regulations and various formalities be compiled for the creation of the Universities.

· The possibilities of creating Distance Education Centres, Regional Centres and Off-Campus facilities be explored for the benefit of the community.

Mission Statement

· This Seminar calls upon the Muslim Community to focus their energy to convert itself into a totally literate and skilled community with a sizeable portion pursuing higher and professional education to launch itself into the leadership position. The Community should raise itself as a population brimming with self-confidence, character and value-orientation and should be endowed with a vision of National Welfare and development in order to integrate itself with the National Mainstream.

· This Seminar calls upon the governments in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Assam wherein live over 55% of India's Muslims to emulate the policies and schemes from States, such as Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, to expand the scope of pro active policies to make it inclusive and enable all communities to access higher education (including professional education) in order to ensure equitable share in investments being made in this sector to quicken the pace of economy.

· It is desirable to enact a National Legislation on the meaning and implications of Article 30(i) of the Constitution. Such an act should specify the meaning of the terms "minority", "establishment", "administration" etc. and provide specific clarification on "minority status", "the right to appoint Principal and Teachers", "Admission of Students", "Institutions of their Choice" etc. This will remove the present need for frequent litigation on every issue related to minority rights.

· Based on the latest JPC report on Awkaf, this Seminar calls upon the Muslim Community to launch "A Waqf Movement" thereby getting all Wakf Properties free from encroachment by individuals, NGOs, State Governments & Central Government. The Wakf Properties should be developed in such a fashion as to yield ample financial resources for launching the massive educational projects across the country.

· This Seminar calls upon the Muslim Ummah to divert the major portion of their charities towards the development of modern education among Muslims.

· This Seminar calls upon the Community leaders to be vigilant about the monitoring of various government schemes more particularly the allocation for minority concentrated districts (MCDs).

· This Seminar appreciates various positive actions taken by the Government towards the Educational development of the Muslims across the Country. This Seminar also welcomes the recommendation of the Knowledge Commission and the initiative shown by the Central Government to eliminate the deficiency of opportunities at the first instance.

· This Seminar places on record its appreciation of the efforts put in by Prof. P.K. Abdul Azis, the Hon'ble Vice-Chancellor of AMU, CEPECAMI and Mr. Kamal Faruqui, Mr. K.K. Aboobaker, Mr. Maqbool Ahmad Siraj, Dr. Fakhruddin Mohammad and Mr. V.K. Beeran, the members of the group who drafted this declaration.

At the end, this Seminar, while thanking the Almighty Allah for giving this Seminar a vision, calls upon the Muslim Ummah to have a POSITIVE APPROACH towards resolving all their problems.

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