Ignored by Christian Educationists: Fr. Jerome D'Souza SJ: A Pioneering Patriot and Diplomat

Author: Frank Krishner

It's been a while since I've put down some of my really frank views on any subject.

Yesterday night, I was in an online meeting, listening to one of our noted peace activists, and there I heard him speak of Reverend Father Jerome D'Souza, one of the framers of our Indian constitution.

My reaction was "what the *&%#@?"

I have studied in Catholic schools and colleges, and taught in some as well. Why the dickens do we not know of Fr Jerome D'Souza? Why haven't I been able to flaunt him alongside Ambedkar and the other chaps? Why have we know information about him in our textbooks?

So, for those of you interested people, here is a very brief and sketchy piece, which you teachers and others can hopefully use in your lessons.

Jerome D'Souza: Patriot and Diplomat

Fr. Jerome D'Souza SJ, a Jesuit priest of remarkable intellect and unwavering dedication, played an instrumental role in shaping modern India. As a member of the Constituent Assembly, he contributed significantly to the drafting of the Indian Constitution. 

Admired by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Fr. D'Souza's influence extended beyond  politics, into diplomacy and international relations, leaving an indelible mark on the our modern history.

Born on August 6, 1897, in Mangalore, Fr. D'Souza joined the Society of Jesus in 1921 and was ordained a priest in 1931. His academic brilliance shone through early in his career, earning him a reputation as an erudite scholar. This intellectual prowess made him an invaluable asset to the Indian National Congress, particularly during the crucial period leading up to India's independence.

Fr. D'Souza's entry into the Constituent Assembly in 1946 marked the beginning of his direct involvement in the nation-building process. He was one of the few non-Hindus in the assembly, representing the interests of minorities and advocating for a secular state. His contributions were marked by a deep commitment to social justice, equality, and religious harmony.

Voice of Reason and Compassion

In the assembly, Fr. D'Souza was a voice of reason and compassion. He emphasized the need for a constitution that safeguarded the rights of all citizens, irrespective of their religious or social backgrounds. His speeches often reflected a profound understanding of India's diverse cultural fabric and the necessity of unity in diversity. His ability to articulate complex ideas with clarity and conviction earned him the respect of his peers, including Pandit Nehru.

Pandit Nehru's admiration for Fr. D'Souza was well-known. The two shared a mutual respect that transcended their religious and ideological differences. Nehru valued Fr. D'Souza's insights and often sought his counsel on matters of national importance. This camaraderie was not merely a testament to Fr. D'Souza's intellectual acumen but also to his character and integrity.

Fr. D'Souza's role extended beyond the Constituent Assembly. Recognizing his diplomatic skills and deep understanding of international affairs, the Indian government appointed him as a delegate to the United Nations. As a diplomat, Fr. D'Souza represented India with distinction, advocating for peace, justice, and cooperation on the global stage.

Role in the UN

At the United Nations, Fr. D'Souza's contributions were multifaceted. He participated in numerous debates and discussions, bringing India's perspectives to the forefront of international discourse. His interventions were marked by a commitment to the principles of the UN Charter, emphasizing human rights, decolonization, and international solidarity.

One of Fr. D'Souza's notable achievements at the UN was his involvement in the discussions on decolonization. He passionately argued for the rights of colonized nations to self-determination and independence. His eloquence and moral authority lent weight to India's position, contributing to the broader movement for decolonization that swept through Asia and Africa in the mid-20th century.

Fr. D'Souza's work at the UN was not limited to political matters. He also focused on social and economic issues, advocating for policies that promoted global development and poverty alleviation. His holistic approach to diplomacy underscored the interconnectedness of peace, justice, and development.

Throughout his career, Fr. D'Souza remained deeply committed to the Jesuit principles of education, social justice, and service to others. He continued to be actively involved in educational initiatives, recognizing the transformative power of education in building a just and equitable society. His legacy in this field is reflected in the numerous institutions that continue to uphold these values.

Jesuit Fr. Jerome D'Souza SJ was a pioneering patriot whose contributions to India's constitution, diplomacy, and international relations were profound.His intellect, integrity, and compassion left an indelible mark on India's history. 

Teachers don't Count Cattle no more

Ask a government teacher what hinders the delivery of quality education, and pat comes the answer, “Non-teaching assignments ordered by the local District magistrate”. Having interacted with scores, if not hundreds of government primary school teachers across Bihar over the years, this is their number one excuse for not getting their jobs done: how can we teach when we are ordered out of our classrooms to count animals?

The one fundamental excuse that a teacher in a state- run school has for not teaching is census and poll-related duties, and it has been around for over four decades. They say that instead of teaching kids in the classrooms, they are forced to traverse all over the countryside counting buffaloes, chickens, people below the poverty line... in fact anything that the state government wants counted is on the teachers' slates.

Frank Krishner at a 'Primary School' in Bodh Gaya 2010

The Bihar government has finally applied its mind to the problem and come up with the concept of a creating pool of ‘statistical volunteers’. These ‘volunteers’ will be unemployed educated youth having a ‘mathematics and commerce background’ according to the Bihar minister for planning and development Narendra Narayan Yadav.

One suspects that the person behind this idea is Principal Secretary of the department Vijay Prakash, who is well aware that having teachers go out and count animals, trees, and humans when they should be in school has always been a very stupid idea. Vijay Prakash has a communication style  that is simple and straightforward. This plan is in line with the Supreme Court’s directive that government school teachers should not be sent around on non-teaching assignments.

The teaching fraternity and educationists have pointed out that there was any number of educated and unemployed youth hanging about the place who could be drafted to do statistical work on a part-time basis.

These volunteers will be known as Accredited Statistical Volunteers (ASV), and a panel will be created for every block. Bihar has a total of 534 blocks, 8,071 Panchayats, and about 46,000 villages. This exercise would create about 80,000 part time jobs for educated and unemployed youth who have the requisite skills. Shortlisted and successful candidates are to be given a proper training in data collection and compilation, and receive an identity card. Their work will be remuneration based. In other words, they will be paid whenever there is census and statistical work .

This is a welcome move. The government teachers will have one less excuse for not doing the job of teaching. However, whether this will make a discernible impact on teaching quality is doubtful. Quality teaching needs dedication, intellect, compassion, and the ability to communicate well with kids. That can’t be addressed by statistical volunteers, accredited or otherwise. 

Author: Frank Krishner

Bihar's RTE Dilemma

Background

The Right to Education Act, 2009 is a path-breaking piece of legislation that has widespread ramifications on the primary education delivery system. This Act will come into force on the first day of April, 2010. The Act calls for a substantial reworking and remodelling of the institutions and procedures at State level, as well as for the framing of rules under the Act that will ensure Primary Education coverage for every child in the state.

Objective

In order to effectively formulate the State Rules under the Act, a series of consultations have been organised by the Bihar Education Project Council with national experts, state implementation partners and decision makers and stakeholders.

The first consultation was held at State level on 18th and 19th February 2010 at Hotel Patliputra Ashok, Patna.



Mr Anjani Kumar Singh, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Human Resource Development introduced the aims and objectives of the Consultation.

Addressing the stakeholders present, he pointed out that the Act was an ambitious one, specifically in the context of Bihar. He stated that in the past decade and a half, the kind of development expected on the elementary education front didn’t happen due to multifarious reasons.

“We can see that, in respect to other states, our state was quite backward in student-teacher ratio, school rooms, quality, teacher training, and facilities for disabled children. In the past three to four years, we have taken some measures which have resulted in the improvement of the situation to a small extent, but the ideal platform for us to launch such an ambitious Act does not exist at present,” he said.

The RTE Act had already been passed and was expected to come into force on the first of April. Bihar would have to do a lot, and do a lot of new things to implement the provisions of the Act.

The Principal Secretary HRD urged the participants to examine the ramifications of the Act carefully and try to come up with solutions. He highlighted some of the challenges.

Parameters have changed a lot. For example it was quite difficult to bring the teacher-student ratio to 40:1. In the recent past, the government had appointed more than two lakh teachers, but even more teachers need to be appointed to attain that standard. If, in conformity with the Act, the ratio is made to 30:1, the question would be from where would three lakh teachers come? The Act calls for trained teachers, where would these teachers come from, he asked.

[The Act stipulates that EVERY child betweeen 6 and 14 MUST access school Compulsorily, and the STATE shall ensure this as the Act comes into force April 2010 ]

There are different categories of teachers at present, but under the Act all teachers would have to be trained and meet a nationally determined standard.

Stressing on the fact that the law had been passed and that there was no room to debate the provisions of the Act, he said that the Model Rules were a guideline along which individual states would frame the rules taking into consideration the local conditions, possibilities, and constraints.

He drew attention to the existence of implementation time frames within the Act, and asked the participants to deliberate on the ways and strategies that could be used to handle these time frames.

The Act calls for all schools to be registered with the Government, and the good thing about this would be that a minimum standard would have to be maintained in all schools. If these minimum standards were not maintained, then the schools would have their registration cancelled. He pointed out that there was a danger of harassment for private schools and complications in this context, and stresses the importance of evolving a system whereby implementation would be smooth and transparent.

It would be necessary to prioritise the areas of implementation, taking into consideration the priorities in the State. A workable time frame for the implementation of each aspect would have to be worked out.

One of the major challenges would be the fiscal aspect. Financial resources and allocation for different components would present a challenge.

He pointed out that currently education spending was about 15 percent over the budget allocation. The implementation of the new Act would weigh heavily on the state exchequer, and the challenge would be mobilising resources to meet the projected expenditure of approximately Rs 28,000 crore. He mentioned that even the developed states were finding it difficult to muster the resources required to implement the RTE act, and that it was generally felt that the Centre should contribute towards 90 percent of the resources required for implementation.

Mr Anjani Kumar urged the participants to come up with an implementable road map taking into consideration the ground realities of the State. He said that even though the issues thrown up by the RTE looked huge, it was not a time to be disheartened.

He said that the participants present represented a wide range: NGOs and pressure groups for educational reform, private schools, and stakeholders and it was his belief that the two day consultation would throw up useful recommendations that would help in a viable and priority based implementation road-map for Bihar.


Author: Frank Krishner
Frank Krishner documents several educational initiatives for UNICEF, the State Government agencies, and other International Organisations. This post and subsequent ones on the consultation are for the purpose of general awareness and for the response of the enlightened public.

Video in the ELT classroom

I have been using video technologies in the classroom since the late 1980’s. From videotapes to DVDs and streaming video from the Internet, the visual mode is still the most powerful and popular medium of communication. Far from being mere entertainment, carefully chosen films are, in fact, useful and highly motivational teaching tools for practicing listening skills and stimulating speaking and writing.
Though video technology became affordable in the late 1970s, video became an even more widely available teaching aid in the next twenty years or so. Today, although the CBSE[1] recommends the use of selected films in the classroom, its penetration into everyday classroom practice and course/syllabus design hasn't been deep. In fact, the video is still an outsider in over 90 percent of Bihar’s ‘English Medium’ classrooms. It’s a shame that even in University classrooms, the number one teaching aid at an ELT teacher’s disposal is usually a stick of chalk.

How can teachers use video in the classroom? Most often it is used either to present students with spoken language input for listening practice or to elicit student language output via speaking or writing. Videos may also illustrate cultural and nonverbal behaviour and can also be used for teaching a variety of content (e.g., “about” linguistics) and skills (e.g., media literacy, literary criticism, comparing book and film versions). [2]
Looking back at the early days, it may be recalled that the first pedagogical practice was the direct adaptation of existing methodologies to incorporate the new technology. The 1960s and 70s had seen the emergence of the functional/notional approach to describing and teaching language, and this had begun to substitute transformational grammar as the main underlying principle behind materials and course design. One example is the appositely titled "Video English", a series of videos which took the main functions of the English language (e.g. greetings and introductions, asking for and giving information, etc.), and developed short sketches around them. The videos were accompanied by useful teaching notes, classroom activities, transcripts, suggestions for teachers and additional language material.

I use videos in several ways in my language classes. Actually, there are broadly three kinds of videos that I use. The first category is gleaned from BBC English language teaching resources. These are specially designed teaching videos that are developed around a teaching point and come with a downloadable script that can be very useful for teacher and student alike. The second category is popular films and episodes from television series.
The third category – which the teacher in India can acquire with a little bit of resourcefulness – is the adaptation of authentic TV and video material for language teaching. Two examples are the BBC's "Television English" series, in which excerpts from (mainly non-dramatic) UK broadcast TV programs are the focal point for well-written language learning activities, and Sony Corporation’s teaching materials based on a limited number of major feature films.
In addition to these three main categories of video resources, there is content or theme specific course material such as “Business English" and "Tourist English" videos, as well as courses using cartoons, aimed at children.

How does one use video in the classroom? Like other ELT practitioners, I have developed my own techniques. These techniques are far from new. One such technique is silent viewing. The students view a sequence, for example of a couple ordering a meal in a restaurant, and then attempt to generate an appropriate dialogue for the scene. The actual dialogue can then be used as a model from which to adapt the students' efforts. Alternatively, if the students are already familiar with the dialogue, they can use the silent re-viewing to reproduce the conversation. The reverse technique is to play the sound only, and have students discuss what the scene might look like. The teacher may also make good use of the ‘pause’ or ‘freeze-frame’ option, to check comprehension and to answer unanticipated questions. In some viewings, students should be encouraged to indicate if they want a pause in the viewing to pick up on points of confusion or general interest.
There are a number of features found in real spoken language but not in typical teaching materials. Real people mumble and talk with food in their mouths; some speak rather rapidly and use nonstandard forms; they incorporate different levels of formality and colloquialisms; they talk in incomplete sentences and use all sorts of pause fillers, hesitation phenomena, and the like. Differences in speech may be found from those of different regions, ethnic groups, social classes, ages, even gender. Speech is full of variety and ambiguity and students need to develop some ability to deal with this, even if it’s just to learn how to ask for clarification when they don’t understand something. Using video examples, teachers can guide students do deal with language as it is really used.[3]

Normally, however, merely watching and listening is not enough in the classroom. Teachers have to structure activities around the video. We may have the students summarize the plots of movies or entertaining TV shows; they may be encouraged to describe specific scenes or characters in detail. For news or information programmes, students may be encouraged to locate specific information by looking for the answers to WH-questions such as What happened? To whom? Where? With some other stories , they may be interested in discovering he answers to: What is the problem? What are the effects? What caused it? Are any solutions suggested?
The abovementioned activities incorporate listening and understanding, as well as writing down key information, and talking about the video with others. The activities might take the form of comprehension questions (multiple choice, ticking off, or completion), note-taking, and discussion. The students may also be asked to fill in blanks in the transcript while listening or to focus on certain lexical and grammatical usage. This, of course means that the teacher has to do his (her) homework well, planning out the activities and developing the task sheets that are to be used in the class.

On a more practical level, where the classroom is fitted with a television and cable connection, such as the one we have at the Department of Communicative English with Media Studies in Patna Women’s College, it is possible to let the students have access to English news programmes aired on satellite channels such as NDTV 24x7, Times Now or CNN-IBN. The English news on Doordarshan can be a fairly useful tool to help beginners with weak vocabularies and limited exposure to the spoken word familiarise themselves with registers.
The television programmes that I have found most useful are those that relate directly to the students’ worldview. The popular chat show ‘Koffee with Karan’ , NDTV’s talk show ‘We the people’, and the quiz show ‘Are you smarter than a fifth grader?’ can be potent language teaching tools.

One of the great advantages of video is that it provides authentic language input. Movies and TV programs are made for native speakers, so in that sense video provides authentic linguistic input. Students in Bihar are usually taught to memorize some grammar rules and vocabulary; the actual ability to use the language may or may not follow. When faced with a real native speaker, they panic. The unfortunate situation prevalent today, especially in the ELT ‘teaching shops’ is that ELT teachers in are not native speakers of English, and in this context, the judiciously used film/TV show can be used as a substitute for the ‘authentic’ native speaker.

[1] Central Board of Secondary Education
[2] Katchen, J. E. (1996). Using authentic video in English language teaching: Tips for Taiwan’s teachers. Taipei: Crane.

[3] ibid


Author: Frank Krishner
Frank Krishner is a journalist, film-maker and documentation specialist who has authored the weekly column “Wordsmith” on English usage in the Education Times (Times of India). He has been teaching mass communication at Patna Women’s College for the past decade.

Glory Days: Patna as education hub?

The early 1900’s brought students from other states and neighbouring countries to Patna for education, will the 21st century see the resurgence of Patna as a destination or quality education? The jury’s out on that one, writes Frank Krishner

Every June, outbound trains and planes carry significant numbers of freshly graduated high school students towards colleges in other cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and even to towns such as Indore and Gangtok. These youngsters leave home and wing their way to mainstream and vocational courses, battling it out in competitive examinations, braving inhospitality and swallowing their pride because they believe that colleges, institutions and universities outside the state will give them a better deal.

Observers say that times are changing and that this tide may soon be stemmed. They point to the many ‘franchisee’ schools: the ‘big brands’ of private education that have set up shop in the State capital. Vocational courses that lead to better paying pay-packets are no longer exclusively available in the Metros. Bihar can boast of several players of national and international repute that promise world-class education right in the heart of Patna. Be it media studies, animation, radio and television, foreign language courses, business management or fashion designing, there are institutes that offer these courses right here.

TRYST
“Patna’s tryst with modern education started way back in the 19th century. Schools like St. Joseph’s Convent and St. Michael’s have traditions that span over 150 years,” says Anne D’Costa, who taught at the latter school for over 25 years and who now lives with her equally famous footballer and teacher husband Rocque D’Costa in Mumbai.

Patna College dates back to 1912. Patna Medical College and Bihar National College gave India and the world some of its brightest luminaries. The American Jesuits started St. Xavier’s, and the American Bishop Sullivan started Patna Women’s College in the tempestuous years of 1939-40. They read the signs of India struggling to break free from British colonialism and encouraged their students to prepare themselves to take on great responsibilities in the New India. Students travelled from Bengal, Orissa and neighbouring countries to schools and colleges in Patna.

PASS WITHOUT ENGLISHIn the seventies and eighties, Patna saw several upheavals, not the least in the field of education. There emerged a new category on the Matriculation certificate, “Pass without English”. The venerable Catholic / Protestant aristocratic English medium school ethos: stolid and elitist, underwent a drastic change as the Jesuits shifted gears and opened the floodgates to Dalits in their new-found ‘option for the poor’. Upper class Patna watched aghast as trusted traditions were thrown to the winds and first St. Xavier’s, and then St. Michael’s reversed gears and became Hindi medium schools. This resulted in the opening of several privately run English Medium Schools run by Anglo-Indians, the most famous of which was set up by a certain Alfred De Rozario.

ASPIRATIONAL LANGUAGE

“Let’s face it. English is the aspirational language of Bihar. In spite of all attempts to portray Bihar as a rustic place which has no place for English, several private English Medium schools opened in Patna,” observes journalist and educator Allen Johannes. “Schools such as Rose Bud, St. Karen’s, St. Dominic Savio’s were started and flourished. Soon other schools such as DAV and Krishna Niketan opened: all of them teaching with English as a medium of instruction.”

Post-modern, technology-driven, globalised India has an entirely different set of aspirations and values, and the shift is evident in the choices made by the prospering middle classes of twenty-first century Bihar. The air-conditioned designer schools have made a mark in Patna. If money is no consideration, one needn’t pack their kids off to strange boarding schools when brands such as DPS, Radiant, and Zee have arrived and unpacked their wares.

Gyan Niketan School Director Anita Kunal attributes the success of the institution to the dedication and devotion of faculty and students to their respective duties. “Team work, utmost sincerity and honesty towards been our USP. We just don’t rest on our laurels and allow complacency to sneak in. We are constantly challenging ourselves to set new but realistic standards,” she says. She denounces too much attention being given to academics alone. “The general tendency is to stress too much on academics once the students reach the 10+2 level. The extra curricular activities and personality development aspect of education which are an integral part of the process are given a backseat. This should be avoided. The idea is to attain equilibrium between studies and all round development, without which education loses its essence.”

Coomar Anunodaya, who runs the Krishna Niketan chain of schools says that the imparting of cultural values and sanskar are the basis of education. “In our schools, we do not stress only on grades, life skills are an integral part of education. The girls are taught how to be good daughters, mothers and daughters-in-law as well. Family values are important.” A similar line of thought is also held by the Premalok school, which has sessions with spiritual leaders as part of the curriculum.

There primary reason why the demand for higher education and traditional courses in the state suffer and students migrate to outside institutions is that little placement assistance is provided by Patna colleges, says College of Commerce (Magadh University) Principal Suresh Prasad. “This deters them from opting for courses from Patna institutions which don’t provide them with access to employment opportunities.”

There is evidence that the benefits of education to individuals and society are enhanced when its quality is high. For example, better learning outcomes – as represented by pupils’ achievement test scores – are closely related to higher earnings in the labour market; thus, differences in quality are likely to indicate differences in individual worker productivity. Empirical research has also demonstrated that good schooling improves national economic potential. The quality of the labour force, again as measured by test scores, appears to be an important determinant of economic growth.
[Photo by FK: Boys in a government shool in Madhepura, Bihar March 2009. This article was published in the Times of India in April 2008]

Author: Frank Krishner

If only we had the same opportunities….

Sadhu Manhji squats on the floor on the veranda of Bahuada primary school. He wipes the sweat of his forehead. Bare bodied and dusty, he has interrupted his work in the fields to come to the school and talk to us about the new initiatives for education happening within his community. He is a member of the VSS, the school education committee.

“This generation has opportunities to go to school that we never had. And all our Musahar people must realize this. The efforts of the government to give our children an education are sincere. Our own people must take advantage of this and demand for education,” he says.

Thanks to an initiative by local Mushahar youth called Navachar Kendras, backed by the State Government tHrough the SSA (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan), 138 Musahar children of primary school going age have been identified, and all of these have been enrolled in school, he says.

“I did go to school. I remember that I was in class two when things began going against my education. We would have to walk for some distance and go to the school. We would have to pass the fields belonging to the land-owners. The farmers would tell us that we had no business going to school. The bigger boys who belonged to the farmer caste would threaten to break our legs if we went towards the school. My own parents, fearing for my safety, or even for their lives said that it was our lot to work in the fields and that we could never hope to have foolish dreams of becoming officers. This was how things were twenty five years ago.

“Today, I am a member of the School education committee in this village. Whatever these volunteers [Tola sevaks] are doing, they are helping the children complete their education. They are taking the children by the hand and making them sit in the classrooms. The teachers are accepting these Musahar children. In our time, we would have to sit at a distance from the rest of the students, because we were regarded as smelly and dirty,” says Sadhu Manjhi with feeling.

At Pitvans Mushari beside the Punpun river, a young man named Birju speaks up. “The Musahars have always been outside the social circle. Even though there were winds of change blowing all around us, they didn’t touch our lives.

“Not only me, but practically every male above ten or eleven in my family had to find some sort of means to survive– servant, helper, brick carrier, factory worker. If your parents are busy the whole day to scrape together a handful of food, how can you go to school? You are left to survive as best you can. I studied in the school for about three years, but reality took over. I had to earn my living, so dropped out.

But now, things are very different. I would want my children to go to the school. Because they will be able to benefit. In the evenings, the tola sevak will coach my children as well. It is wonderful that educated persons from our own community are engaged in this process. This is a positive move by the government. No doubt there are problems, but this is a beginning. I am happy to say that I urged my relatives to support the tola sevak Ganauri Manjhi. This child in my arms will also go to school one day. Instead of just complaining about how we are being neglected, it is our duty to become a part of our own children’s development,” Birju asserts.

Ninety Musahar children of primary school going age were identified from the Pitvans area and all have been placed within the school system.
Photos by Frank Krishner
1.Sadhu Manjhi [right] at Bahuada PS

2.Birju Manjhi

Author: Frank Krishner

Reaching the last child

Twenty one year old Naheed Parveen has discovered a new passion. Whenever she visits her friends and neighbours, she asks about the health and progress of the small children around. ‘I keep a look out for news of new born babies, so I can motivate their parents to immunise them against polio,” she says.
While the eastern Indian state of Bihar grapples with an alarming rise in the number of poliovirus infections in the past year, unreached children continue to remain vulnerable in certain pockets.
Naheed is one of the 300 community mobilisers under an expanded SMNet programme who help build a bridge between their communities and the programme, helping to break down resistance and ensure better quality operations and reach to vulnerable children.Two years ago, Naheed’s grandfather, a Muslim cleric, had a marked apathy towards the Pulse polio programme. Today, announcements about the usefulness of the vaccine are issued from his mosque in one of Bihar’s ‘vaccination unfriendly’ blocks.
“Two years ago, vaccinators would be chased away from this neighbourhood,” says Najma Parveen, the block mobilisation coordinator who inducted Naheed into the Polio social mobilisation network. “Naheed is a bright girl and a college student. Her grandfather is a respected religious figure. Our vaccination team, who often had to face verbal abuse and sometime physical threats in the past, now reaches infants in the same problem areas, because the Maulana’s granddaughter accompanies the vaccinator.
“It wasn’t easy for a girl with my family background to step out of the house. My father gave his permission grudgingly when I pointed out that the honorarium for the job would help me pay for my college books. My grandfather finally came round to understanding that the polio vaccine did not have any side effects like making babies barren in later life. So he allowed announcements about the polio programme to be made after religious gatherings at the mosque,” Naheed says.
A local woman says firmly, “We only allowed our children to receive vaccination because the Maulana’s granddaughter personally accompanied the vaccinator, and we have her word that the vaccine is safe.”
Naheed says that motivation is an ongoing task. “I also ensure that the new born babies receive the complete immunisation package by accompanying the mothers to the PHC.” In traditional Muslim households, the women refrain from moving out of the locality on their own.
If refusals to the polio vaccine in Bihar have come down to 0.1 percent over the past three months, it is largely because of the consistent efforts of community mobilisation coordinators, Block Mobilisation Coordinators and the SMnet teams.
Community mobilisation coordinators work with the womenfolk in the family on a regular basis, assessing their needs and devising localised strategies for outreach.
Shagufta Naaz, a CMC in the Tripolia locality of Gulzarbagh block overcame the resistance of traditional Muslim families by donning the burkha (hijab). Says Shagufta, “Women in my family don’t usually wear traditional Muslim clothing, as is the case in most middle class educated families. However, I realised that to successfully ensure complete coverage in my area, I would have to penetrate families with a very traditional mindset. When I began using the burkha, I found it far easier to achieve rapport. I was not treated with suspicion. There were 19 refusals in this area four months ago. As of today, there is only one family left uncovered, but I am sure that with a little help from the local community influencers, we will be able to vaccinate the last child within the next two days.”
Shazia, a CMC from the Sher Shah Gali area, holds non-formal classes for small children in front of her house. “Some women asked me if I could teach their small kids, and I agreed. After all, as an educated young person, spending an hour helping children is time well spent. It also helps me influence the women to look after the children better,” she says. Shazia states that several women have begun to have their children vaccinated when their husbands are out of the house. “Even if the husbands resist, the women have begun to understand the importance of protecting their children from the polio virus.”
“Local influencers are an asset to the polio communication campaign,” says Naheed, “the success of a mobilisation coordinator can be measured by the number of local leaders she can network with to come out and support the vaccination campaign. We also support Anganwadi workers to update the list of newborns so that ICDS services can also reach the children.”

Author: Frank Krishner

Bihar's Muslims: in an educational Ghetto?

According to a Planning Commission report, only one per cent Muslim women and 3.4 per cent men in urban areas are graduates. In rural areas only 0.7 per cent Muslim men graduate and women graduates are too few to even register on a survey. Across India, Muslim literacy rate is 59.1 per cent, while the national average is 64.8 per cent. And 90 per cent Muslim students drop out by the time they reach high school. FRANK KRISHNER examines the Bihar situation.

In terms of education, Muslims fare much worse than the scheduled castes and tribes across the country and the problem is more economic than cultural, say a broad spectrum of Muslim citizens.

“It just isn’t true that Indian Muslims are backward-looking and resistant to education. Poverty is the over-riding factor. There are few government schools in pockets where there is Muslim majority and that’s why the kids are sent to the Madrasa, not the other way around, “ says Hasan Nezani, Principal of Patna Muslim Science College. Nezami, who once taught at the Military school, Ajmer, returned to Patna as the Principal of the Patna Muslim High School. The school, established in 1938, was reeling under several problems, including low attendance. Nazrani turned it around, lobbied successfully for its affiliation to the CBSE board, and today it stands as a much sought after provider of secondary education among the community.

The contribution of the community to education in this state has been significant. In Bihar, there are several secular and forward-looking Secondary and Higher secondary schools run by this minority community. In Patna, Rose Bud School ranks among the best English medium schools affiliated to ICSE. Its name is a reference to Pandit Nehru’s favourite flower and symbolic of his love for children. Mrs Rizvi, its founder principal is well known for her unflinching commitment to secular and democratic values. Rose Bud, as also International School are co-educational institutions whose alumni come from all sections and communities.

“It is not a fallacy to say that Bihar Muslims are in a ghetto in more ways than one,” says Meher, a Mass communications undergraduate. “The way to get them out of the ghetto is through modern education. A small number of families of Muslims are middle class or upper class, and these families usually form their own social group. Unless the boys get modern education, they will not get proper jobs, and the community will remain as it is.”
Interestingly, Meher is just one of over 24 Muslim girls studying mass communication in the two media related departments of Patna Women’s College. For the past three years, about twenty percent of the students of Communicative English come form the community.

However, the picture with reference to primary education isn’t as encouraging. Many Muslim parents do want to send children to government schools and learn English rather than send them to Madrasas. Surveys and complaints to Waqf boards show that government schools in Muslim-dominated areas are too few. The Sarva Shiksya Abhiyan, seems to have met roadblocks in Muslim areas, says Nezani. ‘The main reason why the children are being sent to the religious schools is because they are given ‘bhojan’. If only some financial help could be availed of, things would be different.
Recently, the spotlight has been on the Justice Sachar report on the condition of Muslims. The Sachar Committee, looking into the representation of Muslims in every sphere of national life, has not yet tabled its report. The Planning Commission already has an action plan for Muslim education. It’s proposing a scholarship of Rs 1,000 per month to every Muslim girl in the country and an incentive of Rs 10,000 to higher institutes for every Muslim graduate. No doubt, it is a radical plan that will involve an outlay of Rs 6,000 crore.
A working group on education for Muslims, appointed by the Planning Commission, has submitted a roadmap for making education more accessible for Muslim children, especially girls. It’s heartening to know that there are a some modern schools for girls being run by the community, which cater to all sections of the society in Bihar, however more needs to be done as large numbers of Muslim girls continue to be kept home.

There is a sense of urgency in these Planning Commission recommendations. It is imperative that all young people be empowered to access gainful employment. No section of society can be left behind, if India, and Bihar for that matter, is to move towards meaningful development. The roles of the members of the community who are actively promoting modern education are the key to the aspirations of the Indian Muslim.

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