Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Shiv Sahay Singh in a conversation with Sk Md Rafiqul Islam who has dedicated his life for the cause of the students in a remote village of Hooghly district
An untiring work for 24 long years by Sk Md Rafiqul Islam saw a madrasah located on the outskirts of the city being recognised as one of the best in the state. Located in the interior of Hooghly district in the Jangipara sub-division, the Furfura Fathehia Senior Madrasah has carved a niche for itself among the 500 madrasahs in the state. The madrasah has the highest number of 1,350 students in its roll.
The madrasah has students from states of Tripura and Assam other than our own West Bengal. But in the absence of any hostel, the students from far-flung places in the state and even outside the state had to face the problem of accommodation.
Rafiqul started mobilising resources from various quarters so that he could build a hostel for the students. After years of hardship and with the help of donations from the community he could build the hostel which at present houses more than 300 students. The hostel facility comes free to more than 50 per cent of the students who do not have the means to support themselves.
8220;It8217;s a question of moral and social responsibility when you become a teacher. You cannot restrict yourself to classroom teachings,8221; he said on why he thought it was necessary to provide an accommodation to the students.
More than twice a week, 48-year-old Rafiqul, who is also the hostel superintendent of the madrasah, tries to get in touch with the students to see whether they are facing any problem in the hostel or not.
His achievement is not merely restricted to bringing down the drop-out rate in the school by three per cent where most of the students are from the underprivileged class. He has established ways so that the students can earn part of their livelihood as well. The students of the madrasah have been taught skills of basic computer application, along with skills of embroidery, so that they can earn some money.
8220;The real problem is finding jobs for the students as there are very few jobs available. The students will have to develop some skills so that they can usefully employ themselves,8221; he says.
The performance of the school has improved considerably over the past few years. In 2006-07, 99 per cent of the students passed in Class X examination and 95 per cent students passed in Class XII examination. All the toppers in the Class XII examination of the West Bengal Board of Madrasah Education were from the Furfura Fathehia Senior Madrasah.
He is the acting head teacher of the school since 2006. Now he has plans to provide education to all students from elementary to the post-graduation level. With the formation of Aliah University in the state, the school will be serving as one of the distant centres of the university.
8220;I have approached the West Bengal Board of Madrasah Education to allow my students to take up computer application as their subject at the intermediate stage,8221; says Rafikul Islam.
It is also interesting to know that the former students of the madrasah recommended the name of their teacher to the district authorities in Hooghly for the President8217;s award for outstanding teacher. On being awarded on September 5 this year by the President, some recognition has been bestowed on the teacher, but he largely remains oblivious of his new recognition.
His commitment to the cause of the students is not limited to the madrasah alone. On holidays he is mostly seen at the office of the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education writing textbooks and drawing up syllabus for the madrasah education system.
