Mumbai Siyasat.net
There is nationwide lockdown in India and the world for last about three months aimed at combating the spread of global pandemic – COVID-19 and educational institutions also have been shut for the same span of time. Though now there are some relaxations in the lockdown but still educational institutions are not allowed to open. It seems that they will be permitted to resume academic activities in near future but there are no clear guidelines in this regard from the government till date.
A meeting was held in Markazul Ma’arif Education and Research Centre (MMERC), Mumbai to sketch a proper plan to start this academic year keeping in view all the necessities of students and their benefits. The meeting was presided over by Maulana Mohammad Burhanuddin Qasmi, Director of MMERC, and participated by all the teachers and staff members.
In the beginning of the meeting Maulana MB Qasmi shed some lights on present and upcoming financial issues of all educational institutions including MMERC, Mumbai and said, “Though our institutes have been closed due to lockdown, but our students are trust of ummah and this Nation on us. Here the time has arrived to reopen all Islamic educational institutes following the Ramadhan and Eid vacation and we have already lost one and half month academic time in the pre Ramadhan lockdown. It is our responsibility to think about our students and manage damage control of education in this crisis of corona pandemic”. Acting upon ‘something is better than nothing’ at least we should start online classes to benefit our students, Maulana MB Qasmi added.
It was unanimously decided in the meeting that MMERC, for it’s own enrolled students as well as for those enrolled at it’s affiliated institutions all across India will start online classes form 15th Shawwal 1441 AH, corresponding to 8th June, 2020. Since it’s a new initiative taken by MMERC, responsibilities to make all the teachers and students adapt online system were given to Mufti Jaseemuddin Qasmi and Mufti Muhammad Rashid Qasmi, lecturers at MMERC, Mumbai.
Apart from this, following major decisions were taken in the meeting:
1. On the basis of 2nd Semester Exam, all First Year students are promoted to the Second Year and the 1st Year Final exams are dropped.
2. MMERC affiliated institutions from across India may direct their 2nd year students to join online classes of MMERC, Mumbai.
3. For online classes related details and enrollment etc., all 2nd year students were directed to contact Mufti Jaseemuddin Qasmi on Mob. No. 9920026253 (Whatsapp).
4. HoDs of MMERC affiliated institutions were advised to send their 2nd Year students’ details with WhatsApp number to MMERC, Mumbai
5. The institutes which have enrolled new students before Ramadhan in Deoband during entrance exams, should make fresh announcement with new dates for their students to reach the concerning institutes so that the students can pre-arrange travel itinerary accordingly.
6. MMERC, Mumbai will resume formal and regular classes form 20 Zilhijja 1441 AH, corresponding to 11 August, 2020 and all the Diploma in English Language and Literature (DELL) students were thereby informed to arrange their travel itinerary back to Mumbai and reach MMERC on before the deadline above.
It is noteworthy that Markazul Ma’arif Education and Research Centre (MMERC) was established by Maulana Badruddin Ajmal Al-Qasmi, CEO Ajmal CSR, in 1994. MMERC introduced a two-year Diploma in English Language and Literature (DELL) course for fresh madrasa graduates. This course gained considerable acceptance in India and became the benchmark for teaching English language to ulama in the country.
(Siyasat.net is Ahmedabad,Gujarat,India based website)
