'Learning Point' empowers dropouts, orphans to dream bigger

Bengaluru: "Now Learning Point is becoming a turning point for people who aspire to go someplace,” said Dr Sadiq Sait, Professor and Director at King Fahd University, while addressing students at the Learning Point graduation ceremony. Students from orphanages, school dropouts, and madrasa students who had never received a non-Islamic education until Class 10 – almost all from the Muslim community – graduated from Learning Point, an open education institution, on Saturday.

At the ceremony, many echoed the same sentiment. Students were overjoyed to receive their certificates and looked forward to a new chapter in their lives. Some planned to pursue vocational courses, while others hoped to specialise in a particular field of study. “My name is Usman Khan, I am now studying at CMR University, BA,” said a stu dent who graduated from Class 12.

His classmates were also pursuing studies in law and science. One of the chief guests was NIOS regional direc tor V Swaminathan, who praised the foundation’s ef forts and spoke about how the open education system offers children a chance to study when no other option is available.

“Compared to regular education, the cost we ask is very little, and especially in Karnataka, the quality of education is good. Our admissions have also grown. Nowadays, with the pardah system and so on, they are able to get an education and follow their religion as well,” he said. “I had a fear of public speaking and going on stage; when I started studying here, that went away,” said Afnan Ahmed, a student who graduated from Class 10.

“In other schools, they don’t teach us in detail like they do here. In my Class 11, there are fewer students, while in other schools there are more. The teachers helped us pass, and our exams also went smoothly,” he said. The teaching staff consists almost entirely of women, and there is a strong emphasis on providing education to female students.

Dr Shukla Bose of the Parikrama Humanity was all praise for their work. “I am amazed at the kind of work that has happened here, with these amazing women. I told them that when I’m in their midst, I feel proud to be a woman. Everybody in this room must congratulate their dedication, perseverance, and refusal to give up.

In the kind of work they do, it’s very easy to quit, but only a few hold on,” she said. The founder of the institution, Dr Sarvath Adil Khan, conceived the idea of bringing English-medium education to madrasas. “I think it is the need of the hour to not only educate these children – both boys and girls – but to do it through the medium of English. Because there is little opportunity for them after they leave the madrasa.

I must add that it is a good sign that the madrasas have allowed our female teachers to come and teach there for two hours,” she said. She added that many of the students are now finding new opportunities and pursuing mainstream education to improve their lives. Organising the event, she said, was also meant to bring various groups of students together, giving them exposure they would not otherwise get.