Bhopal: More than 150 Educators from across Globe were felicitated with 8th AMP National Award for Excellence in Education 2024 on Teachers Day at a glittering function in Ravindra Bhawan here in Bhopal.
Bhopal Shahar Qazi Maulana Syed Mushtaq Ali Nadvi presided over the felicitation function while former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, who is presently a Rajya Sabha Member, was the Chief Guest for the programme. The function was attended by some of the awardees, specially invited guests, AMP members & volunteers and members of the academic community. Other winners who could not travel to Bhopal attended the function online and many others on social media platforms.
Bhopal Shahar Qazi Maulana Syed Mushtaq Ali in his presidential address said that the importance of teachers can be understood by the quote of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) wherein who had said: “I have been sent only as a teacher to you”. The Prophet (PBUH) impacted the hearts and minds of people through various educational activities.
Shahar Qazi quoted Allama Iqbal who had said: “The soil of Hindustan is very fertile and amenable to good works from its citizens.” He told the gathering that they should be thankful that the Almighty Allah made them a Teacher because as per the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), a good teacher can reach near the level of Prophets.
While Digvijay Singh greeted and praised all teachers on the occasion and appreciated immensely AMP’s initiative of bringing together Muslim Professionals for contributing back to the society. He said that for progress of the country Education and Health should be given top priority. He also emphasised that Muslims should get into professional education for the progress of the community.
Muslims in government jobs less than SC/ST
He said the number of Muslims in government jobs is less than that of the people of SC/ST category. Only 74% of Muslims have formal education and the number of women with formal education is still less than their male counterparts, he said. The percentage of literate people among SC/ST category is equal to that of the Muslims, Singh said.
Despite this, the number of Muslims in government jobs is very less, Singh said, adding that a large chunk of the people of this community is intellectual who should encourage the youths to join professional education.
Singh said in universities, the situation has come to such a pass that to become a vice chancellor one has to be an RSS member, the former chief minister said. According to Singh, the entire education system has become corrupt. In many educational institutions, a large number of posts are lying vacant, but the teachers are being appointed on contract, he said. “How can a person who is working on contract impart quality education to others?” he said.
The appointment of teachers and professors on contract basis is not good for the future of students, he opined. The quality of education in government schools is so poor that people do not want to send their children to those institutions, the former chief minister added.
Prof. Furqan Qamar, former Vice Chancellor – University of Rajasthan & Central University of Himachal Pradesh, in his keynote address, said: “Our participation in Higher Education should be increased and we should demand more from the Government being a sizable section of the population”. He further added that public investment in Education have to made to make Education affordable for those in rural areas, women and landless labourers who lack in Higher Education.
Dr. Usha Khare, National Teacher Awardee (Govt. of India) and State Teacher Awardee (Govt. of M.P.), and one of the Guests of Honour, who recently retired as the Principal of the Jahangirabad Girls Government School in Bhopal, recounted her experience of how she went around the impoverished mohallas requesting the parents to send their daughters to school for education. She mentioned that she donated her entire prize money of Rs. 25 lakhs she won at Kaun Banega Crorepati show to the School and on retirement she left around 1.5 crores worth of assets for the School.
The winners of the awards were selected by the eminent jury of 14 eminent Educationists and Academicians from thousands of nominations received from across India.
These awards were given in the following 7 categories which included: 1. Primary and Secondary Teachers; 2. College and University Teachers; 3. Principals/Head of Institutions; 4. Islamic Education (Arabic/Fiqh/Islamic Studies); 5. Educational Institutions; 6. Lifetime Awards & 7. Late Ibrahim Qureshi Memorial Award
The Ibrahim Qureshi Memorial Award was presented to Prof Furqan Qamar for his outstanding service in the field of education.
The Lifetime Achievement Awards were given to the following Educators:
1) Hazrat Maulana Sayyed Muhammad Aqil, Shaikh-ul-Hadith- Mazahir-ul-Uloom, Saharanpur, UP; 2) Jamaluddin Ahmad Khan, Ex-Lecturer-Halim Musim Inter College, Kanpur, UP; 3) Sharifa A. Azeez, Correspondent, Crescent Matriculation H.Sec. School, Chennai, TN & 4) Sheila Lawrence, former Headmistress, Lucknow Christian College, Lucknow, UP.
Besides above winners, a total of 78 teachers were also given Special Jury Awards for the Primary & Secondary, Higher Education & Heads of Institution categories. Apart from these, 50 My Favourite Teacher Awards were also given to those teachers who were voted by Students and Parents across the country.
Meanwhile, the Teacher Awardees from Bhopal included: 1. Bushra Parveen, Oakwoods School, Category- Primary & Secondary; 2. Dr. Shazia Ali, Campion School, Category- Primary & Secondary; 3. Dr. Mohammad Athar, Institute of Excellence, Higher Education, Bhopal, Category- Higher Education; 4. Dr. M. M. Malik, MANIT, Category- Higher Education; 5. Dr. Sana Khan, Azim Premji University, Category- Higher Education; 6. Dr. Siraj Ahmed, MANIT, Category-Higher education; 7. Prof. Dr. Ghayur Alam, National Law University, Category-Higher Education; 8. Prof. Asma Rizwan, People’s University, Category-Higher Education; 9. Dr. Abid Husain Saify, All Saints’ College of Technology, Category – Higher Education; 10. Dr. Faiqa Saulat, Trailblazer International School, Category-Principal/Head & 11. Ms Nikhat Ara, A. U. School, Category-Principal/Head of institution.
The other Guests of Honour included MLAs Arif Masood and Atif Arif Aqueel, Mohammad Wazir Ansari IPS (R), Former DGP – Chhattisgarh. Each of them applauded AMP’s extraordinary achievements in the field of Education & Employment in the last 17 years. They also congratulated the organising team and the jury for the very thorough selection of the Awardees and for conducting the felicitation programme in a professional manner.
Farooq Siddiqui, Head – AMP National Coordination Team, hosted the show with aplomb and recounted how from a small humble beginning AMP has now reached across the country in 200+ cities and its volunteers in many countries around the globe.
The guests were welcomed by Kalim Akhtar, Zonal Head – Central India, AMP NGO Connect. He presented an English Translation of the Holy Qur’an to Digvijay Singh on the occasion which he accepted with great reverence.
Sajid Qureshi, Acting President of Ibrahim Qureshi Memorial Study Circle, Bhopal, thanked AMP for giving him an opportunity to support and associate with this great event. Rafat Iqbal Farooqi, State Head – AMP Madhya Pradesh proposed the vote of thanks to the guests and the awardees, and to the entire MP State & Bhopal Chapter Team members for working hard to make the entire programme a great success.
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