Recently, the Times of India reported that the communal violence in Muzaffarnagar district of Utter Pradesh has led to a lesser known casualty-girl's access to education. Scared for their safety, young girls have been banned by their families to walk long distances to school.
E2E's board member, Dr. Syed Iqbal Hasnain, is the inspiration behind a new girl's only school in his ancestral village of Muzaffarnagar. The
former Vice Chancellor of the University of Calicut in the state of Kerala and
the winner of the 2009 Padma Shri from the President of India, Dr. Hasnain was called to action after a recent visit back home.
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| First Girl's School in Muzaffarnagar, built by Dr. Iqbal in Partnership with E2E |
“When I returned to my
village, I felt a mix of frustration and dismay. Muzaffarnagar had recently
been in the news for all the wrong reasons due to communal violence between
Muslims and Hindus. What I noticed were
the number of girls, regardless if they were Muslim or Hindu, at home
performing domestic chores instead of learning in a classroom. Why was the
media not focusing their spotlight on this issue? In 2013, India is at the forefront of
information technology, yet it is one of the highest ranked countries for child
illiteracy.”
Dr. Hasnain describes his heart inspired initiative as a “small
baby step that might ripple into a larger movement led by local communities”. After spending time interviewing Hindu and
Muslim families throughout Uttar Pradesh, he learned an interesting fact. Most families wanted their girls to learn and
attend school.
“When I visited
villages in UP and I saw young girls engaged in agriculture and household
activities, I asked parents why they’re not in school. The response I consistently received was that
the schools were not accessible because it was not safe for girls to walk long
distances to attend the same schools that boys attend.”
Regardless of caste or religious sect, most families
withdrew their girls from school once they reached age 13. And once a girl was no longer in school, the
remaining alternative was to train her for domestic work and have her married.
Changing social traditions can be a long process. Dr. Hasnain’s new school is modeled to reflect
the pedagogical style of the West, inculcating the curriculum with critical
thinking skills. When a girl learns to
value her own thoughts and experiences in addition to analyzing the world from
a critical perspective, harmful traditions change.
This year 14 girls ranging from ages 4 to 6 years old have
enrolled in what is called “Green Acres Girls Public School”. Next year, a much larger enrollment of girls
is expected now that communities are area of this school’s accessibility. If enough resources become available,
kindergarten through third grade classrooms will be offered.
“To attract quality
teachers to a village school is perhaps the biggest challenge. We also hope to
bring volunteers and other resources from abroad to teach and train our
teachers. I am looking forward to what
emerges through this partnership with Educate to Empower.”
E2E is also looking forward to seeing the girls in Muzaffarnagar learn, ask questions, and realize their unique truths. In the coming months, we will continue
building similar partnerships with individuals and organizations that are
focused on the empowerment of girls through education. We are excited to imagine a new future for
tomorrow’s women.
