Free education project launched for Muslim girls in Bihar
4 Jul 2008, 1220 Hrs

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New Delhi, July 4 (ANI): Human Resources Development Minister Arjun Singh has inaugurated a project titled 'HUNUR' for imparting free skills to Muslim girls in Bihar.

Inaugurating a project here last evening, Arjun Singh said the project would be extended to other states in due course.

"We will try our best to do whatever is possible to make the project a success, as the project is for an important part of our society," he said.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was present on the occasion, said, "Under this project, free education will be given to the girls. Their skills will be polished, and they will be enabled to stand on their own feet. We have our programme set for the next year. Fifty thousand Muslim girls will be chosen for the project next year."

HUNUR is a collaborative project of the Union Human Resource Development Ministry and the Government of Bihar.

Under it, the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) will provide free skill training to about 12,000 girls studying in different schools in Bihar.

The seven courses, which have prepared for the training, include gram sakhi, jute production, cutting and tailoring, early childhood care and education, basic technology and beauty culture.

This scheme will be implemented through Maktabs, Madarsas and Darul-uloom,

Under this scheme, NIOS has made provisions for providing concessions related to infrastructure, fee as well as number of students at study centres.

The most significant aspect of this scheme is the provision of relaxation of norms for accreditation for traditional educationally backward institutions especially Madarsas and Maktabs. It is envisaged that the skill training of the girls will help them in their future areas of work. NIOS will provide them free course material under this programme.

The scheme for providing free education to Scheduled Castes (SC)/Scheduled Tribes (ST) learners through NIOS will also be inaugurated.

NIOS as per government policy has been giving fee concession to SC/ST learners. Now, the Government of Bihar has taken the decision to give total freeship to SC/ST learners of Bihar, both girls and boys.

The funds are provided by the Government of India (Under SSA through NGEPEL), Government of Bihar and Bihar Education Project. This initiative will vastly improve their access to school level education being provided by NIOS and will open the path for all other governments also to take up this initiative with NIOS.

It is hoped that these programmes will help the traditional backward communities to take benefit from the programmes of NIOS. (ANI)