Mohammad Faheem Usmani
In an agile response to the restrictions placed following the Covid-19 situation, many madrasas in the country have been quick to embrace online education to ensure continuity of their education for the students. Markazul Ma’arif Education and Research Cntre (MMERC), Mumbai is one among the first madrasa linked institutions which began online classes from 15 June for its students of Diploma in English Language and Literature (DELL) course. Fowllowing the initiative taken by MMERC, many other madrasas and Muslims organizaitons have planed to go on e-learning mode.
Madrasas, traditionally limited to rote learning of the Glorious Qur’an, now have started offering computer classes and have adopted modern pedagogical instruments for teaching science.
Eastern Crescent approched to the director of MMERC and some other teachers to know how they have ventured in e-learning mode.
Maulana Burhanuddin Qasmi, Director of MMERC, said that we just started online classes acting upon ‘something is better than nothing’ to benefit our students as they are the trust of ummah in our hands. While sharing his experince about online classse Mualana MB Qasmi said that though there were some technical problems with studetns in the beginning but sooner they were adapted to the new system and modern way of education. As of now, all the classes are going on smoothly.
Maulana Mohammad Afzal Qasmi, Lecturer at Blackburn College, UK and a guest teacher in MMERC online classes for English and Arabic Spoken said that e-learnig has a lot of advantages along with few side effects. One of the biggest advantages of e-learning is that students form all over the country and even from across the world can join the classes cutting off all physicla boundries and limitations, Malana Afzal further explained.
He also said, “I appreciate MMERC’s dicision for online classes and I am happy to be a part of MMERC team.
Maulana Mudassir Ahmad Qasmi, Lecturer at MMERC and National Coordinatior of DELL alos shared his views about MMERC online classes. He said that the experience to start online classes is beyond our expectations and we are satisfied that our students are learning every enthusiastically.
EC also contacted some of MMERC and other DELL students to know their experience about the new learning system which was totally strange for them. Mufti Abdul Aziz, MMERC student said that he has been joinin MMERC online classes for around 15 days from his home in Mumbai. “Thouhg we do not have adequate system in our country that is required for online classes but still I am driving a lot of benefits thorgh online classes that is the best alternative of learning”, Abdl Aziz sadi further. The similar views shared by other students like Maulana Mohd. Sufyan Qasmi who has been attending classes from his home in UP, Maulana Abdul Ahad from Assam and Shahabuddin from West Bengal.
All the students are happy that their time is not been spent doing nothing, however, physical classes have been better for them by many aspects, they opined.
