Setting a benchmark for quality education
Beneath the leafy canopy of coastal flora, the historic town has an impressive array of educational institutions that belies its size.
Bhatkal’s tryst with education was spearheaded by the enterprising Navayath community in the year 1919 when the Anjuman Hami-e-Muslimeen set up its first school here. The institution continued its pioneering efforts all over the area, establishing many more in a span of next 90 years.
Anjuman was born on August 2, 1919. This prestigious trust redrew the contours of education in Bhatkal. The string of wide-ranging educational institutions founded and fostered by Anjuman Hami-e-Muslimeen is testimony to the perseverance, fortitude and foresight of its founding fathers — the late FA Mohammed Hasan, late MM Siddique and late IH Siddique. Today, the peaceful Bhatkal town and its suburbs are teeming with institutions thanks to Anjuman which will be celebrating its belated 90 years of existence in the month of October.
Harking back Syed Khalilurrahman, the enterprising president of Anjuman says, “When I look back on the progress of Anjuman I feel happy that its progress in terms of new courses, improved results and more and more facilities being provided have been good but at the same time the organisation has to go further at a higher level to fulfill my dream of making Anjuman an independent University.”
Those who toiled day and day out to make Anjuman a name to reckon with on the educational map of the state include late Shabandri Haji Hasan, JH Shamshuddin, late SM Yahya, late MA Ghani, the current vice-president DH Shabbar among many others. 90 years on, Anjuman now has nursery and primary schools, high schools, degree colleges, the institute of management, separate colleges for women, B.Ed college and an engineering college (The Anjuman institute of technology and management) which is the pride of region.
Says Abdurrahim Jukaku, general secretary of Anjuman, “Currently about 6,500 students study in more than 20 institutions scattered across Bhatkal. In order to accelerate the growth of Anjuman we are planning several projects with a view to expand our scope of activities, so we can be in be line with modern trends.”
The trust has been very liberal to open its portals for the non-Muslim students. Until some years ago (after a Hindu owned Trust started colleges at Bhatkal) majority of the non-Muslim students studied in different institutes run by the Anjuman. They say they are indebted to Anjuman for providing them quality education. Anjuman has a vision of development and expansion in order that the services provided by it are tailored to the needs of the community and in step with the society’s requirements.
Says Syed Khalil who is playing a pioneering role in the last two decades, “Anjuman is a growth-oriented institution. We have to improve our technology in various schools and colleges, further improve the academic standards, get better and more efficient staff, improve the standard of discipline and make Anjuman a model institution in our State and move forward at a faster space to become an independent university.”