In English, with confidence
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It was rich experience for 40-odd students who participated in a 10-day enrichment programme on English skills organised by the Foundation for Academic Excellence and Access in Kochi.
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A 10-day enrichment programme on English skills organised by the Foundation for Academic Excellence and Access (FAEA) at Ashir Bhavan in Kochi at the beginning of this month turned out to be a rich academic experience for the 40-odd students from various colleges across the State. Packing their bags on the last day of the workshop, the students said in unison: "The programme has improved our communication skills; it emboldened us to address an audience in English."
Apart from the FAEA, the others who were impressed by this positive remark of the students belonging to the disadvantaged sections of society were the teachers of St. Teresa's College, Kochi, and Farook College, Feroke. Both institutions were involved in this annual training workshop.
Scholarship
All those who took part in the workshop were the recipients of FAEA scholarship. FAEA is a non-Governmental organisation headed by V.R. Mehta, former Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University, working to break new ground in higher education in the country. It receives financial aid by the Ford Foundation under a programme called Pathways.
FAEA says that its mandate is to help socially and economically disadvantaged students pursue higher education in centres of excellence. Launched less than three years ago, FAEA also provides logistical and financial assistance to colleges to enable them to develop creative and innovative programmes to help disadvantaged students.
Support
Farook College is the only institution in the State currently getting infrastructure and logistical support from the foundation. FAEA selected six colleges, including Farook College, across the country for support in 2004 based on the fact that they had the five-star approval by the National Accreditation Council, that they belonged to the colleges affiliated to the Campus Diversity Programme of the Ford Foundation, and that they were located in a predominantly backward area.
The Foundation offers five-year scholarship to students from the marginalised sections of the society. P. Mubarak Pasha, former principal of Farook College and director of the College Development Council, Calicut University, said that the foundation would take complete care of the studies of selected brilliant students.
Eligibility
Currently, 600 students across the country get the foundation scholarship. In Kerala, 45 students from various colleges were so far selected for the scholarship. Plus Two is the minimum qualification for this scholarship. Students with 70 per cent marks or above can apply. There will be no discrimination on community, race or caste basis, said Dr. Pasha.
Shortlisting of students will be done after different stages of screening, including an interview. Backward communities, particularly SC/ST students, would be cushioned, said Dr. Pasha.
The Foundation spends about Rs. 80,000 a year on a student, taking care of his or her tuition fee, cost of books, insurance, clothing, travel, hostel and various other needs.
Workshop
The training workshop that concluded in Kochi on Saturday was one of a series of FAEA activities in collaboration with associate colleges to enhance the students' English language, personality, IT skills and communication skills.
"The language laboratory experience was the best and most exciting part of this workshop," said Habeeb C. and Akbar C., visually challenged twin brothers from Farook College. They said their approach to the English language had changed tremendously over the last 10 days.
Sherin P.M., a sixth semester engineering student from Adisankara Institute of Engineering and Technology, said that she was no longer inhibitive before an audience. "We have overcome the problem of stage-fright and inhibition," she said.
They had praise for the teachers of St. Teresa's College, particularly Priya K. Nair and Dhanya Raveendran, who handled different aspects of spoken English.
Sr. Tessa, principal of St. Teresa's College, said that the participants had undergone a tremendous change over a period of 10 days. "I was there at the beginning... and I see them now at the close... they have become bold and confident," she said.
ABDUL LATHEEF NAHA
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