ERDF to set up school of career guidance

: Special Correspondent
SILCHAR, Jan 13: Education, Research and Development Foundation (ERDF), a trust, which is presently running the Central IT College with 3,500 students, the first of its kind in Asom, Central Public School in Patharkandi of Karimganj district and a package of academic institutions across Northeast, has planned 10 other CBSE schools to be set up in rural, backward and remote areas of the region.

Speaking about this scheme of the Foundation at a press-meet in Borail View Hotel conference hall, its chairman M Hoque, said among the plans are, to establish central public school in Badarpur, Silchar and Hailakandi.

Hoque pointed out that the Foundation would give particular preference to very poor meritorious students of Barak Valley in its scheme for BPL students during admission to its colleges established in Guwahati. Apart from these plans, the Foundation has on its agenda an employment generation drive in Barak Valley.

Under this school of career guidance, the Foundation is going to start on trial basis, short term job oriented diploma courses on computer application, communication skills in English, office management, cutting and embroidery, sales and marketing.

Furthermore, to develop the entrepreneurial scenario of Barak Valley, the Foundation would provide local self–help groups of rural areas with necessary micro finance and entrepreneurial capacity build up.

N I Laskar, chief consultant, said ERDF since its inception has been involved in various welfare activities through awareness programmes organized by the students of the institutes under its management.

Other areas where the Foundation has involved itself are AIDS awareness, peace and justice, cancer awareness etc.

Chief technical advisor Prof S D Phukan revealed that the Foundation has envisaged concrete plans in making Asom and Meghalaya in particular and the entire Northeast in general, an educational hub in the near future.

As a positive step in this direction, the foundation of its Regional Institute of Science and Technology was laid by the Chief Minister of Meghalaya at Ninth Mile in the district of Rio Bhoi. The Bill in this regard was passed by the Meghalaya Assembly.

Pro vice-chancellor of Assam University Prof G D Sharma lauded the academic packages of ERDF which he believed would contribute in its own way to create the desired milieu for teaching and learning in various faculties and build up the infrastructure for socioeconomic development of the region. source: sentinel assam