Month: October 2019

The 30^th of October 2019 was a historic day in the chronicles of Badri High School as the four Dodgeball heroes who represented Pakistan in the Under 21 category at the Asian Dodgeball Championship in Hong Kong were welcomed back to school with much fanfare.

Cheers of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ and ‘Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS Zindabad’ echoed in the air as the heroes held the Pakistan flags aloft as well as the trophy for being the third runner up in Asia.

The boys– Husain Gohar (Captain), Mohammed Quaid Johar (Vice Captain), Qusai Aamir and Hatim Huzaifa travelled to Hong Kong on 25^th October 2019 and participated in the games hosted by Hong Kong for the ADC. The Asian Dodgeball Championship (ADC) is a World Dodgeball Association (WDA) and Asian Dodgeball Federation (ADF) sanctioned event.

On 26^th October they were warmly received by the Hong Kong Head Moallim Sh. Hasnain bhai Kothari at 3 am at the airport who made sure that the FMB Thaali reached them on the week days. Janab Sh. Hasnain bhai was impressed by the topi they wore proudly on their heads and their humble demeanour and impeccable manners.

The Federation bus took them to the Hoi Fung Plaza where they rested for two hours and geared up to play their first international match against Australia on 26^th October at 6 am at the Jockey Club. They played for 12 straight hours on a nominal breakfast ‘for the sake of the country’ as Mohammed commented.

On Sunday, 27^th October, they were well rested to face five teams again.  They defeated Australia, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan and Philippines to reach the Quarter Finals. They were finally defeated by Hong Kong in the Semi Finals to win the bronze.

On Sunday Night a grand Farewell Dinner was held by the ADC at Club One Peak, Kawloon. The boys saw sea food on the menu and controlled their growling tummies and came back to their rooms to eat Maggi and cans of Chicken Karahi they had taken from Karachi. “The menu had 12 dishes—all seafood,” said Husain Gohar glumly. “We had to make do with drinking 5 soft drinks each.”

The Prize Distribution left the boys with a feeling of indescribable pride and lasting friendships especially with the Australian Under 21 team who were very impressed that they were representing Pakistan at such a young age.

“We were so happy to see that the Aussies were so friendly and supported us and even chanted Pakistan Zindabad for us during the prize giving,” says Qusai Aamir. “One of the Australians, Brandon, told us that we all have a heart of gold and that we have the potential to become full-time professional players.” The BHS boys surely played their part as ambassadors of the country.

On Monday, 28^th October when they were leaving from the Plaza they found a wallet under a seat in their bus with 60 thousand Hong Kong dollars and they immediately called the Asian Federation organizer and returned it. They were all set to board Qatar Airline QR610 but not before Janab Sh. Hasnain Bhai Kothari made them eat a much relished meal of Keema Chichri and Tomato soup of FMB. And once again their hearts said a silent prayer for Mufaddal Maula TUS.

What an enthralling journey it was! It perfectly showcased the vision and mission of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS that the students of the community should get the best possible fruits and opportunities of Deen and Duniya. This mission continues to be a beaconlight for Badri High School as it scales the heights of success.

Islam has always placed great emphasis on the importance of food and feeding the hungry. Food is considered a bounty of the Almighty and as such, wastage is not condoned in any form.

Under the guidance of His Holiness Dr. Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS, the Dawoodi Bohra community has always taken the matter of food security and food wastage very seriously.

Addressing the global issues of food security and food wastage, World Food Day is celebrated each year on the 16th of October. Its aim is to promote worldwide awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and to ensure food security and nutritious diets for all, striving to achieve ‘Zero Hunger’.

It is a threatening fact that around 815 million people of the 7.6 billion people in the world stay hungry almost every day, and that is why the Zero Hunger Challenge was launched by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2012.

On 16^th of October 2019, students were pumped up with the idea of having a ‘Safra Party’ at the premises where they were asked to bring extra lunch to share it with their peers in the break time. By this little act of kindness students treasured values on how to care, share and bring smiles on a multitude of faces while we feed them.

The following week paved its way further towards the enthralling poster making activity for the ‘Wall of Empathy’. The wall was embellished with creative ideas and slogans that invigorated within each soul determination and the will to conquer the battle of food inaccessibility.

Extending our activities further on Friday, October the 25^th 2019, students in a well-disciplined fashion trotted to the hifz room where they were greeted by Miss Zainab Hasnain, a nutritional technologist who educated students on the habits of healthy eating.

Following next, students met a motivational social worker, Mr.Adnan Siraj, who mesmerized them by his wisdom of speech and action contributing to this noble cause of eradicating hunger and starvation from earth’s platform by being a part of the Robin Hood Army. He is an active member of an army of robins who have served and influenced more than 300,000 lives nationwide, by serving food to 1.5 million people.

Mr. Siraj was also accompanied by Ms. Arwa, who is an active Robin herself and an ex-student of BHS. Seeing her noble example the students were motivated further to play their part in eliminating hunger.

BHS has set up a Food Bank and students from the elder grades will accompany Mr. Adnan Siraj from the Robin Hood army on a Sunday to distribute non-perishable food items in the underprivileged slum areas.

October at BHS echoed with vociferations of triumph as the whole school was engrossed to carry out the mission of promoting ‘Zero Hunger’ to attain Maula’s TUS blessings.

We are truly blessed to have the soothing shade of Dr. Syedna Mohammad Burhannudin and Dr. Syedna Muffadal Saifuddin that has provided Mumineen around the world with food to eat through Faiz ul Mawaid ul Burhaniyah (FMB).

In the educational context, a teacher is also an action researcher too who questions each and every thing around her and seeks answers by investigating. This process does not only prove helpful to the teacher but it aids the teaching/learning process by benefitting the learners, ultimately leading to the collective upliftment of the educational society at large.

Treading onto the path of discovery and enlightenment, two teachers from Badri High School travelled to Islamabad to present their researches in front of educational community nationally and internationally.

The International Conference of Early Childhood Development was held at Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad on the 25^th and 26^th of September where two research scholars from Badri High School shared their researches and recommendations. The Conference hosted researchers from around the world for sharing their best research based practices with each other.

On the 25^th of September, Ms Zenab Mohammad, Head of Computer Assisted Language Learning Department shared her research on the impact of computer assisted language learning on the teaching and learning of English as a second language  in the policy makers enclosure. The audience consisted of dignitaries such as Dr Carol Aubrey, research expert from San Fransisco, Ms Naheed Wasi, founder of IECED and wife of Senator Mr Taj Haider, Mr Jawed Iqbal, a renowned motivational speaker from Lahore and many other directors of organizations. The research focuses on the impact of using Literacy Planet for teaching English Language specifically in Early Years.

The next day, 26^th of September, Ms Rashida Mohammad, the in-charge of the outdoor play activities at BHS, presented her research on the significance of outdoor classroom in early years in the EY practitioners’ enclosure where the audience was enthralled by the impact of outdoor activities on the holistic development of children in the pre-primary section of Badri High School. The distinguished audience in the room included Dr. Ghazala Rauf, Research supervisor of Allama Iqbal Open University, Ms Shafia Rafeeq, contemporary researcher and teacher`s trainer of the capital along with many others interested in the field.

The teachers were presented with certificates for presenting their researches at the end of the conference in a closing ceremony presided by the President of Pakistan, Dr Arif Alvi.

These research based teaching techniques are used in Badri High School for teaching learners. It ensures that the learning objectives are achieved and enabling environments are created. Hence, it proves that teachers are life-long learners.

Teachers are a child’s ultimate source of inspiration. As well quoted by Albert Einstein; ‘It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.’

And what better time to celebrate the significance of a teacher than October when Teacher’s Day is celebrated.

Two of Badri High School’s diligent and determined teachers were nominated for the ‘BEST TEACHER’ award organized by Pakistan’s well known institute of IECED at the Arts Council, on Friday 4^th October 2019.

The first to be acknowledged from BHS was Tasneem ben Sabunwala, who is in charge of the thriving Hifz department and has served the institute for more than 35 years with dedication and zeal.

The second teacher is Ms. Zainab Mohammad, a highly dedicated and determined teacher, teaching English in grades 9 and 10. She is the Head Lead of BIRD that organizes trainings of teachers within the institute as well as across Pakistan.

Witnessing our teachers climb up the stage with humility to collect their reward given by Sir Abbas Hussain and Senator Taj Mohammad along with other glitterati of the academic field was a delight as they stood amongst a wide spectrum of teachers across Sindh.