Author: Maryam Sadriwala

“Is there anyone so wise as to learn by the experience of others?”–Voltaire

One learns not just from books but from the lives of great people.   True education is one that teaches an individual to treat each day as a learning experience, to observe the world closely and glean lessons from the lives of others.

This is the reason why Badri High School invites the learned and accomplished members of the Dawoodi Bohra community to come and share their inspiring life experiences with the students here.

In the past a distinguished assortment of scholars, professionals, office bearers, social workers and students have been invited to give motivating talks to the senior students of BHS and the students have always been duly enraptured by the biographies of these living legends.

One such erudite member of the community visited the BHS premises on Monday, 8^th October 2018. Shaikh Ghulam Abbas Cyclewala, one of the most experienced Chemical Engineers of Pakistan, consultant, businessman, educationist, spokesman, artist, traveler and philanthropist, recently published his riveting autobiography titled CHEMAGE: LEARN+EARN+RETURN. After Sh. Ghulam Abbas was welcomed in the assembly early Monday morning he was introduced by the Principal Janab Sh. Hashim bhai and later he met with the students of Class 9-10 in the Computer Lab.

In one hour, he shared the incredible journey of his thrilling life and the innumerable hurdles he had to overcome to attain the position he stands at today. The children were hanging onto each word as he told them about the struggles of his childhood and how perseverance pays off. He led the students through the highs and lows of his ambitious youth and inspired them to live their dreams. Through his eyes the children learnt about the Karachi of yore and its progress through the last several decades. He counseled them regarding their future and helped them devise a strategy to attain their goals, all the while advising them to the ambitious, focused and daring.

We are privileged to be part of a community where a great number of learned men are generous to share their experiences so that the youth may learn from the foibles and derive inspiration from their accomplishments.

This morning was a reflection of what Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS envisages a community school to be able to achieve. On one hand stood the eighth Hafiz of school; the fourth of this Academic Year 2018-19. On the other, stood the student who had secured the highest percentage in the SSC Part 2 examination.

Burhanuddin Zulfiqar of class 8 became the eighth Hafiz of the school and was bestowed with garlands of appreciation while Husain Murtaza (Class 10 batch of 2017-18) was lauded for his hard work and A1 grade in the Board Examination.

Burhanuddin himself is an example of how a child from a simple family, can achieve a dream coveted by thousands today—the dream to Hifz the Quran e Majeed. He is a playful and energetic child who has held onto his dream of becoming a Hafiz for a year and a half, forging ahead with dedication and a positive attitude. Burhanuddin is one who does not believing in ensconcing himself in a room to Hifz but has achieved a perfect balance in his social and academic life. He prays in the masjid three times and has a plethora of friends due to his jovial nature.

Last week, too, Ibrahim Yousuf of class 7 became a Hafiz after giving the complete Quran Ikhtibaar to Shahzada Husain Bhai sahib DM increasing the enthusiasm to perform Hifzul Quran in BHS to a feverish pitch.

Badri High School is dedicated to providing the best of secular and spiritual education to the students of the community since the last 50 years. It is driven by the ethos that guides all community schools of providing the best knowledge in the light of the Ilm of Ale Mohammed SA.

For this aim to be achieved the Deeniyat and Secular staff work in liaison and cooperation to ensure the Taleem as well as the Tarbiyat of the children of momineen who are the future of the community. The barakat of the Qudoom of the 53^rd Dai al Mutlaq Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin in 2016 has ushered in another revival in the institute. During this visit Aali Qadr Maula TUS inaugurated the Hifz Room and since then eight students have achieved the status of Hafiz ul Quran. With this is the best facilities and facilitators providing instruction in secular subjects, language development, extra-curricular activities and recently STEM education through Robotics, Mind Math and Arduino.

May Allah Subhanuhu help us to lovingly nurture each student at Badri High School in light of the lofty vision of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS.

It was 11:30 pm on the 26^th of June 2018 but the street outside Burhani Bagh, Haidry was bustling with activity as 44 students of the graduating class of Badri High School piled into buses, along with 10 khidmat guzaars and teachers, which were to take them to the Jinnah International Airport for their flight to Najaf.

The excitement in the air was palpable as teary eyed parents bid their children farewell. Some had made their passports for the first time and were excited to sit in a plane. Some were the first in their families to travel to the blessed land of Karbala. Needless to say, it was a thrilling moment as the Fly Dubai flight took off into the early morning skies as dawn broke.

Hearts thumped as the plane touched the Najaf Airport runway at 9 am. After a quick immigration the students were taken to the Faiz e Burhani where they were given luxurious rooms to freshen up. The first time the children stepped into the Haram Mubarak of Maulana Ali AS it was 3 pm. Yet the blinding light of the sun paled in front of the splendor and majesty of the golden-domed premises.

The next four days were spent with Imamat Fajar Namaz being offered at the magnificent Masjid e Kufa where the students also got the opportunity to perform Ziyarat of Mehrab—the place of the martyrdom of Maulana Ali AS, as well as the ziyarat of the Maulana Muslim bin Aqueel AS and Maulana Hani bin Urwa AS.

For the students the experience of connecting history and the riwayaat they had heard all their lives of Maulana Ali AS and his ashaab like Maulana Masiam bin Tamaar AS, Maulana Rushaid ul Hajari and Maulana Kumail bin Ziyad AS was a memorable experience. As they walked through the pillared corridors of Masjid e Kufa and heard the tales of devotion of Ashaab of Maulana Ali AS their hearts filled with awe and gratitude.

On 29^th June 2018 the group reached Karbala Moalla. Just entering the Haram Mubarak of Imam Husain AS caused tears to pour down everyone’s cheeks. We could not believe we were finally here in one of the realms of heaven.  As our foreheads touched the Zarih of Imam Husain we felt gratitude to have been beckoned  to a place where destinies are altered and prayers are answered. The imposing Haram of Maulana Abbas AS left us awestruck.

In the days that followed the students visited the Khaimah Gah where the Zikr of Imam Husain AS, Ahle Bait and Ashaab made everyone weep. We also performed Ziyarat of Nabi Hood AS and Saleh AS, visited Imam Jaffar us Sadiq’s AS Waari and Burhanuddin Maula’s RA farmhouse where the students and other zaireen prayed Imamat Namaz and enjoyed lunch.

On one of the last days in Karbala the students had the good fortune to sit in Huzoorala’s TUS Gurfa Mubaraka and discuss the impact to the trip as well as resolve to make changes in their lives when they returned home. This was one time when they revealed exactly how moved they had been by their experience. Some students talked about praying for their parents who had saved up for months to send them for this pilgrimage. Many thanked the principal Janab Sh Hashim bhai and the school administration for this life changing Ziyarat experience.

This is the second year that the Grade 10 that graduates has been taken for the KUN safar. The concept behind taking this class for this auspicious pilgrimage is for them to be blessed as they enter a momentous phase of the academic life in college as well as their future careers.

In the course of these nine days the students performed Ziyarats and experienced spiritual fulfillment. They learnt to be independent and enjoyed cooperating with each other in simple tasks like keeping their rooms clean and doing the laundry. They learnt discipline and time management and managing money as they travelled and shopped for their loved ones. For these 44 students this was a perfect Ohbat experience and prepared them for the Noha and Aweel that they vowed to perform during Ashara Mubaraka and the entire year round.

With the exams coming to an end on the 12^th of May the students of Badri High School were at the acme of celebration and freedom. And in such a season of festivities, the Robo League planned for Monday 14^th May was the proverbial cherry on top.

After days of planning, meetings and deliberations between BHS’s Robotics coordinators and the partners at Robotics Lab, the 12 best teams were selected and all geared up for the final sumo bot battle on 14^th May.

As the blue and silver balloons fluttered in the morning air, two teams at a time stepped from the prep area into the arena to let their programmed bots battle it out. The thrill was tangible as the teams were cheered on by the students, parents and guests alike.

After a grueling semifinal round, four finalists (Dark Side, Dark Knight, Transformers 3 and Three Girls) were ready to battle their bots to death. A nail biting finish it proved to be in which Dark Side comprising of the boys of class 7 emerged as the winners.

Certificates were awarded to all the students of class 5,6 and 7 who had completed two levels of Robotics in the academic year 2017-18. The students in their 9-month old journey learnt not only how to integrate the knowledge of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math with real life applications but also blossomed in confidence and mastered collaboration. These life skills are sure to pave their way to a bright and successful future.

Apart from the Robotics display, Arduino and its line-following robot designed by two teachers of BHS as part of their entry in a competition at a private university, attracted the guests.

The visitors, which included the faculty, heads and mentors of other schools, lauded the meticulous organization of the event as well as the passionate involvement of the students. This open-for-all event was the first, but certainly not the last, Robo League at BHS.

We wish to thank all the well-wishers and sponsors of BHS as well as the parents whose enthusiasm was a driving force for us in our Robotics initiative. For the next Academic Year 2018-19 we hope to start off with STEAM PARK for the Pre Primary, Mind Math in the Primary and Robotics and Arduino in the Secondary Section to make sure that every student at BHS gets to experience the addictive flavor of STEM education which is certainly the education of the future.

Two Science teachers of the Secondary section Sir Amjad and Sir Ibrahim, driven by the STEM education fever at BHS, attended a workshop at Mohammad Ali Jinnah University on Robotics System Design and Arduino.

The participants of the workshop were a group of around 15 in which 12 students were studying engineering at the same university, two were our teachers from BHS and one was the owner of a Robotics Company.

The objective of the workshop was to understand the construction and programming of a line following robot. The enthusiastic teachers from BHS programmed their very first line following robot and were successful in their first attempt.

On the last day of the workshop there was a competition of the line following robot. Sir Ibrahim and Sir Amjad’s team was named ” School Teachers”. 3 teams reached the final round and with great pride we share that our team of School Teachers won the competition and secured 1st position.

At BHS we strongly believe in providing equal physical fitness opportunities to both boys and girls. Regular physical exercise is vital for the well-being of a girl’s body, mind, and spirit. Unfortunately, in our part of the world girls in their teens get limited opportunities to play in team sports especially after Secondary School and college. It is the school’s responsibility to provide the girls such opportunities to build stamina and sportsmanship and this responsibility we take quite seriously.

Sports like throw ball incorporates working with coaches and teammates to win games and meet goals which is great practice for success later in life. Being a team player can make it easier to work with others and solve problems, whether on the field or in your personal and professional life.

On Thursday 10^th May 2018, Badri High School invited Bahria Foundation College and Ladybird School for a friendly throw ball match. After a tour of the school premises the teams were taken to the Al Jamea tus Saifiyah, Sports Ground, Khaimat ur Riyazat.

Each match comprised of two rounds of 10 points each. The first match was played between BHS and Ladybird which BHS won effortlessly in straight games. The second was played between BHS and Bahria which was more of a nail-biting contest but in that too BHS came out victorious.

The team of BHS ten girls exhibited great coordination and focus and impressed their peers with their skills. The visiting school thanked the BHS sports staff for their invitation and looked forward to more such events in future.

When one of the BHS players was asked about her experience today she said, “I learnt that playing sports can give you confidence, help you deal with pressure and lift your mood. Plus, it’s great to be part of a team who support you both on and off the field.”

“Together we can give your child the roots to grow stronger and the wings to fly.”

 The Parent-Teacher-Student triangle works effectively when parents and teachers are working towards the same goal, with the same strategies.

A one-hour workshop for the parents of Class 9-10 was arranged at BHS on Friday, 27^th April 2018 from 8:30 to 9:30 am. Sir Sadiq Merchant, who is a renowned educationist and trainer with a teaching experience of nearly 30 years, was invited to speak to the parents.

It was heartening to see an overwhelming  98% attendance of parents-fathers and mothers both– who thronged into the Hifz ul Quran room.

Sir Sadiq, in his engaging and eloquent style, spoke about how parenting is a full-time job and how every child needs a separate formula to be raised as he is a unique individual. He categorized parents into four genres and the traits they possess along with the outcomes of possessing such parenting traits.

In class 9-10 students find themselves at the threshold of their careers and this is the time they are also bombarded with physical and mental changes. This is also the stage they need the maximum support of the parents and teachers. He explained how teens need attention and bonding time.

Sir also spoke to the Class 10 students about not getting carried away by peer pressure and distracted by social media. He guided the parents to help them create a time table for all members of the family and spoke about having the correct eating habits for children.

He ended on how it is important to trust the school and its policies and work hand in hand to ensure the success of the children. The parents walked away effusively thanking Sir Sadiq and the school administration who had personally called each parent to confirm their attendance. They hoped this would be a turning point in their relationship with their children and that the school would continue to hold such sessions involving parents.