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Let’s Re-envision Education in Kashmir

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By: Shoaib Mohammad

Education is an important weapon for the human race to establish a balanced life and to maintain their presence on this planet. It is being a path that stimulates all to touch the roots of success in life as well as boosts resilience to get through and deal with hardships and challenges that come in way of evolution.

Ancient Kashmir was more famous for wisdom and sagacity than its beauty or its natural splendor and décor. Even students from different parts of the world continued visiting Kashmir for valuable education. Primary education during Muslim rule was given through Maktabs and Madrasas moreover there are also remains and traces of higher education during the Buddhist period then during the British rule the development of modern education took place . In Kashmir, the starting of the system of modern education can be credited to religion and colonialism. Due to the colonial expansion, the education system of Jammu and Kashmir was developed as per the concept of British education system. At least some fragrance was present in air at that time.

But Alas, the insurgency and political hegemonic forces had drastically driven the education and interest of students from time to time. As a result, the state is facing tremendous problems in making its generation educated and good-beings in the society and also violated the universal objective of education which depends particularly upon the peaceful environment as well as working facilities that are essential to be provided for getting knowledge out of education.

Yes “He who opens the school door closes a prison. But in certain situations when school door has no way left to open then one faces no other chance than being in a prison”

As we say a collection of little water droplets make a large body of water with time, in the same way mini-strokes on a particular material or phenomenon develops a capacity to break it one day or it can change its form. Same is the case with education authority and its system in Kashmir which seems broken due to the jerks of insurgency from time to time. The burning of schools, un-ethical mass promotions, violence over students, shut down of schools and Hartals, ban on ICT/Internet and students being in a state of house arrest due to routine clashes and conflict has left a traumatic blow upon young minds and the social circumstances have direct impact upon students mind and thought.

The question arises here that through which medium students can show their cry and mental pressure, the way they study and the way they attend and perform exams with threat inside their little heart, well we have no medium left to show cry as insurgency is still going on in the valley and developing the quality of education is like climbing the slippery mountain without any support as per the condition and demand. In fact, Principle contributors to the reducing of the fulfillment of amount of education are the incorporate demolition of the foundation, the dread of sending youngsters to schools, consolidation of youth into outfitted gatherings, negative monetary stuns to family units and constrained dislodging. Specialists say until the point that the Kashmir debate isn’t settled, dissents, including by understudies, will proceed in some shape. But logically this isn’t ideal and impeccable since education must not get disturbed a bit at all as it would make unsalvageable mischief to our community.

 “Let’s spilt the effects of insurgency dominant over education sector”

Frankly speaking solving the issue is not two days play as conflict in the valley is independent variable and education sector being a dependent variable. Conflict is totally unstructured while as education sector can be structured and could have been saved from time to time.

Well Nobody knows what is going to be next as the fear of sending children’s to schools, incorporation of students into armed forces, negative effect of insurgency upon students mind, developing interest of education among youth and providing them mental security and satisfaction to study in peaceful environment are the major problems need to be taken under concentration and should not be taken as for granted. Modifying these problems will gradually lead the path towards improvement in the quality education of the valley and for the betterment of its young generation. If taken for granted then the future situations can be predicted as more harsh cum drastic with full of chaos, confused situations, and uncivilized generation will be expected. Alas, then there will be no alternative left for the development or changes. On the other side, voluntary mission mode by teachers engaging youth and mainstreaming them from joining the world of ignorance and role of NGO’s like, borderless world foundation jammu and Kashmir-Ladakh, Pratham, Help Foundation, JKY Trust, Asar, JKSW, Kashmir Humanity Foundation, Save The Child, as well as developing community training centers must be encouraged and taken into consideration. This will minimize the un-logistic mass promotions, postponement of exams and irregularity of classes. Moreover in order to recoup the shambling state of education rebuilding of trust by creating a tranquil atmosphere and peace is imperative. Also let the children be sensitized with great luminaries of the world who by the medium of education have reached the summits of victory and steered the society like beacon lights. The political stakeholders must design a strategy to create a Multi-angled move so that Kashmir can be par-excellence in education and knowledge with the rest.

Shoaib Mohammad

The writer is PhD Scholar at LPU and can be reached at:  shoaibshah7gmail.com

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