Idrees Ali

Vox Populi: We asked Kids: What are the burning issues in our day-to-day life!

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‘Child is the father of man’

My Heart Leaps Up When I Behold

My heart leaps up when I behold

A rainbow in the sky:

So was it when my life began;

So is it now I am a man;

So be it when I shall grow old,

Or let me die!

The Child is father of the Man;

And I could wish my days to be

Bound each to each by natural piety.

William Wordsworth

In one of his very famous poems titled  “My Heart Leaps Up”, also known as “The Rainbow” (quoted above) the great British Romantic poet William Wordsworth draws up a mental sketch of his surroundings and notes that he has felt this ever since he was a young child. Towards the end of the poem, the poet elaborates that how his childhood had shaped his current views and made a statement that “the child is father of the man”. A lot has been written about this view and there are several theorists who took the same expression to entirely new heights.

Whether ‘child is the father of man’ or not, one thing is for sure that children have a very peculiar way of looking at various scenarios and draw various meaning for themselves. Some such impressions live for a life time in the imagination of children, as it happened with Wordsworth, others simply slip out.

However, it is unwise to think that good suggestions cannot come from children and as a society we often tend to ignore children’s views regarding maters that are confronting them as well as the grownups.

It is in this context that Idrees Ali of ‘Kashmir Images’ asked students, under age group of 16, for their views regarding whatever they felt were the burning issues in our day-to-day life and whether they felt that there was any need for change. Excerpts:

Shah Rubiqa, Student

Our formal education system is flawed.  I want to change the formal education system as every day we come to school and go through routine things including lectures, books and home work.  We do nothing new. Students should be let free to speak their minds and hearts, they should be allowed to enrich their imagination and think beyond the set horizons. I am sure they will come up with revolutionary ideas. Studies should be more focused on practical things rather than too much of theory.

Zulkar Nain, Student

Immodesty is a big issue for me. Our society is suffering the onslaughts of immodesty in more than one way and people have made immodest practices fashionable. I think that has to change and we will have to bring strong legislations to curb this menace. The laws thus formed shall be for both male and female populations.

Amir Majeed Bhat, Student

There is lot of inequality in this world, I see a lot of financial difference among people. While some don’t have a single meal for a day, others waste food like anything. People are very insensitive. If I get a chance I will change this system and ensure that everyone has equality of status as well as of opportunity and income.

Sabaat Riyaz, student

Our environment is deteriorating at an alarming speed. In Kashmir we see strange weather patterns. Look at the winter this year- it is coldest in a few decades. Pollution is one of the biggest issues confronting us and we need to speed up our efforts to stop pollution. If I have the authority, as a first I shall regulate permission given to own or operate vehicles. Here, every second person has his/her own

vehicle resulting in terrible emissions. I will put strong terms and conditions before allowing any  one to buy a vehicle.

 Zahid Shafi, Student

Right now, corruption is the biggest issue staring at us. There is no respect for merit and no one gets his/her place as officials indulge in corruption and make sure that those who pay heavy bribes are selected despite the fact that there aren’t meritorious. We need to have more and more transparency and anyone indulging in corruption or corrupt practices must be subjected to severe punishment.

Farhat Mohudin, Student

Our justice system is flawed. There are many innocents who are booked under various charges and more subjected to atrocities. I want to see a thriving justice system that shall work day and night to ensure that no innocent is ever punished for what he/she hasn’t done.

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