WHAT CHILDREN DEMAND
For the human race, education is an essential tool for creating a balanced existence and for sustaining their presence on this world. It is a path that stimulates all to touch the origins of life’s success and enhances endurance to get through and cope with life's struggles and challenges.
However, Kashmir’s education sector has suffered the most irreparable harm due to insurgency, demonstrations, strikes and shutdown calls in the Kashmir Valley, which are the order of the day. There has been a total disruption of academic schedules in the ongoing disturbed climate. On average, schools, colleges, educational institutions and universities stay closed every week for at least two days. In Kashmir, terror groups are destroying schools and ensuring their continued closure, much like the Taliban's offensive against education in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Large no of schools have been destroyed in militants initiated violence in the past. The diktats issued by the separatist conglomerate Hurriyat and Militants outfits have also imposed the closing of schools and colleges.
Education in the Valley has suffered a silent death, where people gather in large numbers to protest the killing of a terrorist or to complain about economic losses and delays in development work, but have never held a single protest showing concern for the loss of educational days or the lack of opportunities to acquire information.
Continued effect of terrorism on education sector has affected children the most. Fatima (name changed), who hails from a small village in Baramulla district of North Kashmir started crying while narrating her story. She always wanted to be a doctor and take her family out of poverty. However frequent disruptions and schools getting shut due to terrorist initiated incidents broke her dreams. She could not prepare well for her Matric Exams and ended up taking Arts Stream in Class 11th. Now she dreams of becoming a teacher and ensure she gives to the society, what she could never get. She says “I don’t care about ‘Azaadi’. Till the time a student is not free to attend school, ‘Azaadi’ has no meaning to me”. She only wants a safe and secure environment where children are allowed to go to schools without any call by terrorist organisation/ Hurriyat to boycott schools. She wants better facilities in schools which are neglected due to terrorism and have poor infrastructure.
While Militancy is still going on in the valley, it is like scaling the slippery mountain without any assistance as per the condition and demand to develop the standard of education. Specialists say that dissidents, including understudies, will continue in some way until the point that the Kashmir debate is not resolved. But this is not ideal and impeccable, logically, because education must not be interrupted a little at all as it would make our society irrecoverable mischief. Nobody knows what is going to be future, as the fear of sending children to schools, the inclusion of students in the armed forces, the adverse impact of Militancy on the mind of students, the growth of interest in youth education and the provision of mental protection and happiness for learning in a peaceful atmosphere are the key problems that need to be focused and not taken into account as regards the grant. 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, the future situations can be predicted as it will be projected to be more serious cum dramatic with full of disorder, confused situations, and uncivilised generation. Alas, then there would be no choice left for production or modifications. On the other hand , it is important to promote and take into account the voluntary mode of mission by teachers engaging youth and integrating them from joining the world of ignorance and the role of NGOs, as well as establishing community training centres. This would eliminate un-logistic mass promotions, postponement of examinations and class irregularities. In addition, it is imperative to restore the shambling state of education and regain confidence by establishing a calm environment and stability. Let children also be sensitised to the world's great luminaries who have achieved the victory summits through the medium of education and steered society like beacon lights. Political stakeholders need to build a plan to establish a multi-angle step in order for Kashmir to be par excellence with the rest of India in education and information.
Writer is Qasim Riyaz from JammuandKashmir, this is his personal view about the current scenario of Kashmir