Sonpah volunteer teachers set an example for others

‘We don’t want our children to become scapegoats’

SYED ALI SAFVI

SONPAH, Apr 7: Even as the strike of government employees, undeterred by government opposition, continued on fourth consecutive day today, a group of educated and unemployed youth in this remote village in central Kashmir’s Budgam district has set an unprecedented example, encouraging others to follow suit.

On the insistence of village heads, a group of graduate youths assembled all the students of Government Middle School and two primary schools of the area and give regular classes to them.

“Employees’ strike has hampered the studies of our children, who are enrolled in government schools. We are poor and can not afford to send our children to private schools, but that does not mean we are not concerned about their future,” said Ghulam Hussain Malik, a village head. “Private schools remain open, but it is the students of government schools who become scapegoats,”

Students, who had come out in full strength, and their parents looked very enthusiastic and appreciated the move of the village heads.

“The school will remain open during strike days so that our children do not suffer. We don not want our children to lag behind in today’s cut-throat competition. They have to compete with students of private schools and these strikes will not help their cause,” said Irshad Ahmad, a village head. “I think other villages should also follow the suit to save the career of their children.”

Earlier in the day, the village heads had made an announcement from a local Masjid and asked all the students to assemble at the Government Middle School Sonpah.

The students, wearing proper school uniform, began to gather in the school premises at around 9:30AM. Regular classes started soon after the morning assembly finished.

Budgam is considered an educationally backward district. According to 1981 Census the literacy level of the district is 17.86 per cent (25.51 per cent males and 8.02 per cent females). The recently declared examination result of 10th class showed how the students’ performance graph was consistently on decline. More than 10 high schools had displayed below 10 per cent result.

“In wake of the pathetic plight of government schools in the district, the bold and wise step taken by the Sonpah villagers could be considered as a good omen for the educational development of the district, provided other villages also wake up to the clarion call,” Dr Mushtaq Ahmad, a well-known educationist of the area.

The volunteer teachers include Riyaz Ahmad, Bashir Ahmad Najar, Maqbool Hussain, Maqsood Hussain, Mohammad Jaffar, Mubeena, Mehmooda and Rafiqa.