Bilal Bhat for IndiaTomorrow.net,
Srinagar, August 25: As the valley still seethes under stringent curfew and restrictions, some young social and education activists have started free tuition centres to compensate the loss of education for the school-going children during the ongoing turmoil.
With the escalating tension in Kashmir, education, like other sectors, has been badly hit affecting millions of children since the unrest began in July following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. To overcome the growing loss of education, some local youth have come forward converting their homes and Darasgahs (Islamic seminaries) into makeshift tuition centres.
Azra Kuchay is one of them. Hailing from south Kashmir, 21-year-old Azra is a final year student. To keep the spirit of education alive among her community, she has started a free tuition centre at her home.
“I thought I should do something for my community. I was restless and wanted to volunteer somehow. Then the idea of free teaching came in my mind after a neighbour pleaded before me to give free tuitions to her children. This way many children started coming in from the neighbouring and adjacent areas,” Azra told IndiaTomorrow.net.
Azra’s family and her father, Mustaq Kuchay, an engineer by profession, feels proud of her daughter who have got huge applauds and esteem after her voluntary imitative leaving behind the highly qualified boys in her vicinity which could have opted for the same.
“Our daughter has made us proud by doing such a humane imitative in the time of need when we are facing crises. Though we have only daughters in our home but Azra has proved more than a son. We have highly qualified youth in our locality but it was our daughter who came forward with the helping hand,” family said.
Like Azra, Naziya Farooq, a teacher by profession and Siya Khan has set an example of females volunteering for free teaching among children in Kashmir at the time when the Valley is passing through worst crisis in recent years.
Valley’s top NITians have also joined the forum, ‘NITians’ Career Institute’ which was already providing free coaching for IIT-JEE, AIMPT and JKCET before the unrest turned their homes into coaching centres. Due to tight curfew and restrictions, former NIT topper Waseem Raja, Asim Qurashi and Faizan Ahmad have converted their homes into makeshift free tuition centres.
“We started free coaching from our homes in all subjects up to 12th Class as the situation doesn’t allow us to move out. We cannot see the children suffering. Our children are our future and we cannot see them going astray from the element of education,” said Waseem Raja.
An NITian giving free tuition to students in curfew-hit Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir
“We want to keep the temperament of education alive in our children. Despite lot of hurdles, we are trying every possible way to expand our network of volunteers in different areas. Lack of internet and communication is adding to our miseries,” said Raja.
After a long winter break generally, July, August and September are considered the golden period of yearly educational calendar but the present situation has marred educational environment – particularly at the time when final exams up to 12th class are coming nearer.
“How can our children compete with Jammu and other states of India if this kind of situation continues? Our children are losing the precious time of the yearly education calendar. This frequent shutdown is ruining their educational temperament,” Khursheed Tali who was accompanying her daughter to nearby makeshift tuition centre said.
Since the yearly exams up to +2 in Kashmir take place between October-December, Valley’s prestigious Delhi Public School, Green Valley and Radiant Public School have started online lectures but the move will benefit the children of elite class only. Since the mobile internet is suspended and most of the students in valley study in low standard educational institutions which lack such facilities, the larger section of the valley will suffer.
“Though, virtual education can be an alternative for present educational clampdown but the problem is most of our students belong to poor families and they study in low paid educational institutes which lack such facilities and secondly most of us rely on mobile internet so this initiative is for the children of elite class only while the poor will still continue to suffer,” Raifq Dar, a local activist in Srinagar said.
“We met the same fate in 2008 and 2010. Over the period of time while the rich have learned to send their wards outside the state and abroad for higher education, only the children of poor and middle class families are the worst sufferers of these turmoils,” he further said.
In wake of the present situation, some teachers had decided to convert local Darasgahs into temporary schools but the custodial killing of 30-year-old lecturer Shabir Ahmad Mangoo allegedly by security forces has created fear among them.
“Death of Shabir has reinvigorated the malicious atmosphere created by security forces the way he was tortured and killed in custody. It has created horror among us. We have abandoned this plan; our lives are priority over education,” a government lecturer wishing anonymity said.
“We fear of moving out from our homes. The beating of doctors, paramedics and other government officials on duty has terrorised us,” he furthered said.
Ironically, state education minister Nayeen Akhtar gave a statement yesterday pressing for the timely annual exams but the move has been ridiculed by students and teachers at the time when most of the schools in the Valley have not covered more than 50% of their syllabus.
“Most of the students don’t attend any tuition. Government is forcing us to attend schools when students and teachers are getting killed. How can our parents allow us to move out in this kind of war like situation,” Azmat, a 10th class student, asked.
“We are not able to recapitulate, reminisce and learn what we have already covered in school. We are mentally disturbed; it’s difficult to study under these circumstances. Our base will be ruined if we miss important lessons this time which will lead to vague concepts. Luckily, we are able to get tuitions here due to easy access, but what about the majority of the students; where will they go, ” Abdhul Manan Mir, another student asked.
