Between January 2007 and March 2008, I had the opportunity to work on the theme of education of children in the remote, harsh and beautiful district of Kargil in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir. To begin with, I was invited by Save the Children to work closely with its NGO Partner, the Kargil Development Project, and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil, to help develop a long term educational strategy for the district. Later, as my work progressed, the Hill Council extended my association for another year to enable me to complete my work. Working on this assignment with a group of people identified by the Council as the 'core team' was truly an enriching experience -- I spent much time in Kargil, traveling almost every month to work with this core team, preparing them to do a systematic study of he ground situation, as well as develop an appropriate plan of action. In this process, we asked: 'What kind of education could be considered relevant, meaningful and useful for the children of Kargil? What is wrong with the education that children get today? What needs to be done?' To get answers to these questions, we met hundreds of children, parents, teachers and others from many local communities spread across the entire district. We had many beautiful and enriching conversations in the middle of the semi arctic winter, when temperatures would often drop to minus 25 degrees, when it would snow heavily for days, blocking all routes to remote villages in the mountain side. Sipping namkeen chai, I often shared the dreams, aspirations and frustrations of beautiful people from a forgotten land. I still haven't been able to share the story of this journey. But what I have with me is a collection of statements which were made to us by children, parents, teachers and community members in the course of many conversations spread over a few months. I have great pleasure in sharing them with you. Many more statements lie hidden in the interview notes that were made, but for lack of time, I was unable to dig them all up from the Hill Council's office in Kargil. Perhaps that is another project, which I will need to undertake another day...meanwhile, happy reading, and a warm welcome to Kargil!
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“Duniyavi ilm raastha dikhatha hai aur mazhabi ilm usey mukam deta hai.”
Haji Mohd Yakub, Teacher, PS Shimsha, Drass
“Education is like a candle in everybody’s life. It shows the way of good life.”
Asghar Ali, Teacher, PS Shimsha, Drass
“Waqt ke saath chalna chahiye. Jo zubaan zyada isthemaal ho, usey hi padhana chahiye.”
Bashir Ahmed, Teacher, MS Shimsha, Drass
“Talim saaj mey sar uthake jeene ke laayak banayega.”
Abdul Qayoom, Teacher, MS Shimsha, Drass
“Private schools have 100% results because they bribe the board of school education. All the parents of children who study in government schools, are poor. They do not have enough money to bribe the board. So the teachers are not ‘effective’”.
Mohd. Raza, Parent, Shimsha, Drass
“Ek aisa school ho, jisme accha teacher ho jo kabhi na mare…”
Safia Bano, Class 5, MS Shimsha, Drass
“Jab mei padhti hoon, to mujhe lakdi gobar laane ko kehte hain…”
Hakima Bano, Class, HS Moradbagh, Drass
“Parents send children to school and forget them after that.”
Ghulam Mohi-ud-din, Teacher, MS Matayen, Drass
“If he does not go to school, I will teach him.”
Sidiqa, Parent, Shimsha, Drass
“Hamaare yehaan gorbat hain. Hamaare yehaan ladkon ko bhi ladkiyon ki tarah vazifa diya jaye, taaki ladke bhi apni zaruriyat poori kar saken.”
Shabir Ahmed, Parent, Matayen, Drass
“The child is like the branch of a tree. Whether we point the branch in the right or wrong direction depends on us.”
Haji Mohd. Yakub, Parent, Shimsha, Drass
“…good community, a big playground and water…”
Basharat Ali, Student, Class III, Shargol
“I want to become a teacher. I will teach my family…this, they need.”
Mohd Ali, Student, Class VIII, Pashkum, Shargol
“Phool ke saath baitna aur paani dena…”
Mehmooda, Class X, HS Sangrah, Sankoo
“Jeene se marne tak training zaroori hai…”
Sayeed Masood Ahmed, Teacher, Sankoo
“Do saal se is school mei koi inspection ke liye nahi aaya hai.”
Teacher, HS Sangrah, Sankoo
“It depends on the learner’s personality. Some children need chocolates, and some children need the stick.”
Syed Allahuddin, Teacher, MS Taikat, Sankoo
“Agar rishvat na khaayein to local theek hai, varna non-local theek hain.”
Haji Mehdi, Parent, Sangrah, Sankoo
“Talim azhat zaruri hai, garibon ke liye taaki woh kumba chala sakein. Kyon ki, iska ghar garib hota hai, iska ilm garib nahi hota.”
Ahmed Husain, Parent, Sangrah, Sankoo
“Ladkon ko talim zyada zaruri hai kyon ki ladkiyon ko doosre ghar le jayenge jahan uska pati zimmedar hoga.”
Ameena Bano, Parent, Faroona, Sankoo
“Local teachers chaalaak hotey hain. Aadmi ke hisaab se kaam karte hain.”
Fiza Bano, Parent, Faroona, Sankoo
“Talim agar seekhein, to shayad bade hokar doctor ya engineer ban jaaye. Agar na seekhein, to kam se kam, Thekedaar ban jaaye.”
Mirza Mehdi, Parent, Faroona, Sankoo
“Jin bacchon ko padhayi na ho wo kuch bhi nahi kar sakenge, chahe zamindari ho ya naukri.”
Tewang Dorjay, Teacher, MS Phey, Zanskar
“In the coming days/years, parents should also be trained along with teachers.”
Rigzin Namgyal, Teacher, LHS, Icher, Zanskar
“This is what I would like to say – if I get the opportunity, I would like to share information about my profession, i.e. agriculture in school.”
Tsering Raftan, Parent, Icher, Zanskar
“If children are taught some arts and crafts and other such skills apart from the subjects they study in school, it will be nice. When children leave school, even if they can’t get a job, they can still earn a livelihood with these skills.”
Sonam Tsewang, Parent, Kumie, Zanskar
“Papa kehte hain, ki padh likh kar mujhe jahaaz udhana hai.”
Divya Bharati, Class 3, Padum, Zanskar
“Aisa badlao hona chahiye ki har tarah jadeed talim milay aur duniya ke saath chal sakay. Agar buniyaad sahi na ho to aage fail hona laazmi hai.”
Tsewang Mutup, Teacher, HS Phey, Zanskar
“Talim aisa milay ki unhe sarkai naukri ke peeche na bhagna paday. Har doosre tarike se apna rozgaar khud paida kar sakay, jaise tourist guide.”
Sangis Chosphel, Parent, Icher, Zanskar
“School grant se sheesha aur taat kharidkar laya aur school mey ghar jaisa mahoul paida kardiya. Bacche ab school mey ghar jaisa mehsoos karte hain.”
Tashi Stopden, Teacher, PS Kumie, Zanskar
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