Desks from DSEK to this primary school fascinates kids
Students have heard about computers but never seen or used one; Next objective for locals is to get a computer for them
Anjum Firdous
Bandipora, Nov 11: For Nine-year old Haleema, the new desk provided by the school is a motivation for her to go to school daily and she is excited about it.
Government Primary School Coolie Mohallah, a school in Panaar village of Bandipora is located in a dense forest in Authwatto belt having no approach road. The students had to sit on rugged mats all through the year.
Panaar area has a population of about 10000 souls. Coolie Mohallah is one of the habitations of the tribal population with 2000 souls living on the banks of Madhumatti Nallah.
None of the residents are educated. They earn their livelihood by rearing cattle, selling firewood in Bandipora town and farming. In 2010 when Chief Minister Omar Abdullah held a public darbar in Bandipora, a delegation of Collie Mohallah had a single demand-establishment of a primary school.
Omar Abdullah passed on-spot directions for the establishment of same. “We had many demands but education was the first priority. We never demanded roads or electricity though we don’t have either of the two. But we know the value of education as we are illiterate and work hard from dawn to dusk to earn few bucks,” said a parent Abdul Hamid Chopan who is also the member of Village Education Committee.
“We live near a stream without a bridge. We build one out of the fallen logs. We demanded nothing. Education is the priority. Everything else will follow,” he added
The school started functioning from a rented accommodation soon after directions by Chief Minister. Locals pursued the case and within a few years the school had a building as well. “Such was the excitement of the locals that when school started in new building, locals spend the whole day in the school premises, distributed sweets and also arranged a community lunch,” said a teacher.
Last week when the Directorte of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) issued desks to the school, the teachers and the local residents carried desks on their shoulders and walked a mile on foot to place them in classrooms.
Since then Haleema has started collecting tattoos, stickers and photographs of dolls and cartoon; not to decorate her room but her desk in the classroom.
Haleema’s mother, Nazira Begum, says her daughter's priorities have changed since then as she talks more about her classroom than other things. Children prefer to stay in school more than their homes. “Students have less recreational options at home. In school, they have swings and other sports activities. They feel excited about going to schools”.
These days the students are appearing in exams and the first time they are writing their exams on desks and that has taken away their exam stress.
For the locals and the teachers, the next objective is to get a computer for the school. Students have heard about computers but never seen or used one.
Haleema has pasted a tattoo on her desk showing a kid with a desktop computer. “Our teachers said they will get a computer for us soon. We are anxious to learn how to operate it,” she said.