News

The JKBOSE class 10 results have been published. Seeing the euphoria of students that have achieved, schools that are shining and happy teachers, I can only conclude that aspirations matter and matter now more than ever before. Educationists can cheer that at least 14 students that figure in the list of 20 toppers are from Government schools and one of them Ashiqq Hussain Kumar is also in the 1st 10, scoring 484 out of 500. Even more heartening is the fact that 389 students share the first 20 positions compared to 182 last year.

I could not agree more with Dr. Shah Faisal, that ‘history has been made’ with 14 of the 20 toppers from Government schools. I join him in this moment of celebration and congratulations to the hard work of all the stake holders that has made this possible. This record breaking result also demolishes the myth that only private school students can achieve as the quality of education therein is superior. Teachers are the pillars of education and I salute all teachers both Government and Private for a stunning result where we have 389 students jostling for the top 20 positions. At the same time, I would not neglect the fact the overall pass percentage is only 65.27%, or the telling fact that only 14,716 students cleared the examination out of 29,162 students that sat the examination from Government schools whilst 24,981 students cleared the examination out of more than 31,000 students that took the examination through private schools.

What is it that the private schools are doing that is enabling this performance is an exercise that needs to be undertaken so that the secret of success of the teachers in private schools can be shared with teachers of Government schools. What is being done differently in Radiant Public School, Anantnag that helped Tabish Manzoor Khan to secure the 1st position, scoring 498 out of 500? Similarly Mallinson School, Srinagar whose Aneesa Haleem secured the 2nd position with 491 out of 500 and Shah-e-Hamdan Memorial Schol, Shopian whose Hiba Intikhab secured the 3rd position scoring 490 out of 500 or Unique Public School that is the Alma Mater for Ghalib Guru who scored 474 and secured the 19th position in the list of 20 toppers. If it is private tuition that is helping our children in private schools to fare better then, it is better this malaise does not spread its cancerous tentacles to the Government schools too. It is better that an innovative idea be conceived to enable Government school teachers to also scale up quality of learning.

Small steps are extremely important in any change as change that is gradual and incremental is very potent and powerful as compared to a sudden and abrupt change. As I said in the matter of retest for the ReTs, any change that is top down will always fall flat, but systemic change that is bought with the inputs of the stakeholders always blooms. Dr. Shah Feasal with the energy, vigour and creativity of youth is worthy of praise for the recent initiatives that have germinated in the education landscape with the latest being the partnership with Simple Education Foundation led by Teach for India Almuni. The vision for this partnership is clear – to transform Elementary Education in Rural Kashmir. However, going by the 2014 National Assessment Survey results, urban schools require urgent attention too in the area of Elementary Education if truth be told.

Government school teachers getting an opportunity for professional development as well as connecting with the best of the experts in education as well as receive content and resources that will benefit our children is a small step but a giant critical step in the direction of ensuring quality.

All of these bright children have aspirations in life. To do something constructive, to achieve something, to be something and it is touching as well as heart-warming to note that Ghalib wishes to be a doctor and serve the people because of a shortage of doctors. I take this up as an indicative example of the aspirations that all our children have, that wish and dream to a success of their life. When there is an environment that encourages innovation and action, there can be no stopping our children.

With pride, I read the other day about Mohd Tawseef Thokar, of Government HSS Nehma, Kulgam. This is a bright youngster in class 9, who has been awarded by President of India under the National Innovation foundation of Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India. It requires that incubtive environment where creative thinking and innovation is encouraged to come with something like the ‘Pebble Indicating System for Cooking Vessel’ that he successfully presented to bag this prize. This is not a private school student but a Government school student.

It is surely an encouraging environment that produced a Parvez Rasool, a role model for many a youth today, who broke the jinx for J&K in cricket and I quote him from his interview with Wisden “In Jammu & Kashmir, whatever be the field, there is no shortage of talent, be it studies or sports.”

Dr. Shah Faesal another youth icon for today’s youth is another inspirational story. Born in a remote village to Government school teacher parents, this bright youngster cracked the Indian Civil Services Examination to secure the 1st position and selected to the IAS through open merit. “Madness to get into the IAS was the mantra of my success “ was what he said when he achieved. Wishing to serve his people, he serves as Director, School Education, Kashmir.

Dr. Ruveda Salam, another youth icon completed her MBBS from Government Medical College in Srinagar and went on to writing the UPSC examination and went on to become the 1st lady to qualify in this examination in 2013. What is more, she is now preparing to enter the IAS. It is impressive to note that her list of goals includes doing social work and helping people.

We do not lack top performers in different fields including innovation, business ideas or creativity. An affirmative climate of encouragement infuses self-confidence, builds self-esteem and enables dreams and aspirations to blossom.

Children from the Government school also have their dreams and aspirations that has pushed them to work and achieve. Let me enumerate. Nayyir Hejaze of GHSS, Bandipora scoring 482, Rizwan Ahmad Dar and amran Imtiyaz Ganie of GHS SeerJagir and GHS Chersoo who scored 481, Maheen Bashir and Kousar Bashir of GHSS Bandipora and GHS Batagund Tral with 480, Rifat Basheer of GHSS Hadipora with 479, Syed Harif Fayaz of GHS Dessu and Faizan Ahmad Dar of GHS Achan with 477, Aadil Mohammad Kumar of GHS Supernaghama and Waseem Zahoor Shah of GHS Trenz with 476, Irfana Farooq of GHSS Tikepora and Mehvish Yousuf of GHS Achan with 476 and Romana Hassan of GHS Shalimar with 474 stand represent not only the dreams and aspirations of our children today but also the new energy that is energising the Government schools to become home to excellence.

I humbly submit the opening lines and closing lines of ‘Open Secret’ by Allama Iqbal, a magnificient piece that investigates the enormous capacity of human potential and significance of self-worth.

“A nation whose youth are endowed, with self as strong and hard as steel: ...The hawk is never tired of flight, does not drop gasping on the ground: If unwearied it remains on wing, From hunters’ dread is safe and sound.”

I congratulate all our children and teachers as well as Dr. Shah Feasal on a brilliant start to this calendar year that will stand out in the annals of education and conclude with the closing lines of Coal to Diamond that beautifully captures the sweat and toil each of us have to go through to achieve our dreams and aspirations and something great in life. “Carbon must harden, to fill one’s bosom with radiance, Burn because you are soft. Banish fear and grief. Be hard as stone, be diamond.”