By Tasaduq Hussain
Bungus: Where are mobile schools, they are but on papers only? Mohammad Amin Khatana, a shepherd said. For three months from now, his children will live with him, in the meadows of Bangus Valley in north Kashmir’s kupwara district.
According to Khatana, there are thousands of Bakerwal families who will be up in hills with cattle.
“Thousands of families live in non permanent structures ‘Dhoks’ in Bangus, with families including children,” Khatana said.
People residing in Tangdhar, Keran, Karnah, Behnipora, Rajwar and other parts of kupwara and Handwara live a nomadic life for about complete three months, from June to September, in the meadows of Bangus Valley. They will return to their homes in first week of August.
Bangus committee members said that ‘due to un availability of resources at home children have to leave their respective schools and stay along with family, to earn livelihood’.
“The only thing to do for them is to help parents in taking care of herds,” they rued.
They claimed that the ‘break in education’ multiplies there problems with ‘good education’ and only pushes increase in drop out rates.
“This is one of the biggest reasons that they fail in annual examinations and eventually they don’t study too much,” Khatana claimes.
According to Khatana, he wants his children to study and to have a better life.
“Who wont like that his children have a better life and do not have to live a nomadic life. They can earn well if they study,” he said.
Many families at bungus claimed that ‘don’t remember when government claimed mobile schools were working’.
“Army some years back did held classes for children here but they too discontinued. At least they tried to keep out children abreast with education. Its governments duty to install and send teachers here,” Khatana said.
“It was 2004,” Khatana says.
According to him there are about five thousand students of different age group living with their families in Bangus, who are enrolled in different instutions of Kupwara district.
“Education of all the children remains affected for about four months, despite repeated pleas to Zonal Educational Officer Zachaldara about starting a mobile school, nothing happened. We just stopped complaining,” Amin claimed.
According to Amin his seven generations have lived here, now he earns his livelihood being what his family has always been ‘shepherds’.
“I want my children to study and do a better life but it seems no one wants our children to study,” he rued.
“They are unable to compete with other students,” he said.
Among five children of Khatana only her elder daughter is continuing her studies in school.
“I want her to study and excel in life. She is with her unlce in Behnipora area of handwara, other four haven’t been to school. They are with me here,” he said.
According to Chief Education Officer Kupwara Shafiq Nabi, there are about nine mobile schools functional in Bungus.
“The official record of seasonal schools I have so far includes that of Bangus, which falls under Educational Zone Zachaldara shows that mobile schools have been installed in Bangus”, Nabi said.
Nabi did not accept claims of people that they have not seen a ‘single official of education department for years now’ however promised to look into the matter.
“I will look into the matter accordingly and will send someone to check whether mobile schools have been installed or not”, DDC Khalid Jehangir, Kupwara said.
According to data present of Directorate of School Education Kashmir’s website there are 14 mobile schools in district Kupwara with enrollment of 670 students.
