The Hindu : National : Ex-militants help spread literacy in hamlet

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 23, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

National

National

Ex-militants help spread literacy in hamlet

Staff Reporter

See it as an instrument in the fight against militancy

— Photo : Luv Puri

SANS TEACHER: The Sainkote primary school is without a teacher

Sainkote: In this remote part of Jammu and Kashmir, a different jihad is being fought by former militants and parents as they lead a frontal attack on mass illiteracy in this belt.

Mohammad Aslam, who had joined the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen in the mid-90s, is now determined to spread literacy in his belt. He teaches 66 students.

He said: “I am of the firm belief that literacy is an important instrument in the fight against militancy. I was a bit educated and this was the reason why I soon realised that the path chosen by me was wrong. But many uneducated persons who went with me never returned or took years to surrender.”

Low literacy levels have plagued this belt and as the capital cities of Jammu and Kashmir made rapid advancement in higher education, places like this even lack a quality primary education facility.

The only primary school in this hamlet is without a teacher. The last appointed teacher was recalled and the Education Department had assured the villagers that his replacement would be sent soon. This was two months ago. Aslam and his friends tried their best to fill this shortfall but there was no one to take the annual exam. “We are worried about the future of our kids as they would lose one year. Our pleas have fallen on deaf ears”, said Ramzan, a worried parent.

Parents determined

Notwithstanding the difficulties in a militancy-ridden part, there is determination among the parents to educate their children. Militancy is still widespread in the belt and there have been many instances when the child could not appear for the exam because of this factor.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National