let everyone understand that ‘no people can rise above the level of their teacher', is just not a cliché but a meaningful statement, the implications of which are fully understood by progressive civilizations
Depriving a child of its right to growing up and enjoying the process of learning is one of the most unpardonable crimes in the 21st century. The burning of schools in Jammu & Kashmir is part of a sinister long-term strategy that aims at debilitating the very process of preparing the next generation. Creating knowledge deficit is one of the war strategies adopted by the savages, illiterates and uncultured to destroy libraries in ancient times in Egypt, Taxila, Nalanda and several other places.
The British modified this strategy to suit their needs in India: To subjugate India, Indians must be delinked from their history, culture and heritage. They did that by destroying the indigenous system of education and knowledge quest, instead transplanting an alien system to produce lower level functionaries to meet the needs of the colonial administration.
In the case of J&K, it was pointed out as early as 1983 that systemic efforts were on, with huge funding from outside sources, to indoctrinate young minds in the name of religion and sow seeds of hatred and enmity against followers of other religions. It should have been curbed with a heavy hand. Nothing substantial was done and an entire generation was prepared bereft of national pride, respect for other religions and cultures. The youth were kept in the dark and not allowed to understand the elements of modernity, and the need for attitudinal transformation. In fact, they were made to hate the modern system of education, keep away from it, to remain ‘pure and unadulterated’.
These young persons became the easy targets of recruiters of fundamentalists and terrorists. It is this trend that ruins the lives of young persons like Burhan Wani, and what follows is contemporary history. Schools are being burnt practically on daily basis. It is no longer a local issue. It impacts, disheartens and demoralises every Indian citizen who has faith in the future of India, who has his nation in his mind, who is willing to sacrifice his dearest possession — life — for the safety and security of the country. Imagine what would happen in J&K if the defence forces are withdrawn; as demanded by some ‘seculars and liberals’ who find all the faults only on the part of the Indian State alone. While so much noise was made of intolerance by the award wapsi brigade, and is still being made, not one person from amongst them has appealed to the separatists to stop using innocent young children as stone-pelters.
No Press conference or statement condemning the burning of schools has so far emerged from ‘historians, writers and liberal scholars’ worried about the increasing ‘intolerance’. What a great example of selective amnesia that reveals the true colours of those who survive on the dose of opposing what they declare ‘communalisation and saffronisation’! No purpose would be served by recalling what was missed at the policy level in the context of J&K in the past decades. It would, however, be indicative to recall that there was a way out to counter the alien-supported strategy of transforming generations through private schools that imparted Dini taleem of their own perverted interpretation, ignoring the essentials of Islam as a religion of peace.
There was a way out: Open public-funded Government schools with essential, and comparable, facilities to counter the sinister designs of the enemy beyond borders. Instead, knowingly, crass communalisation of the educational process in the sensitive and impressionable years was allowed unchecked. Schools became indoctrination centres. The consequences are before us: Those planning to destroy and torching schools are not illiterate individuals.
Government schools were, as elsewhere, in a state of neglect, and consequently, even deserted. When schools are force-closed for around four months in a year, no nation and no citizen can ignore the development. Certain details emerging from the prevailing conditions in the region are, once again, clearly indicative how callous is the approach of the system of governance towards education, schools and teachers.
The Chief Minister is very correct in condemning the burning of schools which she finds “the worst form of terrorism” and goes on to assert that none responsible for it would be spared. But it does not generate much confidence. After all, the situation did not develop abruptly. The State Government has however, washed its hands from providing security to around 15, 000 schools in the valley, which it claims are located in densely populated areas. It is not possible to provide static guards there. Hauled up by the High Court, the Government has also submitted that it has not been able to “establish connect between the school burnings”. This indeed establishes how complicated and complex linkages exist amongst different players on the stage: The terrorists, separatists, Government machinery and the security force.
All along, private schools imparting education to the kin of known separatists were ‘allowed’ to function normally. What a blatant display of hypocrisy! With less than 20 per cent schools having chowkidars in schools for the night, orders have been issued that ‘schools where there are no class four employees, the teachers should look after the schools”, to ensure 100 per cent security of the school. This is not all. lady teachers are also expected to perform this task. The only concession offered to them is: They can send their male relatives to function as chowkidars in the night shift if they wish to avoid being on duty themselves! How much more bankrupt can a system of governance be, that expects lady teachers to perform night patrolling duty in conditions of such insecurity, uncertainty and turmoilIJ
In a sensible set-up, one would expect the State to organise the security of schools, seek Central assistance if its own resources are deplete and deficient, ensure proper function of schools, assure safety and security to all teachers, and boost their morale. It is, instead, demoralising them and humiliating them by passing derogatory orders.
The commonsense expectation is that teachers, headmasters, curriculum designers and textbook evaluators come together and review the changes that are needed in the content and pedagogy that must be brought about urgently.
Not only this, the State should also get the content and process of madrassa education being impacted by private bodies. It should have courage enough to come down heavily on those propagating hatred and anti-national sentiments. Short-term politics must not overshadow long-term national interests and none should be permitted to play politics with the preparation of future generations.
let everyone understand that ‘no people can rise above the level of their teacher’, is just not a cliché but a meaningful statement — the implications of which are fully understood by progressive civilisations.
(The writer is a former Director of NCERT)