90 students, 3 classrooms: Sarmarg school highlights sorry state of education

Kupwara, Oct 18: Nestled in the scenic valley of Upper Rajwar, Shaheed Nazir Ahmad Mir Boys Upper Primary School (UPS) Sarmarg in Handwara faces a severe infrastructure crisis, forcing students to grapple with overcrowded classrooms and inadequate facilities.

The school has only two proper classrooms, with teachers turning a veranda into a makeshift classroom, making it three in total. A separate single-story building, constructed years ago, remains unusable due to incomplete interior work, leaving the structure unfit for use even after a decade.

Over ninety students are being squeezed into these three classrooms, affecting the quality of education. Locals say repeated complaints to authorities have fallen on deaf ears. “One dozen Zonal Education Officers have been transferred from our zone, yet the issue persists. I don’t know when the miseries of our children will end,” said local socio-political activist Javid Ahmad.

The school also lacks basic amenities such as fencing and a playground, depriving students of safe spaces for recreation. Residents describe the situation as a glaring example of the education department’s negligence. “The school was upgraded a decade ago, but infrastructure development has never been a priority,” they said.

Adding to the community’s concerns, the school is situated along a roadside, raising safety risks for students. Locals are demanding that the school be relocated to a safer site where new infrastructure and proper facilities can be developed. A year after donating land for the new building, residents say the education department has yet to initiate construction.

The community has now appealed to MLA Handwara Sajad Gani Lone, urging him to intervene and ensure the school receives the infrastructure it urgently needs.

Speaking to Greater Kashmir, Zonal Education Officer Rajwar Shabir Ahmad Badhana said that the previous lack of land had delayed construction. “Now that locals have donated land, we can proceed with infrastructure development. A new building is in the plan, and work will start soon,” he assured.