Need for Urgent Reform

Kashmir’s education system is ailing. It has been like that for a long time, more so, due to the disruptions of the last several decades of conflict. Even after a period of comparative calm for the last few years education in Kashmir continues to suffer from government apathy and neglect. It seems the government has run out of ideas. How else would one explain a recent quixotic solution mooted by the administration proposing that all government employees be mandated to enroll their children in government schools to improve the performance of those schools! It begs credulity that a senior official of the government confirmed that the idea was under their active consideration.

It is a national shame that in a place like Kashmir with its rich culture and intellectual heritage its education system, especially government schools are suffering from systemic failures, falling enrollment, and poor academic outcomes. The disparities between government and private schools are growing. A meaningful and long-term improvement is not possible without effective policy initiatives from the government. The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024 reveals that only 47.2% of class 8 students in government schools can read a class II-level text, a decline from 55.5% in 2018. In Mathematics, merely 28% of these students can perform basic division. https://www.republicworld.com/india/crisis-in-jk-classrooms-aser-2024-exposes-widespread-illiteracy-and-innumeracy

One of the basic problems of the education system in Kashmir is its fundamentally flawed recruitment system. Teachers are often appointed without proper teaching certifications. Appointment and transfer of teachers in Kashmir is often influenced by political interference and favoritism rather than merit resulting in the appointment of unqualified and undeserving candidates. Promotions are based on seniority than on merit which undermines quality education and discourages qualified and talented individuals from entering the teaching profession. Consequently, public perception of government school system is that of a place that rewards mediocrity and political connections at the expense of quality education.

There is a lack of transparency and accountability in evaluation of teaching practices. In fact, principals and supervisors hardly observe teachers delivering classroom instruction. No such process is mandated or institutionalized. Teachers need to know what is expected of them in classrooms according to an approved rubric which is developed in collaboration with them, and they should be assessed in accordance with it. They should receive an objective assessment of their teaching practices and feedback that includes specific recommendations for implementing in their future lessons. A follow up in-class observation should be made to confirm if the recommendations were implemented and how the teaching practices have improved. The observations should be a way to help teachers improve their teaching practices rather than penalizing them while they are modifying their lessons to deliver quality education. At the same time, teachers who lack motivation and effort to improve their teaching and fail to improve the quality of their instruction need to leave the system.

There needs to be a structured accountability system, the lack of which has resulted in poor performance and teaching outcomes. Teachers in government schools face little to no oversight and accountability and there are minimal consequences for falling student learning outcomes and poor results.

Assessment of student learning is not standardized or undertaken on an ongoing basis. There is no system for tracking data about student learning and progress. Assessments lack authenticity as they are often outdated and focus on rote memorization rather than conceptual understanding and clarity. The lack of a reliable mechanism to track student data and learning over time leads to undetected learning gaps.

Many government schools in Kashmir lack basic infrastructure to operate in a clean and safe environment. They operate in unsafe and dilapidated buildings, lacking heating, electricity and proper sanitation. These infrastructural deficiencies result in lack of interest, poor attendance and declining student achievement. Approximately 30% of schools in J&K lack water facilities, and 50% face shortage of girls’ toilets. https://www.jkpi.org/learning-deficit-in-kashmirs-education-system-insights-from-aser-reports/ Between the academic years 2022-23 and 2023-24, government schools in J&K experienced a decline of 61,451 students. This reduction affected 554 schools across the region. https://www.jkpi.org/from-enrollment-drops-to-infrastructure-gaps-the-state-of-education-in-jk/

The lack of adequate government investment in education has exacerbated the worsening crisis. We cannot expect to attract and retain quality teachers if they are underpaid and unappreciated, especially those who value their craft and care about making a difference in the lives of their students. Teachers continue to remain underpaid, and they have no choice except to operate in schools which lack essential learning resources such as libraries, science labs, and playgrounds. The situation in rural areas is worse where schools are forced to operate in unsafe conditions, lacking basic infrastructure usually under leaking roofs, chipping wall plaster and overcrowded classrooms.

There is an urgent need for mandatory professional development and teacher training with periodic refresher courses. Teachers should be given incentives for improving their teaching skills. New teachers should be paired with experienced and well-trained teachers who will mentor the new recruits. The teachers should receive digital resources like computers and tablets for their training and delivery of instruction. Education should operate free of political interference and nepotism in recruitment, promotion and transfers. Investment in infrastructure and essential resources like libraries, laboratories, technology and playgrounds are key to the very survival of government schools in Kashmir. These reforms can no longer be ignored or postponed.

The failure of the government schools in Kashmir is beyond education; it is an economic, social and moral failure. Without urgent reforms the widening gap in student achievement between various sections of the population will marginalize underprivileged students, exacerbating inequality and discrimination. Ignoring this stark problem at the cost of the future of the most vulnerable student population is the most egregious failure of governance.

A collaborative effort of all sections of society to rebuild the educational system in Kashmir is the urgent need of the hour. The future of education in Kashmir will depend on today’s investments which will pave the way for a brighter and prosperous tomorrow.

Mufti Showkat Farooqi,

Attorney at Law, New York