Pulwama school video garners praise for innovative, interactive teaching method

Srinagar, Nov 6: A video of the students of Government Primary School in Wakherwan village of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district has taken the internet by storm and garnered widespread admiration for the innovative and interactive teaching methods employed by the teachers.
In the heartwarming video, a group of primary class students at a government primary school engage in a unique exercise aimed at improving their English language skills.

Two of the students take centre stage as they participate in translating Urdu sentences into English.
The first student presents a sentence in Urdu, and the second promptly translates it into English.

This interactive approach to learning has captured the hearts of viewers and serves as a testament to the potential within government schools.
The video’s popularity has illuminated the educators responsible for this creative teaching style, particularly the Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) and Grade II (erstwhile SSA teachers) who are instrumental in rural education.

These dedicated teachers have played a pivotal role in increasing student enrollment in government schools and have implemented various teaching techniques to nurture the potential of their students.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, Chief Education Officer (CEO) Pulwama Abdul Qayoom Madni referred to the ongoing efforts to improve the image of government schools and acknowledged the exceptional contributions of the teachers, particularly ReT and SSA teachers posted in remote areas.

“These teachers, despite meagre salaries and numerous challenges, have been driving forces in bringing reforms in the government education sector and played a major role in the transition to e-mode of education during the COVID-19 pandemic when regular classes were disrupted,” he said.
The video of students in Wakherwan is just an example of the many shared on the internet, showcasing the hard work of government school teachers in far-flung areas.

During the past few years, the Education Department released official figures indicating a shift of students from private to government schools in many villages, a change largely attributed to the SSA and ReT teaching community.
In addition to boosting enrollment, SSA and ReT teachers have taken the lead in various departmental initiatives.
During the pandemic, they conducted community classes and developed online study materials, which were accessed by countless students.

Contrary to any negative narratives questioning their teaching skills and competence, these teachers have played a significant role in driving reforms and improving academic standards.
During the previous years, the School Education Department (SED) utilised their services in government high and higher secondary schools which addressed the shortage of subject-specific teachers in these institutions.

A senior official of the SED said that most innovative activities had been initiated by ReT and SSA teachers, especially in rural areas, where they serve as the backbone of the department.

“The recruitment of ReT and SSA teachers has breathed new life into the department, particularly in remote areas by opening schools which previously lacked access to education. These teachers have made a substantial contribution to the education sector in J&K, bringing about remarkable changes in rural areas, including increased enrollment and improved academic performance,” the official said.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, Chief Education Officer (CEO) Baramulla, Balbir Singh, acknowledged the significant role played by ReT and SSA teachers who were recruited based on habitation.

“The main motive of the government is to reach out to the last student in any area in J&K and these ReT and SSA teachers have done a commendable job in keeping education alive in remote areas,” he said.
Over the years, the SED has conducted several workshops and allowed all the teachers to pursue a B Ed course to enhance their teaching skills.
The teachers were trained following the direction of the Ministry of Education (MoE) to train all the teachers to continue their services in the department.