When protest becomes self-defeating: Students suffer most in Valley

Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat has raised the hackles of separatists and stirred a political slugfest with his remark that stone-pelters in Jammu & Kashmir who hamper anti-terrorist operations, would be treated as overground supporters of militants and could be fired upon. Given that most of these stone-pelters are recruits from schools and colleges, the warning should hopefully serve to drill sense into the misled youth to mend their ways.

The frequent shut-downs and burning of schools hascrippled the education system and jeopardised the future of students. In view of the intense firing and shelling across the border, schools are often forced to shut down on account of non-availability of transport and also due to safety reasons. 

For example, in the event of the unrest created by the death of terrorist Burhan Wani, students in the valley could not attend school for over 100 days. More than 25 schools were burned down, and few have been held accountable for the mayhem.

Among them were three higher secondary schools, eight high schools, seven middle and primary schools, and one Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya school. Around 6,000 students are enrolled in these schools. The Hurriyat gave a tepid response opposing the incidents. But everyone knows its actions were responsible.

The weeks in October 2016 had seen students protesting against the State Government’s decision to hold annual examinations. In some agitations, they displayed placards reading, “No exams until azadi”.Clearly the separatists were at work.

The reason for large-scale destruction of schools is simple: For the militants, it is part of a plan to keep the youth uneducated or under-educated and use their frustration for nefarious purposes.

The Kashmir Observer had editorialised, “This almost amounts to not only owning the school burning but also sanctioning and encouraging them,” an editorial in Kashmir Observer said. “What is the message that we are sending out to the world? That we are punishing schools for the sin of daring to educate? What does this tell the world about us as a people?”

The education system is bad enough already, and it can do without the disruptionist activities. Around 70,000-80,000 Kashmiri students study incolleges and universities outside Jammu &Kashmir. There are no facilities that can attract them back to the State. According to a Kashmir-based academic, the State has seven universities, and between them theyteach 7,000 students; one university alone in Punjab mentors around 80,000 students.

With students on the streets, the numbers in classrooms has fallen. But even in its full strength, the figures stink. State education authorities have suggested a teacher-student ratio of 1:25. Government figures peg the actual ratio at being dangerously skewed, with more teachers than students: 16 lakh students and 1.43 lakh teachers in Government schools, according to a 2015 report.

And even this 16 lakh may not be realistic, as in many cases, school authorities deliberately submit an inflated number to solicit more money for uniforms and mid-day meals.

Of course, there are quite a few among the protesting youngsters that have been thoroughly radicalised and are unlikely to reform. But a majority of the youngsters driven by false propaganda and peer pressure is amenable to sane advice and warning. General Rawat has done a favour to the State’s education system by implicitly asking youngsters to return to their colleges and schools instead of being on streets, taking part in anti-national protests.

Since the summer of 2010, separatists adopted stone-pelting as a means to remain relevant in the valley. Be it over the killing of a terrorist or a civilian or a curfew imposed by our forces or a bandh called by pro-Pakistan elements, Kashmir valley comes to a standstill for months together. Education is the worst hit.

At the forefront of the battle are the Kashmiri youth — young, talented and on their way to being educated, but consumed with hatred.  While some are misled by separatists, others are lured by way of money to create unrest in the valley. We have seen distressing images of obstreperous teenage boys, wearing masks, boldly hurling stones and fireballs at security personnel. They also walk the streets waving Pakistani and Islamic State flags.

The fight is strictly between the security forces and the anti-terror elements who work against the Indian state and exploit the young ones to further their cause. The resulting damage to the educational fabric of the State has been enormous. Separatists and their patrons couldn’t care less, though.