The winter vacation is about to conclude in Kashmir. The schools will be opened after about two months of break. The loud speakers in the streets will be in full swing. The banners will read " Government schools are the best choice " , "Government Schools provide free books" and so on. Loud speakers, posters , banners and rallies will fill the streets.

It is rightly said that innovation should be continuous, the ideas should float and implement . To keep on trying is the basics for survival. The government school teachers are doing a tremendous job to keep on lighting the flame . But , unfortunately, the push for making the government schools the centre for attraction in the society is lacking. Though, due to consistent toil from the School Education Department (SED) the improvement is visible on the ground. More is required from our side . We as educators in the government schools have the greater responsibility to make our schools especially at primary and middle level the corner stones for learning and hub of public trust.
It is a well known saying that "to attract butterflies make your garden beautiful". Some of the important steps that the educators should take at their own level to enhance the enrollment in government schools are:
Aesthetic enhancement can ignite passion for learning. Most of the primary schools in Kashmir are not attractive to look at. These are not appealing and aesthetic and hence directly affecting the attraction of children and parents. Primary schools are the bed rock for the development of education in government sector. These are the launching pads for the survival of education in government sector. Campus beautification in these primary schools is the deliberate and strategic effort to enhance the visual appeal and functionality of a school's physical environment. It aims to create an environment that reflects the values and identity of education and fosters a sence of pride among the stake holders. The responsibility of campus beautification largely lies on the shoulders of educators. Campus beautification does not need an enormous influx of funds . It needs curiosity, zeal and enthusiasm. It requires passion and interest.
Do we as educators trust our own system? Do government school teachers believe in the public education system? About 90% of the government teachers enroll their own children in private schools. If we don't trust the system then how can society trust us. Educators are highly trained in government schools , so we need to convince ourselves first. Then the society will follow. I know a school in my vicinity having about 200 admissions up to middle level. The success is apparent as the teachers of this school admitted their wards in the same school.
We have a large number of resource persons at different levels viz at zonal level , district level( DIET) and state level (SCERT) . Keeping the importance of education at primary and middle level in view, why can't these resource persons own schools for academic sessions. One school by at least one resource person . This will bring innovation at ground level and will have miraculous results if taken seriously. Sitting in cozy rooms will not help . Let the innovation thrive first hand .The fertility of soil varies from place to place so does the needs of schools at different places.
The innovation, creativity and knowledge of a resource person will polish if he is directly present in school.A seed germinates in mud . Many Resource Persons share only the collected data with the educators thereby not doing justice with the official tag "resource person". They kill the very essence of innovation. They sometimes behave as "Data operators".
To make a government school education effective and trustworthy the main focus should be on primary and middle schools. Unfortunately, The Annual Status Of Education Report (ASER) paints a grim reality in jk. Less than 50 percent of students in the middle level can read a second grade level text. Over 70 percent cannot solve basic division problems.
The School Education Department works with grit and determination. More push is required from our side . One must not forget it is the government school that gives the chance to the poor , left over and down trodden children to study. Most of the teachers that reach today in these schools have benefitted from these institutes as students with financial burdens.

Email:------------------untashirkifayat@gmail.com