by Mohammad Zubair Ud Din
Every school should have a functional laboratory, library, computer room, and space for physical activity. Basic amenities, such as desks, clean drinking water, sanitation, electricity, and safety infrastructure, must be ensured to create an environment conducive to learning.
Modern education in Kashmir took root through the efforts of Christian missionaries who introduced the first structured institutions of learning. Among them, Tyndale Biscoe School, established in 1880, became widely recognised for its pioneering role in shaping the region’s educational landscape. These institutions introduced organised curricula and modern pedagogical practices, setting a standard that compelled the state to acknowledge education as a formal responsibility.
During Maharaja Pratap Singh’s reign, between 1885 and 1925, educational infrastructure expanded significantly, with a steady increase in primary and middle schools. Yet it was Maharaja Hari Singh who marked a historic turn in the region’s educational development. In 1930, he passed the Compulsory Education Act, making Kashmir one of the first areas in the subcontinent to mandate universal primary education for boys aged six to eleven. The legislation required all parents to enrol their children, and any failure to comply was treated as a legal offence, punishable by a fine.
To strengthen this framework, the government formed the Educational Reorganisation Committee on 27 June 1938 under the leadership of K.G. Saiyidain. That same year, on Saiyidain’s recommendation, an adult literacy campaign was launched. Women’s education also gained institutional support. A separate department for female education was created and placed under the supervision of a deputy director, reflecting the Maharaja’s commitment to expanding opportunities for women.
After independence, the educational momentum persisted. Missionary institutions such as Tyndale Biscoe School and Mallinson Girls’ School continued their work, alongside schools established by various socio-religious trusts. However, government-run institutions remained dominant. These schools produced the majority of Kashmir’s professionals, civil servants, doctors, and educators, who emerged as the core of the region’s administrative and intellectual leadership. The public education system, despite limited resources, was seen as credible and effective.
The Shift Towards Private Education
The late 1990s marked a significant transformation with the rapid emergence of private, commercially operated schools. This development signalled a deep shift in both the perception and delivery of education in the valley.
Despite higher tuition fees, private institutions began to attract increasing attention from parents. A growing belief took hold that private education offered better prospects, prompting a mass departure from government schools that had once been symbols of public trust and educational excellence. The roots of this change lay in the turmoil of the 1990s.
The escalation of militancy during that decade had severe repercussions for all sectors, including education. Numerous school buildings suffered damage, and persistent security threats kept both teachers and students away from classrooms. The pervasive atmosphere of fear disrupted learning, and as the crisis deepened, the government’s focus on education weakened considerably.
As a result, the quality and reach of public education declined. This deterioration created space for both civic-minded initiatives and profit-oriented ventures to step in. Over the following decades, private schools expanded rapidly while government institutions struggled with shrinking infrastructure and human resource capacities.
Education as a Class Divider
The proliferation of private schools has placed an extraordinary financial strain on Kashmiri families. The cost of educating a child in these institutions has reached levels that far exceed the region’s economic capacity. A labourer or an employee in Kashmir’s private sector, whether in the automotive, retail, or services industry, would be compelled to spend an entire month’s salary to educate a single child. This development has given rise to a troubling phenomenon. Education, once viewed as a tool for levelling the playing field, now functions as a mechanism that reinforces class divisions, a reality previously unfamiliar to Kashmiri society.
Government schools, particularly at the primary and middle levels, reflect a paradox that demands urgent redress. It is unreasonable to expect teachers to achieve meaningful results when six or more classes are squeezed into just three or four rooms. Most of these schools operate out of rented premises devoid of basic facilities. In such conditions, it is unrealistic to expect educators to transform classrooms into environments conducive to learning. Equally, no parent, regardless of their financial constraints, would willingly send their child to a school housed in a poorly maintained building lacking laboratories, libraries, or spaces for recreation.
At the higher secondary level, infrastructure tends to be more robust, and the outcomes reflect this advantage. Government higher secondary schools continue to see substantial enrolment, indicating that when appropriate facilities are in place, these institutions can match, if not exceed, the performance of private counterparts. However, there remains a need for teachers to intensify their efforts to turn these institutions into spaces that nurture both intellectual and professional growth. This is particularly crucial in science education, where government teachers must strive to draw students away from expensive private coaching centres that add to the financial pressures already faced by families.
The Way Ahead
The government should adopt a consolidated, cluster-based model for school organisation. Rather than operating multiple under-enrolled schools in every locality, resources should be pooled to establish well-equipped institutions at selected locations. This would enable optimal use of infrastructure, improve educational standards, and enhance teacher performance. While ambitious, this model offers long-term benefits through improved efficiency and educational outcomes.
Private institutions that operate with a commitment to public service, rather than profit, must be identified and supported. Such schools, though few, provide quality education and serve as viable alternatives to both commercial enterprises and under-resourced government schools.
The government must end its reliance on rented buildings for primary and middle schools. Instead, it should focus on constructing permanent facilities equipped with essential infrastructure. Every school should have a functional laboratory, library, computer room, and space for physical activity. Basic amenities, such as desks, clean drinking water, sanitation, electricity, and safety infrastructure, must be ensured to create an environment conducive to learning.
Accountability and Teacher Development
There is a pressing need for a clear accountability framework within the government education system. The longstanding practice of allowing teachers to remain at the same post for decades, as observed under schemes such as the Rehbar-e-Taleem programme, often results in stagnation and unequal distribution of teaching talent.
Some schools benefit from experienced educators, while others are left with staff who may lack both motivation and competence. The introduction of a regular rotation policy, alongside performance-based evaluations and structured professional development opportunities, is essential to ensure consistent teaching quality across schools.
(The author is an Assistant Professor (History) in the Higher Education Department. Views are personal.)
