Every morning, 60 children from the remote village of Chunttiwari in Bandipora district set out on a long walk — nearly three kilometres — to reach their school. The Government Primary School there caters to students from kindergarten to Class 5, but its conditions are far from ideal. With only two teachers managing all grades in just three classrooms, it’s nearly impossible to give each child the attention they deserve. The lack of even a single washroom adds to the hardship, forcing students, especially girls, to step out into the open.
I’m writing about this because it reflects a deeper issue that rarely makes headlines — the struggle of tribal students in Jammu and Kashmir who want to learn but are held back by crumbling infrastructure and systemic neglect. Education is meant to be a right, not a privilege, yet in many tribal belts of Bandipora, Kupwara, and Anantnag, it feels like an everyday fight for dignity. These students show remarkable determination, but their conditions raise urgent questions about priorities in rural education policy and investment.
Ground Reality in Tribal Schools
A visit to several schools in Bandipora and Anantnag reveals a grim picture. Many primary and middle schools operate from rundown buildings with leaking roofs, cracked walls, and no heating facilities. In some areas, classrooms double up as staff rooms or storage spaces. Basic amenities like drinking water and toilets are missing in most schools, making it particularly difficult for young girls to continue attending regularly.
Teachers, too, are struggling. With limited staff, one or two teachers handle multiple grades simultaneously. “We try to do our best, but it’s hard to manage so many children across different levels,” said Nisar Ahmad, the head teacher at Chunttiwari. Despite the odds, teachers in these regions often go beyond their call of duty — walking long distances, carrying teaching materials, and motivating students to attend classes regularly.
Distance and Accessibility
In many tribal areas of Jammu and Kashmir, distance itself is a major barrier. Students in Bandipora, Gurez, and Pahalgam often trek through hilly terrain and harsh weather to reach school. During winter, heavy snowfall cuts off access completely, forcing schools to shut for weeks. Some children, especially younger ones, drop out because the daily commute becomes too dangerous or tiring.
Parents, many of whom belong to nomadic Gujjar and Bakarwal communities, face their own struggles. Constant movement for livelihood means their children’s education often gets disrupted. “We want our children to study, but when schools are far and facilities are poor, it becomes difficult,” said a parent from Arin village in Bandipora.
Lack of Infrastructure and Support
While the government has made efforts under schemes like Samagra Shiksha and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the implementation in tribal belts remains patchy. Schools lack proper boundary walls, libraries, computers, and laboratories. Temporary teachers are overburdened, and many posts for permanent teachers remain vacant.
In some schools, mid-day meals are irregular due to logistical delays, and classrooms are so overcrowded that students sit on the floor. The absence of gender-friendly infrastructure, especially toilets, contributes significantly to the dropout rate among girls after primary education.
The Emotional Cost of Neglect
Beyond infrastructure, there’s a human cost. Students grow up feeling ignored by the very system meant to empower them. Teachers working under stressful conditions struggle to maintain morale. Yet, amid these difficulties, there are stories of resilience — of children who walk barefoot to school in winter, of teachers who conduct outdoor classes under trees, and of parents who continue to hope for a better future.
It’s this resilience that deserves recognition and support. Providing a decent classroom and a safe environment is the least society can do for children who are doing their part by showing up every day.
What Needs to Change
Experts say the focus should now shift from policy to ground-level execution. Some possible steps include:
- Upgrading school infrastructure in tribal belts under district-level special projects.
- Deploying additional teachers and introducing mobile teaching units for nomadic populations.
- Ensuring basic amenities like toilets, clean drinking water, and heating in schools.
- Launching awareness drives to reduce dropout rates among girls.
- Strengthening coordination between education and tribal affairs departments.
A Hopeful Path Forward
While the challenges are serious, solutions are not impossible. Jammu and Kashmir’s education department has recently initiated digital learning programmes and mobile schooling models in some remote pockets. If implemented effectively, such steps could bridge the gap between intent and impact.
But more than technology or funds, what’s needed is empathy — to see education not just as a government duty but as a shared responsibility. Every child in Chunttiwari, Bandipora, or Anantnag deserves more than a leaking roof and a broken desk. They deserve the chance to dream, learn, and grow like any other child in India.
