How A Man Lost His Adult Education Mission in Kashmir

After giving hopes to hopeless, the abrupt scraping of the scheme dashed dreams of a Budgam educator.

By Umer Ahmad

GULZAR Ahmad’s spirit for social work shot up when Adult Education Scheme or Taleem Baligan was implemented in Kashmir a decade ago.

Then 27 and a fresh college-graduate, Gulzar was appointed as a motivator with a monthly remuneration of Rs. 2000. His role was to encourage educated youth to teach illiterates in the community.

But soon after his joining, Gulzar and his ilk were attached to primary schools. It was against the rules and the role. Sensing the need for a proactive step, Gulzar started educating adults in his village Rawatpora, a picturesque hamlet at the foothills of Tosamaidan.

“I was very happy when the Adult Education Scheme was launched in Kashmir,” Gulzar says. “Without giving it a thought, I joined because I knew this is what I have been meaning to do in life – help my people who couldn’t receive education.”

The Adult Education Scheme was launched to increase the literacy rate throughout India. Its aim was to compete with the global literacy rate. Government appointed two motivators—one male and one female—from every ward to implement the scheme. The motivators would encourage and engage the educated youth as volunteers. But the process proved daunting for Gulzar.

Hailing from district Budgam, which is one of the financially-backward districts of Jammu & Kashmir, Gulzar struggled to motivate volunteers for the literary cause.

“So we rented a private room,” Gulzar recalls. “The owner was kind enough to not take any rent from us. We started teaching adults from that room only.”

This was the beginning of a long journey for Gulzar and his colleague, Afroza. The duo went out of their ways to implement the scheme, but couldn’t get any dues.

“But nothing deterred us from the goal we had embarked upon,” says Gulzar with an assertive gesture. “After finishing our duties at primary school, where we were attached, we would go to teach adults in anticipation of helping our community grow.”

 Gulzar’s efforts encouraged many adults to resume their education, especially females who always outnumbered males in his classroom. Most of those women hadn’t completed their education due to financial compulsions and the ‘silent sacrifice’ they go through in the society, Gulzar says. “I believe educating a male member is educating one individual, while as educating a female is educating an entire family and newer generation. To make a good and mannered society, educating women is a must.”

In Kashmir, Gulzar says, female folks bear a huge responsibility for children, be it their primary needs or their education. “By ignoring women education, we’re actually letting our new generation suffer.”

Gulzar’s mission went on to inspire people from neighboring villages who showed eagerness for his classes. He started separate sessions for them before Government of India scrapped the scheme in 2018. The step, Afroza says, came as a rude shock to learners as well as educators.

“We worked for years with a hope that the government will take Adult Education Scheme further and design some advanced courses for those who got enrolled in it,” Afroza says. “But they instead scrapped it and didn’t pay remuneration of 18-months to motivators.”

Realizing that all motivators are now a deadwood for the government and there is no hope in the scheme, Gulzar with the help of an NGO—School of Rural Development and Environment (SRDE)—eventually started a digital literacy programme.

“With the help of SRDE, I was able to start a computer class in my village,” he says. “The computer lab saw a huge crowd of students and we couldn’t say no to anyone given the limited resources.”

There has been a visible impact of Gulzar’s contribution in his village. The people who enrolled in the adult education scheme are now able to do all the basic tasks, be it filling a form or withdrawing money from banks.

“Adult education programme made me an able citizen,” says Haseena Begum, a Budgam resident. “I’m able to use online banking, like mPay and do other bank transactions now. If given a chance, I would go further to receive education.”

But despite this constructive change, Gulzar is distraught over the derailing of his mission. “Had the government continued it,” he says, “we would’ve touched and transformed several lives at the grassroots.”