During Ghulam Mohammad Shah – the then Chief Minister’sregime I wrote an article about the causality of Education in Jammu and KashmirState. I analysed the political conditions responsible for the deterioration ofeducational standards initiated with the dismissal of democratically electedgovernment of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah who was committed to the higher statuesof Education to be the basis of progress and prosperity of every department oflife. His dreams and visionary attitude was shattered when Bakshi GhulamMohammad was erected as a substitute to manage the political affairs enticingand bewitching the people for theunlimited sea of concessions in order to support and assist his government. Hisadministration concentrated and focused on a) intellectual class b) Teacherscommunity c) Disgruntled elements d) Frustrated politicians.
Our intellectual class from lower middle class wasstruggling hard to get an opportunity to be inducted in upper stratus of the society. The powers that be inductedthe lot into different departments as per their choice, suitability andadjustability. Teachers community was staunch supporters and faithful to theSheikh were trying best to change its loyalty to share promotional benefits andperks; to the new political management.Teachers community was vehemently debarred from further promotional possibilities.
Education Department was infiltrated with every sort ofpeople to the height of socio-cultural degradation to disrespect the communityresulted in the last nail into the coffins of dreams and vision of theSheikh. Disillusioned and disgruntledelements generally accepted concessionsoffered from the emerging establishment; to be the shareholder of political power structure of the State pushingthe religious leadership to the blind. Religious leadership suffered fromindecisiveness left for political power across the boarder; can not translatethe political power vision into the reality. This religio- political immaturityreverted the whole newly emerging political potentialities damaging the basicpolitical fact.
This process of disrespectability was continued in Jammu and Kashmir State. Theofficers at the helm brought M.Ed at par with MA Education and that resulted inproduct of 70s mass coping. That spoilt the whole system of education.
These senior masters feeling inferior to other lot adjustedin colleges and the university cried forthe nomenclature to be changed from Senior master into lecture. Whileappointing this M.Ed lot, one year B.Ed and one year M.Ed equalling MAEducation, was not screened but catapulted in secondary schools with the`Incharge’ tag. Slowly and gradually, this lot got confirmation from the Public Service Commission routinelyon the basis of seniority. Some people were very clever and prompt to utilisepolitical influence for choosing the other departments for their safer side.The back door entry was left open for the blue eyed and politically influentialpeople who helped the mismanagement of the State affairs. His Excellency thepresent governor has exposed the corrupt administration of the State whereintellectual and intelligentsia has lost the genuine placement in public and private departments.
My advice to the administration is to see bungling incultural institutions and financial embezzlement in terms of appointments madeeverywhere.
(Iqbal Fahim is aretired Principal)