Srinagar: In an effort to “remind students of sacrifices” made by soldiers and to “inculcate an idea of patriotism at a young age”, the school education department in Jammu has decided to install martyrs’ memorials in schools. More so, it has also said that it will organise “frequent visits” by students to homes of jawans killed in the line of duty.
The director of school education, Jammu, Rakesh Kumar Srangal said he received direction from “higher authorities” to grant permission for the construction of memorials in schools where slain soldiers from the region had studied.
“I have sought details from all chief education officers of Jammu region about villages/places which have lost their men fighting for country. We shall place memorials in the native schools of these jawans so that students and people remember that their own men have given sacrifices for the country,” the director said.
A senior official said a formal communication has gone from the office of the director asking the CEOs of all ten districts of Jammu to allow the construction of such memorials in the schools.
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As per the order to the CEOs, repeated communications were received by the office of the director from CRPF and the Border Security Force (BSF) for granting permission for the installation of the martyr’s memorial in schools. “I am directed to intimate that concerned officers of BSF/CRPF may be allowed to install the plaque, memorial of the martyrs in their schools as a mark of honour to their martyrdom,” reads the order (No. DSEJ\P\756\2018-19\10894-906).
The expenditure on setting up a memorial in the name of a slain soldier in a school in his native village will be borne by the forces while the schools will provide them with land only, as per the communication to the CEOs.
“We shall have martyrs’ memorials in native village of these slain soldiers so that students and people remember that their own men have given sacrifices for the country,” said the director.
Army personnel standing guard outside a school in Kashmir. Credit: PTI
According to the director, his office is also planning to introduce patriotic song competitions in schools “as a mark of respect” for the soldiers. “These competitions will be held frequently. We are working on it and this programme will be started soon.”
More so, students would be asked to visit families of slain soldiers to show “sense of oneness and unity”. “This is important for all of us to remember our brave soldiers,” he said.
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Confirming that he has received the order from the directorate, J.K. Sudan, the CEO of Jammu district, said that as a government employee he is duty bound to follow the direction. His office has already approved the construction of a memorial in one village.
“It (construction of memorials) will let our young students know about our history and sacrifices made by our jawans for the country. This (order) is good,” said Sudan.
He, however, said that allowing the construction of memorials wasn’t restricted to paramilitary forces only, but even local panchayats and non-governmental organisations could approach education authorities to do the same.
But this isn’t the first time such proposals have been made, a senior official from the school education department said. The former PDP-BJP government-led by Mehbooba Mufti had made similar overtures. “But it didn’t translate into action that time,” the official said.
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This time, he said, the clearance for the proposal has come at the level of the directorate of school education in Jammu only and not from the government. “There was no such fresh communication sent to the directorate (of Jammu) during these months,” the official said.
But not every CEO is happy. One CEO from Jammu division, who did not wish to be named, has called the move political. “Every citizen of this country has respect for our brave soldiers. But by installing memorials in school premises what kind of message are we giving to our younger generation. Aren’t we sowing seeds of war and violence in young minds?” he asked.
Another educationist seconded the CEO: “The problem is that if you raise your voice saying that schools are only meant to provide education and inculcate good values among students, you will be instantly dubbed anti-national. The argument gets divided into a binary of nationalism versus anti-nationalism. What if tomorrow government comes up with another proposal for installing tanks and other artillery in the campuses?”