A proud alumnus of the institution recalls her years in the school in the 1990s and makes an impassioned appeal to save the school from closure amidst the land-lease renewal row
Dr Komal J.B.Singh*
I grew up in the 1990s in the small town of Baramulla during the most troubled phase of Kashmir’s history. It was not easy amidst frequent strikes, shutdowns and violence. What brought a semblance of normality to my life was my alma mater, Saint Joseph’s Higher Secondary School, which is the one of the oldest Christian Missionary School in Kashmir Valley. Like many students of my generation, I owe so much to this school which provided us quality education even through those challenging years.
It, thus, breaks my heart to learn about the crisis that the school is presently undergoing. The school which is built on government land given on lease is now facing the prospects of closure due to the non-renewal of its lease which ends this year.
This news is distressing. Why is an educational institution being put through such trouble? St Joseph is not just a school but an institution. Its legacy are the generations that have graduated from it.
Established in 1903, in the small town of Baramulla in North Kashmir, this institution is solely responsible for the education of children not just from Baramulla but also the far-flung villages and small towns like Sopore of North Kashmir.
Kashmir has many missionary schools but all of them are in the capital city of Srinagar. In north Kashmir, St Joseph’s Baramulla was the only beacon of hope for many who wanted to study in an English medium school and ensure a prosperous future after a good education. It has provided English medium education to generations of Kashmiris. Many of them don’t live in Kashmir right now but owe a lot to it.
The legacy of receiving education in this prestigious institution has transcended generations. Even the grandparents of some students of my generation were schooled here. These generations find a common connection with the school and the way it has preserved its heritage. For instance, the old building was renovated preserving the original building and structure. We still have the same L.K.G class where my parents, siblings, generation after generation shared the same classrooms in the same space.
What also binds are the values this institution taught us to prepare us for many things in life. The value system and essence of school was unique and encouraging. It was secular in practice. It strictly encouraged respect for all religions. Despite being from a micro-minority Sikh community, I could hardly feel the sense of being different from the Muslim majority inside the school walls. We were treated equally and impartially.
Many family members are proud products of the school and we connect not only through our blood lineage but also through our shared space of early leaning.
Some of them often share how in the 1960s the school had a management run by westerners and how they used to maintain a good standard of education. Students, who were from marginalised backgrounds were helped with scholarship, books, uniforms, and even fees waiver at times. It was never just a school for the rich but school for all. Over the years the school contributed to the societal building of the region. Children from far flung areas of the district would travel for hours, walk miles after miles to study here.
To St Joseph’s School goes the credit of providing expansive exposure and continuous education to children from Baramulla through the many turbulent times in Kashmir’s history.
In 1947 during the tribal invasion, St Joseph’s Hospital which is adjoining to the school witnessed the worst bloodshed of the tribal invasion. It was here that six individuals including Sister Teresalina, Lt-Colonel Tom Dykes, nurse Philomena made ultimate sacrifice as the hospital was attacked by the Tribal raiders. Even today, one can visit and pay respect to the deceased, killed in the war, at their final resting place. The school stands as testimony to the history of Kashmir and partition of the sub-continent.
The missionaries running the school withstood the trauma of 1947 and continued to impart education with zeal. They exhibited the same passion, dedication and energy in the 1990s when I was studying there.
Despite the troubled times in Kashmir, when Baramulla was the worst affected district, the school maintained its standard, coped with continued strikes and shutdowns, and managed to sail through tough and difficult times. While many schools in the area were impacted by the situation, our school functioned almost every working day. We attended the school no matter what and the standard of education was exceptional.
This has not only helped students to move ahead in their lives with good careers. The regular functioning of the school and the efforts made by the management was also psychologically healing in those distressing times. It helped my generation overcome the alienation and gloominess we, otherwise, grappled with in the troubled region.
Another major achievement of St Joseph’s school was that it was a rare co-education convent school where boys and girls were encouraged to sit together in class and that helped in our gender sensitization at a very early age. The school also focused on overall development of students with extracurricular activities and excursions for students. My generation, however, was less fortunate. One thing that the conflict took a toll of were the camping, hiking trips, excursions and picnics.
It was not until 1999 when the practice was resumed. We went on a class picnic for the first time. That day remains special for me because I had never experienced something like that before. My father has lot many stories of his class group tours and trekking to beautiful and famous treks which unfortunately were inaccessible to my generation due to security concerns.
Since I graduated from the school, many other good schools have come up in Baramulla but Saint Joseph’s legacy stands tall. The school fees are still not as exorbitant as the big branded private schools.
As an alumnus of this prestigious 100-year-old school that has stood against the time and tide in challenging periods, I request the concerned authorities to safeguard this educational institution. Education institutions should be protected by any regime. While the entire intent beyond not renewing the school land is still unknown, the uncertainty has direct ramification on thousands of students whose fate is also hanging in balance. All necessary steps must be taken to preserve and protect this important institution, which has served the community in this border district of Kashmir.
*Komal J.B. Singh is a writer, researcher.
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