Impact of conflict in education injammu and kashmir
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Answer:
Explanation:
Kashmir has been the epicentre of conflict between India and Pakistan since the lines of partition were drawn in 1947. Historically, there have been four wars between the two nations; in 1947-48, 1965, 1971, and in 1999. The most recent of these saw over 30,000 soldiers and civilians being killed. Besides these wars, both nuclear nations have been continuously at low-level conflict, with skirmishes breaking out on a regular basis.
In recent years, ground operations have seen attacks on civilians and soldiers by both countries’ forces. Explosive weapons, including grenades, mortars and other forms of shelling have caused casualties on both sides. In total, Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) recorded 1,091 deaths and injuries from explosive weapons in Kashmir, (in both Indian and Pakistan-administered areas,) according to English-language news reports between 2011 and 2016. Of these, 69% have been civilians.
The majority of civilian casualties (88%) have been caused by the use of explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPA), such as villages, schools, hospitals, and residential areas. When explosive weapons have been used on populated areas in Kashmir, 84% of the casualties have been civilians.
Beyond the immediate harm, the explosive violence has also been responsible for significant damage to vital civilian infrastructure. And, the destruction and fear caused has had palpable impacts on civilian life, particularly for children.
Damage to schools
Shelling along the line of control between Pakistan and India has caused major disruptions in education for both countries. In 2014, heavy shelling by Indian forces on the Sialkot border villages in Charwar sector caused 120 government schools to shut, and caused heightened levels of fear and distress for local communities. Further unrest in 2016 led to the closure of nearly 300 schools in Indian villages of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts, which are situated within 2.5 km of the border. The order came after there was heavy shelling by Pakistani forces in the area leading to the deaths of 14 civilians.
On the November 12th 2016, mortar fire by Indian troops destroyed hundreds of houses and schools in the Nakyal and Battal sector of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). This led to the immediate closure of 25 girls’ and 34 boys’ schools in the Nakyal sector. On December 16th 2016, a school van was hit by shelling, killing the driver and wounding eight children. On the July 25th 2017, a school building in Poonch was heavily damaged due to shelling by Pakistan. The week before, 25 schools closed due to ceasefire violations.
Further disruptions in acquiring education have also been exacerbated by syllabus curtailment, mass copying, lenient marking and lack of teacher accountability – all linked to the prolonged shutdowns.
Impact on education
Disruptions
The closures and violence seen in schools has led to student uprisings and protests, as Kashmiri students see their education put at risk and being militarised. In April 2017, hundreds of students from Sri Pratap College led a protest against Indian forces. Soldiers then used tear gas and pellets on the students. At least 50 college students were wounded, with many suffering pellet injuries to their eyes.
A study by Chinar International in 2016 found a deep sense of pessimism regarding education in terms of quality and outcome. The continued violence across the region has caused many schools to go neglected. This has left some school buildings in Kashmir left without proper sanitation facilities, water and boundary walls.
This situation has continued to worsen. Alongside the increased levels in shelling: access to a boundary wall fell by 7% for middle schools in the state between 2013 and 2016; the availability of toilets for students of secondary and higher education also worsened; and the numbers of pupils per classroom also increased heavily in the same time frame, as students moved to schools where they were less exposed to impacts from explosive violence.