Shadow Correspondent
SRINAGAR, MAY 27:
Terrorism deprives thousands of children of education in Jammu and Kashmir and the Indian Army has set up special schools to address this problem.
Now, the quality of education at these institutions in J&K is all set for a digital leap with the introduction of a digital solutions learning programme.
The programme was inaugurated by Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat at Army Goodwill Schools, Pahalgam, at a function held late Friday evening, and attended by GOC Northern Command Lt. General Anil Bhatt with senior officials from the State Education Department, civil administration and other senior police functionaries.
At least 1,600 students and hundreds of staff at Army Goodwill Schools (AGS) will benefit from Phase I of the programme, facilitated by a non-profit NGO ‘Extramarks Education Foundation (EEF)’ headed by founder Atul Kulshreshtha and Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL), according to a release issued by organisers.
EEF and PGCIL will equip all the army classrooms with digital hardware, provide state-of-the-art digital solutions, and train faculty.
In subsequent phases, a balance of 46 Army Goodwill Schools will also be brought in to the programme. The programme will run in AGS Pahalgam, Ziran, Uri, Margund and at AGS Pinewood School, Hamirpur in Poonch.
Army Goodwill Schools were established by the Indian Army in all the three regions, Ladakh, Kashmir and Jammu where children did not have access to education or the schools were dysfunctional.
“The credit for augmenting education in areas affected by turbulence goes to the Indian Army for their inclusive approach,” said Atul Kulshreshtha, Founder and Chairman of Extramarks.
