Education for all, only on paper
The people of Quaziabad are denied access to high education due to vested interests of their local politician.
Quaziabad is a tehsil in district Kupwara of Jammu & Kashmir with a population of 50,000. Half of the population in this tehsil lives in very high altitudes. It has breathtaking scenic views but the lives of the people living in the tehsil is not so beautiful. The basic infrastructural facilities such as electricity, communication and transport is lacking in the area. But, one of the most pressing issues in the tehsil is the lack of access to higher education. There is no degree college in the area stunting the education of children in Quaziabad.
In the past the government had made several efforts towards improving the educational system of Quaziabad and it showed positive results. The government established a grid of atleast 80 public schools including primary, middle, secondary and higher secondary level institutions, but the final leg to complete the education is missing. Since 2009, the Quaziabad development committee started a campaign for establishment of a degree college in their area. With the official announcement of opening seventeen new colleges in Jammu and Kashmir, the residents of Quaziabad in north Kashmir's kupwara and adjoining areas pinned their hopes on the government that this time one of the announced colleges would be established in their area. On 17 Nov, 2017 a formal approval was made by existing education minster Altaf Bukhari for the establishment of degree college in Langate constituency. The Quaziabad residents were delighted. But the political conspiracy of MLA Er Rashid ruined the joy & hope of Quaziabad residents, by declaring Langate appropriate place for the placement of degree college and not Quaziabad.
The residents of Quaziabad told DNL that Langate already had a college in the neighbouring village in Handwara, just one and half km away. The people of Quaziabad and its adjoining areas accused MLA Labgate Er Rasheed of indulging in regionalism and favoritism.
"Our area is about 25 kilometers away from the college. So how is it justified to prefer Langate over Quaziabad," the committee members said. Others too need education says committe.
The Development Committee further added, Langate is the only village in our constituency, where there are more than 400 thousand votes and it always remains first priority of politicians. They believe that MLA Er Rashid is driven by the vote bank in Langate leaving behind the higher education need of Quaziabad on the mercy of God.
From past couple of weeks there have been protests, seminars in every nook & corner of Quaziabad.
The people urged the authority, including education minster to fulfil their demand of degree college.
The Secretary of Quaziabad Development Committe told DNL, "Our MLA Er Rashid is playing stepmother role with people of Quaziabad, he is ignoring our genuine demand of college.The MLA Langate has to turn again to the people of Quaziabad. he won't be forgiven or forgotten. We will fight tooth and nail to get college for our kids."