Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, Feb 9: Shamsher Hakla Poonchi a prominent Gujjar leader and intellectual of J&K, has appealed the Lt. Governor, G C Murmu to frame a strong policy to ensure the functioning of mobile schools being run in J&K for Gujjar and Bakarwal tribe.
Hakla in a statement issued here, today while highlighting the plight of Gujjars and Bakerwals also urged the Government of India for opening of boarding schools on pattern of NavodyaVidalya for Gujjar-Bakarwal students in all districts of J&K.
He further urged GoI for establishing a Tribal University in J&K for Gujjar Bakarwal students of the UT.
He said that the Gujjars and Bakarwals of J&K are divided into three tribes settled, half settled and unsettled nomads and they are educationally, economically, socially and politically Backward.
These two categories of Gujjar and Bakarwals move to the mountains as for grazing their cattle for about six months of Summer every year.
He said that the many years ago, the Government of J&K had opened mobile schools for the children of Gujjar & Bakarwals and those schools had to stay at these places where the community resides during the six months of Summer so that their children could get proper education and during Winter these schools had to move down the plains where the community resides during Winter.
Unfortunately, nowadays many mobile schools do not move with these Tribes during Summer because of which the education of these children suffered. Many mobile schools have been converted to stationary schools and nowadays only few mobile schools are left effecting the education of these children.
Hakla said these two categories of Gujjars and Bakarwals are living a life of difficulty and their children are lagging behind in the field of education and development in comparison to other sections of society. He said hence a strong policy needs to be framed in this regard by the Government.
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