School in the snow capped mountains

Updated on: Monday, July 11, 2011

Come Monday and it is off to school for many children in this beautiful valley amid the Pir Panjal range of the inner Himayalas. Travelling to the Army Goodwill School in Potha, children from various villages in the hills - Sanai, Luthung, Dhundak, Marhot, Daraba, Gonthal and more - enjoy the picturesque ride.

There are 600 students in this English medium high school, which is run by the Indian Army. “When we started the school in 2001, the strength was less than 100 students. Today this is a sought after school here. The Scouts and Guides wing stood second in State in overall performance. Many have also bagged awards in the national painting competition. Our students are selected for the State kho kho team,” says Colonel C.J. Antony, Commanding Officer, 25 Rashtriya Rifles, who has been entrusted with the development of the school.

Place of peace

Sports is a way of life here. What makes this school unique in this region is that the students are picked up and dropped from their villages under protection in the Army school buses. Once a hot bed of militancy, today there is peace and students in this part of the valley enjoy a happy and fearless childhood.

“I would like to become an IAS officer," says Imtiaz of Std. X. “I would want to become a teacher,” adds Rehana, a student of Std. VI who comes to the school from her remote village atop the mountain. The Army Goodwill School was started in the region as part of the Sadbhavana mission and today students from the school have made it to MBBS and civil services.

Trained teachers from Jammu as well as from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala ensure the children get good grades. A Youth Empowerment and Guidance Node helps them choose their preferred stream once they pass their Stds. X and XII. The schoolchildren have visited other parts of the country on their tours.

Want to connect with the Army Goodwill School? Mail : [email protected]

School in the snow capped mountains

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