12 September, Srinagar: After a period of 35 years, the Arya Samaj has reopened one of its oldest educational institutes in the Downtown area of Srinagar. This is an important accomplishment for the organisation.
The DAV Public School, which is located in the Maharaj Gunj neighbourhood of Old City, has just begun operations, marking a remarkable recovery after more than three and a half decades of inactivity.
Officials said that this particular school, which had been managed by Arya Samaj up until the early 1990s, would continue to be closed until the year 2023.
The school’s Principal, Samina Javed, who is also the manager of the institution, announced that the institution has been reopened in the same site, within the same building, and under the supervision of the same people to Greater Kashmir.
She said that the name Dayanand Arya Vidyalaya (DAV) or DAVP is given to all of the schools in India that are associated with the Arya Samaj.
According to the school’s Principal, the first academic year of operation began in April of this year, with an initial enrolment of 35 pupils ranging from Kindergarten to Class 7. “We received students from classes above Class 7, but we referred them to JNV Rainawari,” she said.
An official revealed that following the school’s closure in the Old City in early 90’s, the building was occupied by a local entity for running another school. After the DAV school closed, he moved his neighbourhood school into the building since it was vacant and underutilised at the time.
“However, beginning in 2022, the school’s management initiated efforts to reopen it, and the first session began in April of this year,” the official stated. “The school will remain closed until further notice.”
It was a challenge to reopen the school in the same facility and location it had previously occupied. “It required a considerable amount of effort as we had to renovate the building, give it a proper facelift, and initiate classes,” said the Principal. “We were able to accomplish all of these things, but it took a lot of time.”
She stressed that the fundamental objective of the administration is to offer the kids with a secular atmosphere that would help to the students’ total personality development.
The reopening of the school was not without its share of difficulties, but the good news is that we are seeing considerable improvements with each passing day. According to what she said, “both the parents and the community at large have been cooperative.”
Students from the school have been very involved in a wide variety of events ever since the beginning of the current academic year, including Environment Day, Yoga Day, Teachers Day, and many other extracurricular activities. “We are not only concerned with the topics covered in the curriculum; rather, we want to prepare these students for careers in a variety of fields.” The principal said, “On a daily basis, I am enrolled in six different classes.”
She went on to say that the school has hired seven instructors, all of whom are from the local community, and that they are “working hard” to manage the school. “I believe that the teachers are the backbone of any school and our teachers are giving all efforts for the smooth functioning of the school,” Samina Javed said.
The school is affiliated with the J&K Board of School Education and falls under jurisdiction of Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) Rainawari. Javed emphasised that the students enrolled in the school require proper guidance and direction, and both the teachers and management are working collectively to enhance their educational experience.
