Teacher transforms landscape of remote govt school in Anantnag

Anantnag, Apr 13: In the remote village of Gadool Kokernag in Anantnag district, a government school teacher has completely transformed the landscape of a local school — largely through his own efforts and personal funds.
From doing labour work to handling duties typically performed by peons, Dr Malik Mohammad Jameel, Head of Institution (HoI) at Government Girls Middle School (GMS) Gadool, has played every role to revamp the school.
Today, the school doesn’t just provide academic education; it also offers students vocational and practical training, shaping them holistically.
Malik, who himself studied in government schools in the region, said, “After completing my BSc and B.Ed, I pursued Islamic Studies and Public Administration in English. I later earned a Doctorate in Peace and Public Administration. Everything I’ve learned throughout this journey, I try to implement in this institution.”
Recalling how he assumed the role of HoI, Malik said, “The Cluster Head (Principal, Government Higher Secondary School Gadool) directed me to take charge and lead this institution. That marked the beginning of our journey.”
“At that time, there were five teachers at the school. We collectively decided to make this a model school — in terms of education, hygiene, and overall environment — so that the students would get the same quality of education,” he added.
He said that their first goal was to create an environment where students would feel that school is better than home.
“Over the past two years, we’ve worked relentlessly. We collaborated with the Rural Development Department, our education officers, the community, and the students themselves. Their contributions — in infrastructure and academics — have been incredible,” he said.
He especially acknowledged the support from the current Zonal Education Officer (ZEO), Sahil Bashir, in facilitating the transformation of the school.
Momin Ahmad, a student of the school, said that under the guidance of Malik Mohammad Jameel, they formed a team and worked hard day and night to uplift the school.
He said that the school reached a level where students now love spending time there.
Commenting on the improved infrastructure, he added, “Every classroom is equipped with matting, and even the ground outside has matting. Studying here has been a joyful experience — it feels better than home.”
Anayat Ahmad, another student, said that their HoI is a dedicated person and that their school looks altogether different now.
He said that the teacher’s efforts are unmatched.
“We, too, were motivated to contribute. We would even ask our fathers for money to help develop the school. I don’t think there’s another school like this in the entire zone — it stands out as a model institution,” he added.
The HoI added that BDO Larnoo, Mudassir Sakinder, recently visited the school in person and assured his full support for the development and improvement of its infrastructure.