Partnership with Springdales Public School
Project Profile
Springdales Public school, Mulbekh is a high school situated in a remote village called Mulbekh in Distt Kargil (Ladakh), Jammu & Kashmir (India). It was founded in 1992 by few of the educated people of those times keeping in mind that EDUCATION is the only solution of our problems. Email willy@omprakash.org or norboo_secmol@yahoo.co.in to learn more.
Partnership History
Springdales has been an Omprakash partner since August, 2008. The school was one of the recipients of the Omprakash Book Distribution during the summer of 2008.
Need for Volunteers
Springdales is very eager to receive volunteers who are willing to live and teach and mentor students in Wakha-Mulbek. Please contact Willy or Norbu to learn more.
Need for Material Resources
PROJECT LIBRARY
Spring Dales Public School, Mulbekh, had recently constructed a little library for the school after getting library books from Om Prakash Foundation in June-July 2008.
This school was without any library since its establishment in 1992. We were looking for library books since several years but we couldn’t find any from any where. Thanks to Willy and Om Prakash Foundation who helped us achieve this dream of having library books. We got so many wonderful books for our students for whom having such books were just like a dream. We were so much encouraged and inspired with these books that all of us had determined to construct a little library soon, so that we can let our children use these books as soon as possible.
As already mentioned, this school was founded by some educated youths in 1992 for giving quality education to the children of these remote villages where quality education is still a dream and after several years of hardships, struggles and sacrifices we were being able to reach at this stage without any help from anywhere. The local people, parents and educated people of this village always comes forward whenever we do something for the education of our children. This school is an example of our enthusiasm and dedication. Local people had always helped with whatever they can to improve the quality of education in this school. This year again, we all had initiated this project after getting inspiration from Om Prakash Foundation and after lots of hard work and patience, we are able to finish the construction of a little library as shown in the photograph. Local people of surrounding villages contributed to this project in many ways like free labour, financial assistance, giving woods for construction and many more. Till now we are able to just construct the room anyhow with whatever help we can get from the community but it is really hard to get more help from them especially in terms of money.
We want this library to be functional as soon as possible as our students are very much eagerly waiting for this library to start, so that they can read those wonderful books soon. We need some financial assistance for this library as mentioned below:-
|
SNO |
ITEMS REQUIRED |
TOTAL COST |
|
1. |
Recks/Shelves for keeping books(Plywoods, glasses, paints, labour charges) |
350 USD |
|
2. |
Chairs(15 Nos), Tables(2 Nos), carpets. |
200 USD |
|
3. |
Electrical fittings, plastering, Labour charges etc. |
150 USD |
|
|
GRAND TOTAL |
700 USD |
- Above costs are estimated @ Rs 47 per USD.
We all would be so grateful if any one could help us raising the above mentioned funds for the library, so that we can make this library functional as soon as possible.
Above donations could be transferred to the school through Om Prakash Foundation or directly to the school at the following address:-
President
Lamdon Social Welfare Society
Wakha-Mulbekh
Distt Kargil. Bank A/C No:- 30502270305.
Springdales Background and History
Brief History of Ladakh.
Till 1842, Ladakh (Leh & Kargil) was an entirely a separate kingdom with its own kings but it was invaded by the Dogra rulers ( Rulers of Jammu & Kashmir) and it remained under Dogra rulers until India got independence in 1947. Ladakh being under Dogra ruler at the time of India’s independence became a part of J&K as
J&K became a part of India.
Jammu & Kashmir consists of three regions called Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. Jammu(Hindu majority), Kashmir(Muslim majority) and Ladakh(Buddhist majority). All the three regions has an entirely different culture, tradition, language, religion, demography etc.
History of education in Ladakh.
Ladakh remained completely isolated and cut off from rest of the world till 1960 when for the first time it was connected to rest of the country through J&K by road. Till that 
Ladakh was quite peaceful with its own unique culture, tradition and sustainable way of living with agriculture as the only source of income. But with the opening of the road, the so called “Development” entered Ladakh in many forms and education was one of them.
Till 1960s, there were only one or two govt schools doing pretty well but with the opening of the road, hundreds of govt schools were opened in Ladakh without any proper research resulting in a never ending chaos and confusion for Ladakhi students. In every nook and corner a govt school was opened in 1960s and 70s when there were hardly any educated Ladakhis who can become a teacher in those schools. So, like the schools were opened in hundreds, teachers from Jammu & Kashmir were also appointed in those schools in hundreds as there were no local qualified teachers. And posting in Ladakh for those teachers was like sending to hell because of its unbearable cold. Above these if you see the system of education or curriculum in those days in the govt schools, it was unimaginable. The most confusing 
part of the system was the language ie the medium of instruction. Ladakhi students were given admission at the age of 6 yrs in 1st grade, till that we don’t know anything at all except our own language ie Ladakhi with which our little kids grows and they are pretty good at it being our mother tongue but when we enter school, almost every subject is in URDU, an entirely alien language. We have to study almost everything in Urdu like mathematics, science, social etc. At some later stage only Bodyik language was introduced in the govt schools otherwise it was mainly Urdu and English only. Now interestingly, when the students reach 8th grade, when they did learnt the Urdu language by hook or crook, the medium of instruction is completely and all of a sudden changed into ENGLISH, that means you have to study everything in English by keeping Urdu as merely an optional subject as English was till 8th grade. It is done because in 10th grade students have to appear for an important and decisive board exam which is in English medium. Beside the language confusion as mentioned above, there is one more similar problem ie The language those outside teachers use while teaching our kids. They use the same Urdu language in which all the books are written and published. It is next to impossible for our little kids to understand what they are saying, and understanding what is written in the books is just impossible. Now, those already frustrated teachers become mad when the students don’t understand what they are teaching to them, and there is no other
best way to show their madness except beating those innocent kids for no
reason resulting in high drop outs from schools and also high failure rates. During 80s and late 90s, pass percentage in the govt schools were merely 5% and Failure 95% in that important metric board examination.
That is not the end, when a Ladakhi student any how finishing with his 10th and 12th grade exam from these govt schools go for higher studies in other cities like Jammu, Chandigarh or Delhi, they face one more serious and similar problem ie HINDI language, as in those cities you wont find Urdu except English and Hindi. Now when we study outside Ladakh, we struggle with Hindi as we did with Urdu and English at the earlier stages. Now with the above confusions, you find that when the Ladakhi kids are grown up they forgot their own mother tongue, their own identity.
Why we had to go through such unnecessary struggle at such an early stage were learning should have been a fun. Above all facts were same for whole Ladakh ie Leh and Kargil Distt both till 1994. But the gap started then onwards between Leh and Kargil in every field including education. In 1974, Ladakh was opened to international tourism for the first time, which was a boon for Leh’s economy and development as you can see it now. But Distt Kargil remained as it is in every field either it is development, tourism, education etc.
Now, if we go back to education. In 1994, an important historical operation or a mission was started in Leh in Education called ONH (Operation New Hope) in collaboration of J&K govt, Community and most importantly local NGOs like SECMOL. The aims and objectives of the above mission was to change the system of education from the root by eliminating all the causes as mentioned earlier. And it was a huge success with the 10th grade result rising to almost 55% pass percentage which was just 5% earlier along with many other changes and improvements. One important changes in the field of Education in Leh was opening of some very good private schools started in 1970s with hardly one or two private schools which if you see now grows exponentially giving quality modern education to those children. If you see the flow of foreign funds in those institutions it is huge and still coming in, and its growing, growing and growing. Now, Children at Leh especially in private institutions are way ahead in everything. Thanks to those Ladakhi educated and visionaries who started such institutions because of which those children are getting world class education just at their doorstep?
Now, What about Distt kargil and villages like Mulbekh? What about the schools in such remote villages?
There is no ONH programme initiated by any govt, there is hardly any NGOs, Community ie people they are still in dark with just no idea of modern education, development, tourism etc. Govt schools are still as it was in 1990s with hardly any changes. There are few private schools in Kargil but way behind in every aspect.
A brief introduction of Kargil:- Kargil is the only other Distt in whole Ladakh as mentioned earlier with almost 80-90% Muslim and hardly 10-20% Buddhist. Leh is an another Distt in Ladakh with approximately 20-30% Muslim and 70-80% Buddhist.( Above given datas in percentages are approximate ).
What had started in Leh 15-20 years earlier is starting in Kargil now only, either it is Development or Education.
To me like for most of other people, QUALITY EDUCATION is the only hope and solution of all the problems we face today. Keeping this in mind and with a vision, I came back to my native village called Wakha-Mulbekh after completing my higher studies in Engineering from Delhi by staying there for almost 15 years and looking at the problems and struggles from a very close distance and facing it myself, and decided to sacrifice my career in Engineering and decided to work in the field of education, so that I could also give our children what they deserve as others in various part of the world.
SPRING DALES PUBLIC SCHOOL, MULBEKH is a school in a remote Buddhist populated village in Distt Kargil, where quality education is still a dream. I am working in this school as the Principal, I had joined this school few months earlier only which was my dream and still it is and planning to stay here for a long time with a dream and vision of giving quality education to our children. I wanted to make this school more than a school, an institution, an institution of real learning where every student can get what they really deserve. An institution, where we can educate students to make this world beautiful, wonderful and peaceful where every one can live for a Healthy, wealthy and Happy life.
To make my dream and vision a reality, I need support from various part of the world in many forms for the school, so that I can make their dreams come true. Any kind of support would be very welcome for us like volunteers, materials and funds for constructing school/ hostel building, Library and Laboratory buildings, teaching aids for little kids etc.
Lets join hands for a wonderful cause of educating our present for a peaceful and happy future because today’s children are tomorrow’s citizen. Lets help them now, so that they can help others tomorrow.
Tsewang Norboo
Principal
Spring Dales Public School, Mulbekh.
Distt Kargil (Ladakh).
State- Jammu & Kashmir (India)
Pin- 194109
Phone:- 9469292917(Mobile)
01985-270133(office)
01985-270021(Residence)