In educationally backward Budgam district, a 25-year-old engineer wants to change the scenario by focusing on modern techniques of teaching and cultural legacy of Kashmir.
After completing BTechin biotechnology from Amity University, Noida in 2016, Muntazir Mehdi returnedhome to start work for his dream project, ‘a school with adifference’.
“Budgam is aneducationally backward district and there is not a good private school, that iswhy instead of doing something else, I decided to open a school here aftercompleting my BTech in biotechnology,” says Muntazir. “The area being close toSrinagar city, rich people here would send their children to the city schools.But majority of the middle class people have to depend on the schools thatwould not have a good standard. So I decided to fill that gap.”
In less than threeyears, Muntazir’s dream has taken a good shape in the form of Genesis GlobalAcademy, were more than 250 kids are enrolled for the education at present.
The school, Muntazirsays, focuses on the creativity of children and cultural legacy of Kashmir withmodern techniques of teaching instead of stressing on the prevalent rotelearning.
“Instead of feedingthem with tons of information, we try to impart skills, help them develop inthe fields of their choice, give importance to co-curricular activities, likesports, arts etc.,” he says.
The school, accordingto Muntazir, gives equal importance to the mother tongue. While teaching thestudents in English and Urdu, they are encouraged to speak in Kashmiri also, sothat these blooming buds would remain connected to their roots while spreadingtheir wings in the vast universe.
“Lot of schools heredon’t allow kids to speak in Kashmiri but we don’t do that. Our next generationshould be able to take our cultural legacy forward,” he says.
Genesis Global Academyis spread over sprawling 17 kanals of land at Patwaw, a hamlet about 2 kms awayfrom Budgam town.
Looking back at theday Muntazir started to work on his project, it is a big leap forward for him.
“In the beginning, Iactually wasn’t expecting much. Being a fresh graduate at the age of 23 in 2017I started the construction work but was not sure that I can make this much ofprogress in less than three years,” he says. “I must thank God. The way heunfolded ways for me are beyond my imagination. I kept giving my best, facedevery challenge and worked hard day in and day out to make it a success.”
With the help of aJ&K Bank loan, Muntazir started construction in 2017 and the first batch ofstudents was enrolled in 2018. Though the construction is still going on and hehas still to do lot of infrastructure development but as they say, ‘a goodbeginning is half done’, Muntazir feels things have streamlined and there is asmooth sail ahead.
When asked how hedeveloped interest for opening a school, Muntazir says, though, he was clearfrom the very beginning that he wanted to open an entrepreneurial venture butit was his father who motivated him to go into educational sector.
“My father, who is agreat believer in education as a tool for change and progress of societies,inspired and encouraged me to open the school. He is the backbone of thisproject. Not only has he provided me land and helped financially but he alsotakes keen interest in day to day affairs of running the school,” saysMuntazir.
The school, Muntazirsays, has an edge over others in terms of teaching, technology, availability ofaudio visual aids and vibrant atmosphere for teaching learning process.
“This school isdeveloping into a next generation school which holds much broader significancethan just something that is meant to educate next generation of students,” headds.
However, Muntazir stresses that at Genesis Global Academy they have taken intothe consideration the financial position of the people living in the area.
“The fee structure, ascompared to other schools like DPS etc, is four times less so that our peoplecan afford to send their kids to get quality education. Besides we alsoaccommodate the needy students,” he claims.
Muntazir says in nextyear and a half all the infrastructure development at the academy would becomplet and after that upgradation of the school would commence in a phasedmanner. The present setup is sufficient for upto 12th grade.
Taking inspirationfrom the Genesis Global Academy, Muntazir believes, the educationally backwardBudgam will turn into knowledge hub someday and he will keep working towardsthat in every possible manner.