Education plays a vital role, towards conflict prevention and peace-building. Education often acts as the initial ‘Catalyst’ that helps in opening the door to various opportunities which connects people to a wider range of ideas and broaden their horizon. It plays a very important role in building stronger, healthier, happier and safer communities. Due to the prevailing security environment and remoteness in the valley, education has not been given due priority, neither by the locals nor by the government. With the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, certain concrete measures are now being initiated to improve the infrastructure and attract the youth towards education. (Male-71.38% (Maximum are 12th and below) and Female-40.49%) A need is felt for revamping the Education standards in the Gurez valley and towards this end uring winters due to harsh weather, 50-70% population from Gurez Valley shifts to Srinagar/ Bandipora. Some schools should be identified which allows students from Gurez Valley to continue their education in winters at these locations. Regular interaction with children/parents by Civil Administration (IAS/ IPS officers)/Army officers will be a great motivational factor for children’s of Gurez Valley. Focus during these interactions should cover are Impact of education on family, Selection process for Civil Services, NDA / SSB criteria and procedure, motivating for selection in TA / Army Recruitment / CAPF, Classes on SSC and UPSC selection criteria & exams Promote computer literacy. Lack of adequate infrastructure and staff at Schools hampers education. Schools are sparse with minimum infrastructure. There is a dire need to improve the existing infrastructure in Gurez Valley so that during winters their studies can be continued. Higher Secondary Schools need to be opened in Gurez Valley. There are some localities in this region where locals do not permit boys and girls to study together due to dogmatic believes, separate schools should be made available for girls to ensure basic education to them. To give a boost to education, scholarships should be awarded to deserving students for higher education in Colleges and universities all over the Country by civil administration. In 2009, Mr Faesal became the first Kashmiri to achieve first rank in the Indian Civil Services Examination and by 2020, 16 students from J&K cleared UPSC Exam. Rayees Ahmad from Gurez, Bandipora who qualified in UPSC with 747th Rank. Such local achievers should be called for guest lectures, in Gurez valley for motivational talks for the children. The revocation of Article 370 has opened up new opportunities for the development of Jammu and Kashmir. The government is taking proactive steps to promote development in the region. With the initiatives taken by the government, Jammu and Kashmir will witness unprecedented growth and development in the coming years. Education and employment are completely interrelated. With more jobs being created, the skill development and standard of education need to be raised accordingly. The competitive environment amongst youth has now increased. The improvement in quality of education has given the youth a broader and open mindset, which in turn is helping them improve their standard of living. Education builds individuals, educated individuals build better societies and better societies build great nations. An illiterate individual depends on others for his / her survival. Education gives one the wings to fly and explore the surroundings, by making one confident and capable of grabbing opportunities for better living standards, it will increase employment levels of people in Gurez Valley. Education is one of the best means to achieve success that facilitates an individual, to face the adversities of life and overcome societal stigmas such as poverty, religious fears and status.
