Vidyanjali Cell, University of Jammu, a dedicated advocate for handholding of school education, conducted an engaging initiative combining impactful data collection activities with a vibrant Nukkad Natak (street play) to create awareness about importance of education among the villagers, community members, parents and other stakeholders under the abled guidance of Prof. Renu Nanda. The said event was conducted in the vicinity/locality of 11 adopted schools of 04 districts of Jammu province namely Doda, Jammu, Samba and Kathua. The 12 schools comprised of Govt. Girls High School, Rangpur Maulanian, R.S. Pura, Jammu Govt. Middle School, Railway Colony, Jammu, Govt. Middle School, Mill Area, R.S. Pura, Jammu, Govt. High School, Channi Rama, Jammu, Govt. Girls Higher Secondary School, Satwari, Jammu, Govt. High School, Chak Largan, Bajalta, Jammu, Govt. Model Higher Secondary School Boys, Samba, Govt. Middle School, Bhaiya, Hiranagar, Kathua, New Primary School, Upper Sungli, Bhaderwah, Doda, Govt. UPS, Haliyan, Bhaderwah, Doda and Govt. Girls High School, Saruinsar, Jammu.

The motto of the survey/focus group discussion was to bridge the gap between the school education system and what stakeholders think of an ideal and localised school education system. The data collection drive aimed to gather crucial insights of the stakeholders to identify the gaps between GOI policies and programmes regarding school children for promoting accessible school education and learner friendly school education system as emphasized by NEP 2020. The data will serve as a foundation for planning evidence-based interventions and advocacy efforts that align with the needs of the people.

Complementing the data collection drive, a Nukkad Natak was performed by the volunteers of the cell to shed light on importance of education. With its lively and relatable storytelling, the street play was designed to engage, educate, and inspire the local community to take action. This effort will not only inform our future projects but also provide actionable data to stakeholders and policymakers as “We believe in the power of community-driven initiatives”.