Author: The stawa team

Each winter people in Ladakh remove two things from their storeroom. The first is the traditional ‘Bukhari’ to stay warm and the other is a pair of ice skates to use on frozen ponds and lakes. Ghulam Mustafa, who started playing ice hockey in 2010 explained, “I saw my sister with a pair of skates for the first time when I was 12-years-old. She had received it from a Canadian woman. I remember using her skates secretly. When I put them on and blissfully glided on the ice, I forgot all my worries. It did not feel like I was skating for the first time. A year later my father got me my own skates.”

Ice hockey has emerged as one of the most popular sports among Ladakhi youth. This is evident in the recent victory of the Ladakhi women’s team in the ninth national ice hockey tournament held in Kaza, Himachal Pradesh from 15 to 20 January, 2022. Players from Ladakh have represented India at the international level since 2009 and 95% of India’s men’s team is from Ladakh. On the other hand, 100% of the Indian women’s ice hockey team is from Ladakh. They have been representing India in the IIHF Women’s Challenge Cup of Asia Division-I since 2016. The men’s team has participated in Challenge Cup of Asia (Division 1) in Thailand 2015, Kyrgyzstan 2016, Kuwait 2017 (silver medal) and Malaysia 2018. The women’s team won bronze in the Women’s Challenge Cup of Asia 2019 (Abu Dhabi).

Ghulam Mustafa described his experiences at a development camp in Korea, “I was with players from around the world. It made me realise that a boy from a remote place can also compete with them. All we need is dedication and persistence. I later represented India as part of the U-20 team and hearing the national anthem was the proudest moment of my life.” This was echoed by Chamba Tsetan, who has also represented India. He said, “I am proud of being able to represent India. In addition, we have also been coaching children as part of the ‘Learn to Play’ programme for the last four years. We have been able to coach more than a thousand children.”

There have been a lot of changes with regard to ice hockey in the last few years. On 5 May, 2015, the Ice Hockey Association of India became an affiliated member of the Indian Olympic Association. In September 2020, ice hockey was included in the list of sports that qualify for appointment of meritorious sportspersons in government jobs. Thus, one can now play ice hockey for passion and as a career option!

The journey of ice hockey players has not been easy as there have been many challenges. While there has been some progress on addressing these challenges over the last few years, players are still facing many challenges. It was difficult to source equipment and generate financial resources as there was limited support from the government. In addition, the players struggled with the lack of an international standard stadium in Ladakh and the short playing season that prevented players from achieving excellence. Sonam Angmo, who has been part of the women’s team since 2016, said, “The biggest challenge we face is the lack of basic infrastructure, access to equipment and the lack of knowledge about the game.”  Chamba Tsetan, who has been a member of the men’s national team since 2015, added, “In addition, we need a rink where we can practice throughout the year as our playing season is far too short”

Former Indian ice hockey player and coach of UT Ladakh’s B team, Zia Ur Rehman Mir described the challenges they faced in playing ice hockey. “When we started playing ice hockey, there were no coaches, no equipment, and no infrastructure. The Himalayan Sports and Cultural Development Organisation in Drass started bringing international coaches who helped us access equipment and knowledge about building and maintaining rinks and play strategies.”

The first captain of the Indian ice hockey men’s team and the current Vice President of Ladakh Winter Sports Club, Tundup Namgial has witnessed these changes. He said, “The Canadian embassy team has been visiting Ladakh since 2002 to play the Indo-Canadian friendship cup in Leh every year. We have learnt so many things from them. Other well-wishers have sourced equipment and donated international standard sideboards for tournaments. We also organise village coaching camps and provide equipment to them.”

The Kargil Ice and Snow Sport Club has been doing similar work in Kargil district to promote the sport. General Secretary, Aman Ali Khan said, “There was limited awareness about ice hockey in Kargil till the early 2000s. Its popularity grew after 2004 after we formed Kargil Ice and Snow Sports Club to organise events and camps. In 2006-07, we approached the then CEC of LAHDC, Kargil, Asgar Ali Karbalai to support us to organise the CEC Ice Hockey Championship Cup in Kargil. Since then, we have been hosting this tournament every year. We also host a junior championship for young children with support from the police just as we organise the Sadbhavana Cup in collaboration with the Indian Army.”

Unfortunately, ice hockey remained male-centric in Ladakh through these early years. This changed with the creation of the Ladakh Women’s Ice Hockey Foundation (LWIHF) in 2015. Noor Jahan, the goalkeeper in the Indian women’s ice hockey team, General Secretary of LWIHF and Executive Council Member of the Ice Hockey Association of India spoke about the gender-related challenges faced by women players. She said, “In the past, a lot of people would come to Karzoo dZing and mock us. Now women players have gained respect and recognition. I remember my community opposing the idea of me pursuing this sport.”

The gender bias is still evident in Kargil district in various sports. However, parents have started encouraging their daughters to participate in sports. Different organisations are now actively encouraging and training girls in ice hockey. Imtiyaz Ali Khan of Downhill Kargil said they have been training girls in ice skating and ice hockey. “In 2021, our girls’ team participated in UT and block-level competitions,” he added. Zia Ur Rehman Mir also expressed happiness at the growing participation of girls in winter sports. He said, “Recently we organised a national-level ice hockey camp for women in Drass. We were surprised with the turnout. Through the camp. We selected 20 girls for advanced training in Kaza.”

The government too has increased support for sports and athletes since Ladakh became a UT in 2019. District Youth Services and Sports Officer, Leh, Tsering Tashi provided an overview of these initiatives. “Firstly, we are purchasing hockey equipment for players from UT Ladakh. We hope to provide players with a complete kit soon. This will encourage our teams to participate in national-level tournaments. We have also been supporting their participation in Khelo India Ice Hockey tournaments.” The department has been organising tournaments such as Khelo India Ladakh Winter Games Ice Hockey Championships, Zanskar Winter Games and Youth Festival, Lt Governor Cup Ice Hockey Championship, etc. It has also been developing ice hockey rinks in all sub divisions of Ladakh and constructing/repairing dZings in all blocks. It is unclear what designs are being used for these rinks as the department claims that they are building them as per requirements, which will gradually be upgraded in due course. When asked about the international level stadium, Tsering Tashi said, “Due to some technical problems, the department has not been able to complete the stadium. We have finished the tendering process for the roof of the stadium and work on the mechanical chilling plant will start soon. Hopefully the ice hockey rinks in Leh and Kargil will be completed by 2022-23.”  Youth and Sports Department, Kargil has also been providing equipment to players at the block level and constructing rinks. However, some like Aman Ali claimed that the 27 ice hockey rinks across Kargil district do not adhere to any approved design and technical specifications. He added, “We need to use a standardised design for such rinks.”

Zia Ur Rehman Mir stressed on the need for developing an indoor rink. He said, “Our rinks are seasonal and outdoor. In Kargil, we receive a lot of snowfall. We have to spend two to three days to clear snow from these rinks by which time there is more snowfall. As a result, our youth do not get time to play games. We enjoy natural advantage of improved stamina as we live in a high altitude region. However, we need more time to practice and hone our skills.”

He added, “Kargil has natural advantages that make it ideal for winter sports. When Ladakh was part of the erstwhile J&K state, Kashmir Sports Council had decided to develop a winter sports headquarter in Kargil. After Ladakh became a UT, we approached the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh with this idea. If we invest in infrastructure, Ladakh can become a major winter sport destination while also generating income and employment. Winter sport athletes from India spend a lot of money travelling to Europe for practice. We could provide them with the same services in Ladakh.”

However, this will require investment in infrastructure at the grassroots along with a robust framework to manage these activities. For instance, Aman Ali proposed that Ladakh should have its own sport council so the sport clubs and organisations in the region could be affiliated with it. In addition, various stakeholders suggested that UT-level competitions should be held on a rotational basis between Leh and Kargil districts to facilitate all round development and cohesiveness and inclusiveness in the region.

By Karuna Chhimed and Manzoor Hussain

Karuna Chhimed is currently pursuing a master’s in linguistics from Delhi University.

Manzoor Hussain is currently pursuing a master’s in Hindi from IGNOU.

We asked numerous students about their experience of learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their responses included “It is like a very long holiday”, “I miss school”, “It is a total waste of time”, “We were unable to learn through online classes” and “It is becoming very difficult for us.” July 2021 marks one year and five months since school and college students in Ladakh have been at home. The COVID-19 pandemic has gripped the world and students have suffered the most as they struggle to cope with ‘home-school online education’.

According to data from Directorate of School Education, UT of Ladakh there are 904 government schools in Ladakh (546 in Kargil and 358 in Leh) with 25,786 enrolled students (17,210 in Kargil and 8,576 in Leh). In addition, there are 113 private schools in Ladakh (67 in Kargil and 46 in Leh) with 29,059 enrolled students (13,041 in Kargil and 16,018 in Leh). Thus, there are 1,017 government and private schools catering to 54,845 children across Ladakh. In addition, many students are pursuing various higher education programmes in various institutions in Ladakh and outside. This means that a large number of students have been studying from home for more than a year. Some government and private schools did open briefly in 2021. 

Studying online

Student life has undergone a dramatic change through the pandemic. Times have changed from ‘not using a smartphone’ till a certain age, to “religiously using one” to cope with academic work. Many students have created a self-study routine that is conducive to their learning with a parent or relative supervising their academic work. However, all students seem to be facing some challenge or the other including digital exclusion, mental health, etc.

Online learning has been exerting economic stress on many families. Each student needs a smartphone, tablet or laptop to participate in online classes. These can cost anywhere from INR 6,000 for a basic smartphone to INR 25,000 for a basic laptop. In addition, one has to pay for internet access. These expenditures are beyond the reach of many families. 

Similarly, parents with government jobs are still going to work and have little time to oversee their children’s academic work. Thus, these students depend on an elder sibling or a close relative for supervision. Many students are forced to work without supervision and do self-study with occasional checks. Even parents who work from home or stay home all day face challenges in supervising their children. A parent of two children who are studying in the 4th and 5th grade in Lamdon School, Leh and Tibetan Children’s Village (TCV), Choglamsar said, “Since we are not educated, we face a lot of problem teaching and supervising their studies. Sometimes, they would miss homework or submission would be delayed as we are not able to use a smartphone. It took us a lot of time and effort to find someone to teach our children.”

In contrast, other parents have coped well, especially those who are educated. With two sons in primary school, a couple described how they divide time between their work and chores to supervise their children’s work. However, they admitted that their days have become rather hectic. All these factors have had an impact on the quality of education received by students during the pandemic. Many parents also voiced concern on how teachers are coping with online education. When asked about this, most teachers said it has been a challenge. Some mentioned that they spend a lot getting their students together for a class, especially when students struggle to log in or are unable to follow the teacher. 

Schools are aware of these challenges. However, there is pressure to complete the syllabus, which forces many teachers to follow up on the work sent to the students. This in turn reflects on the quality of education and learning. A principal of a school mentioned that younger students who do not have a fixed syllabus are forgetting how to read and write. This is very concerning as this may result in a prolonged delay in reading and writing skills amongst students. Furthermore, there is variability amongst teachers in terms of engagement, preparation and follow up, especially since the digital medium is relatively new for everyone.

While college students seem to be better adapted to using technology, many report that they are not able to cope with online learning and prefer offline classes. When asked about specific challenges, these students mentioned difficulty in focusing and limited time to understand, write notes and clarify doubts. Several students reported that they have started spending time on social media and video games instead of studying.

Gulzar Hussain, a student of Delhi University said, “It will take time for students to get used to the new mode of education. This mode is very different from offline classes. Many students are not taking this seriously. I had taught a student in Kargil last year and he used to be very punctual and curious. Now after studying online for a year, he no longer seems interested in studies.”

Teachers too have reported that many students are struggling with online learning. Masooma Batool, a government teacher in Kargil, said, “Last year when the lockdown was eased and the schools were allowed to open, I observed that students were clueless about their studies. It is not possible to have one-to-one interactions online.”

This was echoed by Professor at Government Degree College, Drass, Shujat Ali who added that learning must not stop despite various challenges. He said, “Initially, everyone hoped to continue offline teaching as online classes did not seem to help. In a month or two, everyone realised that we have to adapt to online learning. The teachers and students who were initially reluctant have now started taking interest in online classes and enrolments have increased. We have to accept new modes of learning and motivate our students. Online learning has gone from being a secondary resource to the primary channel for learning. There are many benefits of online learning including improved accessibility to resources and reduction of overall costs. We can improve the quality of our education by harnessing technology appropriately.”

Some students feel that the pandemic has forced them to learn new skills. One such student, Sabika Khatoon said. “Nothing can replace school! However, online teaching has forced us to learn skills to navigate the digital world and enabled us to access educational resources online.”

Digital exclusion?

As the pandemic spread in early 2020, many parents took their children back to their villages. Unfortunately, there is limited or no internet connectivity in many rural areas in Ladakh. This meant that initially many students were unable to participate in online classes. Since then, reports have emerged of students having to walk (or have parents drive them in some cases) to a location where they can get internet connectivity.

In many cases, parents faced a bigger challenge when they had more than one child but only one smartphone in the house. In other case, there have been instances where students have internet connectivity but their teacher was living in a remote village that did not.  

Prof. Shujat Ali identified these as major challenges. “In addition to internet connectivity, many families are not able to afford have the necessary gadgets. The government is the facilitator and must provide internet connectivity. Schools and colleges can help identify students who need additional support from the administration.”

This was echoed by Mehboob Ali, Coordinator, Department of Computer and Information Technology at Kargil campus of University of Ladakh. He said, “We call this the age of Information Technology. All our processes are moving online. This is advantageous for its ease and speed. However, we still do not have the required infrastructure in place. Initially, even when we had education material, we did not have a channel to deliver them. When the pandemic started, we were not prepared for online teaching. We have to strengthen our infrastructure and increase IT literacy. Recently, UGC asked all universities to complete 40% of the syllabus online. We cannot tell them this was not done because students did not have internet access.”

One of the upsides of students returning to their villages is that children are spending time outdoors and participating in agricultural practices to learn new skills. Similarly, the time spent with family members has been important too.

Support systems?

Many teachers and parents are tapping online portals for support. The Directorate of School Education, UT of Ladakh has listed links to virtual classes that students can attend. It has also developed a mobile app called DSEL Online Education. We were unfortunately not able to test this app. Similarly, the Ministry of Education, Government of India has also started various initiatives to support students. Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA) is a national platform for classes from 1st to 12th. It has a number of curricula linked to QR-coded Energized Textbooks (ETBs) that can be accessed through a mobile app. Others like 2020 VidyaDaan leverage the content on DIKSHA and allow people to contribute e-learning resources.

In addition, various TV channels have been broadcasting classes for those without internet access. Such programmes are also broadcast on radio, community radio, and podcasts, including initiatives. Some DTH operators have been broadcasting channels dedicated to differently-abled students including programmes using sign language. While most people have appreciated these efforts, others complain about not being able to use them offline, various technical glitches etc.

District Institute for Education Training (DIET), Kargil has launched a YouTube channel, which includes lectures but seems to have attracted a limited viewership. Another popular YouTube channel that was started on 19 March, 2020 by Lecturer’s Forum, Kargil has 3.45k subscribers. In addition, there are some social media channels where children are receiving private lessons. Many are resorting to YouTube videos to understand concepts that are covered in a cursory manner in online classes. For example, Spaldon, a 4th Class student said that she has been struggling with Mathematics and Bodyig as the teacher is often unable to explain all the relevant concepts in their short videos. Many parents are also using paid educational applications. 

While online classes are held of video conferencing platforms, the Department of Education has also been using the television and radio. However, some parents found the latter to be unhelpful as they are barely for an hour a day, lack continuity, and have no clear schedule. One parent explained, “In the first month, they used to announce the subject and class for the following day on Ladakhi news, which was good as students did not have to be glued to the television. However, then it became confusing and there was no clarity on which lessons are going to be broadcast or for what class, with no way of accessing that information.” Some parents claim that most TV lessons have been uploaded on YouTube but not all. Others complained that teachers in the televised classes just write and solve problems without explaining the process. Furthermore, the medium of instruction has also been an issue. A parent explained that children have been requesting their teachers to teach Hindi in Ladakhi. Similarly, electricity is another issue as power supply is often unreliable with day-long power-cuts at times.

Health impacts

In addition to other issues, students and teachers are also struggling to cope with health impacts due to these changes. Many students complain that their eyes burn from constantly staring at a screen. In addition, more attention needs to be given to the psychological well-being of students, teachers and parents. There are many short videos about well-being on the DIKSHA application and there are local programmes on radio and television on mental health. However, we were not able to find any other efforts to address various health issues arising from online education and the uncertainty of the pandemic.

While students are becoming digitally aware, the absence of offline class has a serious impact on the mental health of students. This includes lack of resources, learning capabilities, and a sudden shift from rote learning to on-ground experiential learning at home. Perhaps a survey among various stakeholders will help identify various problems faced by them.

Struggle for survival

While government schools have the support of the administration, many private schools are struggling to survive. This is a serious issue as 53% of students in Ladakh are currently enrolled in a private school. A Principal of a private school spoke on the condition of anonymity, “During the lockdown in 2020, schools were shut from March to September. In this period, most schools collected fees and paid staff wages. However, some parents were unable to pay the fees and this caused problems to the school. I have also heard of some small private schools that collected fees in 2020 but did not pay their staff wages.” We cross-checked this with some other institutions and they mentioned that most operate on a no-profit no-loss basis. “So, when some parents are unable to pay the fees, we have been forced to delay the payment of wages of some staff members,” they explained.

Interventions

Many villages have taken proactive measures to organise community classes for their children. Some student associations in villages like Igoo maintain a library where students can study. In June, the Hon’ble Lieutenant-Governor of Ladakh, R. K. Mathur announced INR 25 lakhs (INR 2.5 million) from the LG Fund to support Gram Panchayats to hold community classes. In addition, district administrations have permitted villages to hold community classes while following COVID-19 SOPs.

Parveen, a volunteer at a community class, said that the only development she has seen in the last year is the installation of a mobile tower by a private company. “Nobody was prepared last year. This year everyone is coming up with solutions to tackle problems such as technology, connectivity, need for supervision etc. In my experience, the students are very eager to learn and parents are often unable to provide them with guidance. The community classes have helped address some of the challenge students are facing but there is urgent need to upgrade educational and healthcare facilities in Ladakh’s villages.” Others too welcomed this step as it would help community members become more aware of the problems faced by their children and the administration and work together to find solutions and help in the overall development of the education system.

Murtaza Khalili, an early advocate of community classes and a Principal at a private school, appreciated this initiative by the government. He said, “Community classes are far better than online classes. However, there is one issue with these classes. They give priority to students of the village or the locality where the classes are being held. This excludes non-Ladakhi settlers and those living in a rented accommodation, the administration needs to look into this issue.” He added that community classes are working more smoothly in rural areas as compared to urban areas.

In an interesting development on 4 June, 2021, the UT administration launched the YounTab Scheme, which has been developed by the Department of Education with technical support from Information Technology Department. Under this scheme, they plan to distribute 12,300 tablets with pre-loaded online and offline content including textbooks, video lectures, and online class applications to government school students from Class 6 to 12.

The tablets were to be distributed in government schools across Ladakh in June and July, 2021. However, sources in the Education Department report that the tablets have not been distributed yet as there were some initial memory issues on the devices while uploading offline content. These tablets are expected to be ready by the end of July after which computer teachers from the Education Department will train one to two teachers from each government school zone. These teachers in turn will train other teachers in their zone on the use of e-resources installed on the tablets. We were not able to confirm this officially. In addition, DIET in Leh and Kargil have been conducting training workshops for teachers on digital learning but details remain sketchy.

By Dr. Rigzin Chodon and Leila Bee

Dr. Rigzin Chodon is an independent researcher.

Leila Bee is a freelance journalist based in Ladakh. She holds a master’s degree in English Literature.