Srinagar : The Indian Army on Friday commemorated a decade-long educational partnership between Army Goodwill Schools (AGS) and the Bharti Airtel Foundation, highlighting efforts to strengthen the quality of education and expand opportunities for students across Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
The commemorative event was held at Army Goodwill Public School, Pahalgam, and was attended by Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Shri Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Co-Chairman, Bharti Airtel Foundation, and Mrs Shinei Sharma, Regional President, AWWA, Northern Command, besides senior officials of the Army and the Foundation.
The partnership, which initially covered 14 schools, has now expanded its educational initiatives across all 43 Army Goodwill Schools in the region.
Over the past decade, the collaboration has focused on strengthening institutional leadership, classroom practices, academic management and teachers’ capabilities. It has also promoted technology-enabled learning and supported the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in the schools.
The initiative has also placed emphasis on encouraging creativity, innovation and scientific thinking among students. AGS Innovation Clubs have facilitated more than 160 student-led projects, with students participating in national-level platforms including ISRO YUVIKA, INSPIRE-MANAK and Young Scientist India.
Addressing the students, Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma spoke about his own experiences as a student and the challenges he faced during his journey. He encouraged the students to set ambitious goals and remain committed to achieving them.
Shri Rakesh Bharti Mittal announced continued support from the Bharti Airtel Foundation for the AGS network for the next decade. He also announced a series of new initiatives, including additional books for school libraries, sports coaching, more smart classrooms, scholarships for higher education and cash incentives for meritorious students of Classes 10 and 12.
Mrs Shinei Sharma called upon teachers and parents to work together to guide students and prepare them for future challenges. She also stressed the importance of educating the girl child and urged all sections of society to contribute towards building a more inclusive society.
The decade-long partnership has sought to strengthen the educational ecosystem of Army Goodwill Schools through academic support, technology, innovation and capacity building.
The Northern Command reiterated its commitment to providing students with opportunities for educational excellence, creativity, leadership and holistic development, with the aim of enabling the youth of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s future.
