Environment, Health Education And Schooling In Kashmir

Schools are not merely physical constructions; children and teachers are major participants in school process. Students spend more than six hours a day in classes and school related activities. Therefore teachers and schools are important source of information for children. Schools do play key part in transmitting knowledge and skills to the children. Children in school through curricular and extra- curricular activities imbibe various principles of life. As schools are regarded an important agency of socialization they educate children for adult life. Certain habits are acquired by children at schools which do influence their personality. In the development or incarnation of attitudes and aptitudes physical and social environment do play central role in the life of a child. After the child's home, school represents the second most in? uential environment in a child's life. Environment which can be broadly categorized into 'natural' environment and 'socio-cultural', environment determines the interaction pattern of individuals. The environment a child is surrounded with at school has wide ranging implication on her/ his outlook. A child at school is involved in the process of learning. In this process he/she systematically explores his/her surroundings. He/ She develop certain habits and behavior which are directly having bearing on the health or health awareness of a child. Education is considered as a magic wand for many social maladies. It has been argued that schooling produces citizens which are not only armed with skills of three R's but aware and conscious of their health. However, this paper argues that physical and social environment prevalent in schools in Kashmir does not instill health and environment awareness among children. The physical and social environment prevailing in schools of Kashmir is apart from the environment required for the healthy and conscious beings .