Dawn of the year 2006 has marked a new beginning in the lives of children in Mohand and Sahasra with the foundation stone laying ceremony of the New Wing of the Van Gujjar Blue Star School at Mohund and inauguration of the Primary School at Sahasra by the District Magistrate of Saharanpur, Ms. Nivedita Shukla Verma on 30th December 2005.
RLEK's legacy of establishing schools in difficult and remote terrains of Uttaranchal and Uttar Pradesh goes back in the year 1996 when it has started the very first school of its kind at Mohand with the name of Van Gujjar Blue Star School, it was the very first of its kind in this area. Its class rooms have been specially designed in the shape of the traditional deras or homes of the Van Gujjars, the purpose of building these structures was to bring children of Van Gujjars to school. This has created an amicable and conducive environment to facilitate the learning of these children, who were initially hesitant to explore and adjust to new avenues. This has endowed an opportunity to these children to avail of their right to education but has also been a pioneer in providing them quality education by utilizing modern methodologies. Its conviction in the power of knowledge and will to reach the un reached has led RLEK to work towards promoting education in the remotest of areas. In this direction foundation stone for the New Wing of the Van Gujjar Blue Star School at Mohand was laid on 30th December 2005. The school in the near future shall be accredited up to Class VIII. Stichting Indian Rose Foundation of Netherlands has supported the new wing at Mohand.
Joint endeavors of RLEK, Community and Stichting Focus On Education Foundation took the shape of Sahasra School, RLEK's dedication and commitment to the cause of Education has lead them to facilitated the whole process, Communities contributed in the form of Land and Focus on Education from Netherlands, contributed in form of funds for infrastructure. Inaugural of Primary School at Sahasra has given a ray of hope to the nomads residing in the area, that getting an education is with in their reach. Sahasra is having harsh demographic profile and the whole area is surrounded by Shivalik Forest Range. This has added complexities to the whole process. The implementation and management of the school will be in the hand of the Self Help Groups (SHG) existing in the area. This approach of management of schools has already set successful examples in Dhaura, Ghata, Seedie, Gaichwan and Mohand etc. that are being run on the similar pattern.
Addressing the gathering at the site at Sahasra, the District Magistrate said that she was delighted to witness as to how the community had been able to strike the perfect balance between the preservation of the forests and development. Answering a query from a Van Gujjar, she reassured the Gujjars that their children would also get the benefits of the Government Schemes like mid day meal programme etc. from the next academic session onwards. She was elated to see the immaculate cleanliness within the school premises, the confidence exhibited by the Gujjar children and awareness among the Gujjar community members. She reiterated the fact that Gujjars should work in consonance with the Gram Panchayat and should continue to cooperate with the Forest Department to conserve the environment.
Avdhash Kaushal, chairperson RLEK on this occasion reaffirmed that the community would not cause harm to the ecology but rather help in protecting, conserving and enhancing the forest cover.