Onlykashmir.in News Desk
PM Shri Government Secondary School Laharwalpora in Bandipora marked Bagless Day with a programme that combined learning, culture and life skills, bringing together more than 400 students and teachers from four government schools around one shared Dastarkhan.
The day featured quiz, speech, Naat and Tilawat competitions, giving students a platform to showcase their talents. The highlight was the joint meal, in which students and teachers shared traditional chapatis and Namkeen Tea on the school lawns. Students prepared around 500 chapatis and managed the arrangements themselves, gaining practical lessons in teamwork, leadership, hospitality and event management.
Sixty students were awarded stationery items by Khursheed Anwar Nadi, Imam of Jamia Masjid, who urged them to assist their parents in household work and to respect their guidance.
Addressing the gathering, Javaid Jawad, Head of Institution at the host school, thanked the participating schools, teachers and students. He said the programme, the school’s third Bagless Day initiative under NEP 2020, aimed to promote experiential learning beyond textbooks. Students, he noted, had actively served as organisers, hosts and team leaders, acquiring skills essential for everyday life.
Besides the host school, students and teachers from Middle School Reshi Mohalla, Primary School Hum Mohalla and Primary School Fisherman Colony took part, reinforcing the message that education extends beyond classrooms to include responsibility, cooperation, culture and practical skills.
The event reflects the spirit of the National Education Policy 2020, which encourages experiential and activity-based learning alongside traditional classroom instruction. Bagless Day initiatives give schools room to step away from routine lessons and let children learn by doing, whether by planning an event, cooking for hundreds or speaking before an audience.
The Dastarkhan itself carried cultural meaning. Sharing food on a common spread is a cherished tradition in Kashmiri society, and seeing children from different schools sit together and serve one another strengthened bonds among them. For students who prepared the chapatis and handled hospitality, the experience offered lessons that no textbook can easily provide. By bringing four schools together, Laharwalpora has shown how a simple, well-planned gathering can build confidence, cooperation and community spirit among young learners in Bandipora.
