Kashmir Girls Find New Horizons in Kerala as Nadakkavu Model Inspires ‘Dream School’ in Srinagar

SRINAGAR: When ten Kashmiri girls from Srinagar’s Government Higher Secondary School, Kothibagh, arrived in Kerala’s Kozhikode this week, they were stepping not just into another school, but into a vision of what their own classrooms back home could soon become.

The students, accompanied by their teachers Maryam Akbar and Humaira Shah, visited the Government Vocational Higher Secondary School for Girls, Nadakkavu, on October 13 as part of an educational exchange under the Faisal and Shabana Foundation’s Dream School project. For the young girls from Kashmir, this was their first glimpse of the Kerala model of government school transformation that has drawn national attention.

They were welcomed at Nadakkavu with traditional percussion, flowers, and enthusiasm by Principal Gireesh Kumar and the Foundation’s programme coordinator, Roshan John. Later, they interacted with students, explored digital classrooms, and visited the Karaparamba Higher Secondary School and the Kozhikode Corporation office, where they were received by Mayor Beena Philip, who once served as Nadakkavu’s Principal when the transformation began.

The connecting thread between the two institutions is the Faisal and Shabana Foundation, which, a decade ago, turned Nadakkavu into one of India’s finest government schools under the PRISM (Promoting Regional Schools to International Standards through Multiple Interventions) project. Now, the same model is being brought to Kashmir through the Dream School initiative, with GHSS Kothibagh selected as its first beneficiary.

“The GHSS Kothibagh is being developed for Rs 20 crore. The first phase, to be inaugurated on October 27, includes a new building for the middle school section — from Kindergarten to Class 8 — with smart classrooms and robotics training,” said Sheikh Zahoor, project coordinator for the Dream School initiative in Kashmir.

The new Middle School block, constructed for Rs 11 crore, features 14 classrooms, a science lab, robotics lab, and canteen — all built to international standards.

The transformation at Kothibagh is part of a larger vision led by UAE-based entrepreneur and philanthropist Faizal Kottikollon, founder of the Faisal and Shabana Foundation and chairman of the UAE India Business Council (UIBC) – UAE Chapter. Originally from Mahe, Kottikollon has already transformed more than 900 government schools across India through the PRISM model since 2013.

Calling education “the most powerful investment in human capital,” Kottikollon said, “We are humbled to contribute to the future of Srinagar’s youth through the Dream School. This collaboration reflects the spirit of the UAE-India partnership — innovative, inclusive, and impact-driven.”

During a meeting in Srinagar, Kottikollon invited Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to inaugurate the new block. He was accompanied by Kshitij Korde, Head of Corporate Affairs at UIBC–UC, and Daniel, the Foundation’s Srinagar manager.

The discussions went beyond education, exploring philanthropy’s role in community development and possible collaborations in healthcare and holistic wellness across Jammu and Kashmir.

The Nadakkavu school, revitalised for Rs 16 crore in 2012 under the leadership of former Kozhikode North MLA A. Pradeep Kumar and with support from the Foundation, went on to inspire the Kerala government to develop nearly 1,000 similar institutions across the state. Today, Nadakkavu ranks among the top government day schools in India.

Encouraged by this success, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has signed an MoU with the Faisal and Shabana Foundation to replicate the model in the Union Territory. “Creating a robust educational system in the country is our aim,” said Kottikollon. “We want equitable education that allows every child to reach their full potential.”

Director of School Education, Dr Tassaduq Hussain Mir, confirmed that the government plans to replicate the Kothibagh model across the region once its success is demonstrated.

The Kerala visit symbolised more than a study tour; it was an exchange of aspirations. More than 90 teachers from both regions have already undergone intensive training programmes, and new North–South academic dialogues are being planned to sustain this partnership.

For the girls from Kothibagh, the experience was both inspiring and grounding — a look into what their own classrooms could soon feel like. “It was wonderful to see how a government school can look and function like an international institution,” said one student.

As the girls return home to Srinagar, their journey marks a bridge between the backwaters of Kerala and the mountains of Kashmir, one built not of trade or politics, but of shared dreams and a belief that the classroom can be the starting point of transformation.