Students of Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Kothibagh, Srinagar, with the students of Government Vocational Higher Secondary School for Girls, Nadakkavu, Kozhikode, during their visit on October 13.
| Photo Credit: K. Ragesh
When ten wide-eyed girls from the extreme north of India met their counterparts from the extreme south, it was a moment filled with curiosity, wonder, and understanding. The ten students from the Government Higher Secondary School, Kothibagh, Srinagar, Kashmir, visited Kozhikode on Monday (October 13) as part of their study tour to the Government Vocational Higher Secondary School for Girls, Nadakkavu. The visit aimed to understand the transformation that took place at Nadakkavu under the PRISM (Promoting Regional Schools to International Standards through Multiple Interventions) project.
The connecting thread between the two schools is the Faisal and Shabana Foundation, which invested in the Nadakkavu school a decade ago, converting it into one of the best government schools in the country. The Foundation has recently launched the Dream School project in Kashmir, with GHSS Kothibagh being the first institution to be developed under it.
The PRISM project was launched at GVHSS Nadakkavu in 2012 as the dream initiative of then Kozhikode North MLA A. Pradeep Kumar, with the Faisal and Shabana Foundation providing technical and financial support. The school received state-of-the-art infrastructure and landscaping at a cost of ₹16 crore. The project went on to inspire the State government to develop around 1,000 similar schools across Kerala, while the Foundation expanded the model to other States, including Kashmir.
“The GHSS Kothibagh is being developed at a cost of ₹20 crore. The first phase, to be inaugurated on October 27, includes the construction of a new building for the middle school, which covers classes from Kindergarten to Standard 8. Smart classrooms and robotics training will also be part of the project,” said Sheikh Zahoor, project coordinator of the ‘Dream School’ project in Kashmir. Besides Mr. Zahoor, two teachers — Maryam Akbar and Humaira Shah — accompanied the students from Classes 9 and 11 on the Kerala visit.
The group received a traditional percussion welcome at GVHSS Nadakkavu under the leadership of Principal Gireesh Kumar, along with Roshan John, programme coordinator associated with the Faisal and Shabana Foundation, and other team members. The students later took part in interactive sessions before visiting the Government Higher Secondary School, Karaparamba, and the Kozhikode Corporation office. Mayor Beena Philip, who served as Principal of GVHSS Nadakkavu when the PRISM project was implemented, also interacted with the students from Kashmir.
Published – October 13, 2025 09:29 pm IST
