Standard Public High School

Standard Public High School is based in Hawal, Srinagar. We’ve been here for quite a while now, teaching the local kids from the neighborhood. The school building is a solid structure, but it’s definitely been around for many years. You can see the wear on the stairs and the doors. We have students from primary all the way up to high school. It’s a bit of a squeeze sometimes because we have a lot of children and not enough rooms, so we have to be very careful with the schedule. The playground is just a patch of ground where the kids play cricket or run around during the lunch break. We don't have a lot of extra money for fancy decorations, so we just stick to the basics. The teachers are busy from morning until afternoon, grading papers and trying to keep the noise down in the hallways. Sometimes the heating is a bit finicky in the winter, which is a common problem around here in Srinagar. Families in Hawal know us as the local school where their kids can get an education without having to travel too far. We don't make big promises; we just show up, open the gates, and get through the lessons one day at a time. It’s a familiar routine for everyone involved. When the day ends, there is a big rush at the gate as everyone tries to head home at once. We just start over again the next day.