ANANTNAG: In a significant step aimed at strengthening student health services in schools, School Education department Anantnag, in collaboration with Help Poor Voluntary Trust (HPVT), formally launched the ‘My Right to Sight' initiative at Government Higher Secondary School Vessu, Qazigund.

Chief Education Officer Anantnag, Ali Mohammad Bhat, District Education Planning Officer Anantnag, Dr. Syed Reyaz Ahmad (also serving as Project Manager, HPVT), Principal of HSS Vessu, faculty members, and students from various institutions of Cluster Vessu attended the event.

This noble initiative is designed to enable the early detection and timely correction of vision-related issues among school-going children. Through this project, students will receive comprehensive eye examinations, and corrective spectacles will be provided free of cost to those identified with vision impairments.

In his address, CEO Anantnag praised the humanitarian efforts of the Help Poor Voluntary Trust and reiterated the department's commitment to the overall well-being of students, highlighting that good vision is fundamental to effective learning and academic success.

Speaking on the occasion, DEPO Anantnag emphasized the critical convergence of health and education, and encouraged Heads of Institutions and teaching staff to extend their full cooperation during the project's implementation across their respective schools.

Project Manager HPVT provided a detailed overview of the project's vision and execution plan. He reaffirmed HPVT's mission to serve marginalized communities and ensure that no child is left behind due to untreated visual disabilities.

Under Phase-I, the ‘My Right to Sight' campaign will cover all Govt. Schools in the Zones of Aishmuqam, Qazigund, Vailoo, and Verinag, aiming to benefit hundreds of students, particularly from remote and underserved areas of district Anantnag.

The launch event concluded with a symbolic screening of students, marking a promising beginning to a student-centric health initiative. The program was enthusiastically received by both students and faculty, and is widely regarded as a crucial step towards building a healthier and more inclusive educational environment.