Opinion | Activity Based Learning in Govt. Girls Middle School Boniyar, A Model for Holistic Education

Education is not textbooks and tests, it’s about building experiences that mold young minds for the future. At Govt. Girls Middle School Boniyar, we are convinced that real learning occurs when students are involved, inquisitive, and actively participating in their learning. This conviction has led us to implement Activity Based Learning as a fundamental teaching methodology, making our school a model for all round education.
Why Activity Based Learning?
If you can recall your school days, you may be able to recall the struggle of sitting through endless lectures and memorizing facts. Kids learn best when they do, discover, and create and not when they passively receive. This is what ABL all about. It makes the classroom a place where students can think, experiment, and build practical skills.
At GMS Boniyar, we have incorporated ABL in all subjects so that learning is enjoyable, engaging, and relevant. Be it science experiments, storytelling, role playing, or hands on activities, we ensure that every lesson relates to the students’ daily lives.
A Day in an ABL Classroom at GMS Boniyar.
Let me give you a peek inside our classrooms for a minute. Walk with me into a math class, rather than doing problems on a blackboard, students are utilizing flashcards, puzzles, and everyday objects to learn addition and subtraction. In an English class, rather than reading a story, students act it out as a play, bringing language alive.

Our kindergarten classes especially live on ABL. Learning letters and numbers here is not rote memorization but learning through fun songs, rhymes, and activities. Kids identify letters by shaping them with clay, learn to count using beads, and enhance motor skills through colouring and drawing.
Through such hands on activities, we make learning come alive, enabling students to learn critical thinking, creativity, and problem solving, skills that extend far beyond the classroom.
How ABL Helps Students.
We have witnessed how Activity Based Learning has helped our students firsthand. It has enabled them to:
1. Build Confidence.
When learners engage actively in learning, they feel more confident about their capabilities. They feel capable of questioning, sharing ideas, and owning their education.
2. Enhance Retention & Comprehension.
Rather than memorizing facts, students comprehend concepts thoroughly since they live them. This makes learning not transient but permanent.
3. Improve Social and Communication Skills.
Group activities, role playing, and discussions instil in the students teamwork, leadership, and communication skills, all of which are useful in life.
4. Remain Engaged and Motivated.
Children have an innate desire to find out more, and ABL leverages this. When learning is enjoyable, students eagerly attend school each and every day.
5. Develop Problem Solving Skills.
Instead of presenting ready solutions, ABL challenges students to think and solve, which makes them better equipped to handle real life problems.
ABL and NEP 202, A Step Towards National Educational Goals.
The National Education Policy 2020 lays stress on Experiential Learning, Critical Thinking, and Early Childhood Education, all of which are exactly in line with ABL. At GGMS Boniyar, we have adopted this vision by integrating:
ECCE (Early Childhood Care & Education) in our pre primary classes through play based learning.
Vidya Pravesh for easy transition from home to school learning.
Nipun Bharat Mission, where foundational literacy and numeracy are reinforced with interactive and engaging techniques.
By incorporating NEP 2020 principles along with our ABL approach, we are making our students future ready.
Our Innovative Teaching Strategies.
In GMS Boniyar, teachers are not merely teachers, they are learning facilitators. We employ a range of innovative strategies to optimize the ABL experience:
Learning Through Play: Younger children learn concepts quicker when they play. Whether phonics via story time or number sense via games, we make learning fun.
Project Based Learning: Rather than homework like in the old days, students do projects where they do research, make models, and give presentations, making learning practical.
Technology Integration: Our ICT lab enables students to utilize digital tools for interactive learning, making them tech savvy from a young age.
Nature and Outdoor Learning: Learning is not limited to the classroom. We utilize outdoor areas for science experiments, environmental studies, and nature activities.
The Role of Teachers and Parents in ABL.
For Activity Based Learning to work, teachers and parents have an important role to play. Our staff undergoes periodical training for the effective execution of ABL. We ask parents to get involved in the learning process through homework at home that supports class work.
The combined effect of school and home on a child’s education is revolutionary.
Why GMS Boniyar is a Model for Holistic Education.
We are proud that GMS Boniyar has emerged as an educational hub for girls beyond books. Our system promises not only academic brilliance but also emotional, social, and moral growth.
We foster thinkers and problem solvers.
We provide an inclusive space where each girl receives equal opportunities for learning.
We prepare our students to be future ready with the skills and confidence to take on the world.
Let’s Shape the Future Together.
We at Govt. Girls Middle School Boniyar think that learning must be an experience, not merely a process. Activity Based Learning has brought colour to our classrooms, our students are more involved and our teachers are more motivated.
As educators, parents, and community members, we all have a role to play in shaping the future of our children. Let’s continue to innovate, engage, and inspire, because when learning is joyful, the possibilities are endless.
Would you like to be part of this transformative journey? Let’s work together to make learning meaningful, exciting, and empowering for every child.
#EducationForAll
#ActivityBasedLearning
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#NEP2020
#EmpoweringGirls
(Writer is a Teacher, Author, Writer and Columnist Hails From Boniyar Baramulla and He Can be reached at Mukhtar.qur@gmail.com )