J&K to get one-time education grant worth Rs 2,000 crore from Centre

Srinagar, Sep 30: In a significant development, the J&K School Education Department (SED) is all set to get a one-time package of Rs 2,000 crore Union from Ministry of Education (MoE) for filling infrastructural gaps in schools besides fulfilling parameters of National Education Policy (NEP)-2020.

An official said the funds will be granted under Samagra Shiksha to be utilised in the next five years. “First priority will be to fulfill NEP parameters and fill infrastructural gaps in schools,” the official said.

The package will be granted at a time when the government schools across Jammu and Kashmir are facing acute dearth of infrastructure.

According to an official, MoE has decided to refurbish around 396 border schools- 200 in Kashmir and 196 in Jammu for complete revamp and new infrastructure.

“The schools will be renamed as vibrant schools and will get special funding like that of PM Shri schools. Also, 60 schools identified in minority community areas will also get special funding for complete revamp of infrastructure as well,” he said.

He said the 60 schools have been identified in convergence with the Social Welfare department. “Also, the government has planned to appoint one Urdu teacher each in KGBVs in Urdu dominated areas,” he said.

Also, two Aayas will be appointed in pre-primary schools as well. “But the criteria will not be poorest of the poor but the females will be recruited on 10th or 12th basis,” the official said.

Meanwhile, a high level delegation of 40 members led by Union Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Sanjay Kumar is on a visit to Kashmir to take a detailed review of J&K SED.

The team arrived on Monday and visited a few schools in Budgam and DIET Beerwah besides a few schools in Srinagar.

On Tuesday Union Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Sanjay Kumar chaired a detailed review meeting of the School education sector at SKICC.

During the meeting, Kumar expressed concern over the low enrollment in government schools as compared to the private schools functioning across Jammu and Kashmir.

Sanjay Kumar issued directions to further strengthen the standards of school education in J&K and laid special stress on addressing infrastructural gaps, efficient human resource management, and mainstreaming out-of-school children.

He also stressed for coordinated efforts by all stakeholders to ensure quality education and holistic development of children in Jammu and Kashmir.

During the review, the Union Secretary highlighted the issue of student dropouts and directed officials to ensure that no student leaves school before completing Class 12.

He also emphasised the robust functioning of pre-primary schools and called for large-scale enrolment of children in kindergarten classes.

Secretary DSEL expressed concern over the comparatively low enrolment in government schools as against private institutions and directed officers to take measures to make government schools the “prime centres of learning and career development.”

He called for a massive increase in student enrolment in government schools and directed the department to ensure quality education through vocational and skill-based learning across all institutions.

Sanjay Kumar also instructed the department to reconsider the board examination of class 11 and asked JKBOSE to do away with it.

He encouraged for carrying out sustainable infrastructure upgradation to facilitate at all government schools for education.

During the meeting, deliberations were held on the proposal for establishing a Regional Office of CBSE in J&K.

Senior Officers accompanying the Secretary included Anand Rao Patil, Union Additional Secretary Digital Education; A Srija, Economic Advisor, DoSEL; Pankaj KP Shreyaskar, DDG Statistics; Harikumar Janakiraman, Director Digital Education; Sreekala P. Venugopal, Director, UT; Ram Singh, Deputy Director, DoSEL, Abdul Momin, TSG Consultant J&K, DoSEL.