Minister acknowledges gaps in health, education sector

Srinagar, Nov 12: The Minister for Education, Health and Medical Education and Social Welfare, Sakeena Masood Itoo on Tuesday acknowledged the infrastructural gaps in schools and health sector while assuring that steps will be taken to fill the gaps in the education and health sector.

Talking to media persons on the sidelines of National Academia Industry Conclave 4.0-Cultivating Synergy and 19th University Foundation day of Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) Wantipora, Sakina Itoo said that the government was aware about the gaps in health and education sector but steps will be taken to bring improvement in both education and health sectors.

"There is no doubt that we have dearth of teachers in schools and hospitals are facing scarcity of doctors in hospitals as well. We are aware of the fact that we have infrastructural gaps in both the education and health sector but we will try our best to fill the gaps to bring improvement in both the sectors," the minister told reporters.

She said whatever will be possible by the government to augment the infrastructure in schools and hospitals besides overcoming dearth of staff, all such measures will be taken to strengthen the education and health sector in Jammu and Kashmir.

"We will give in our efforts to make the education and health sector better and ensure that people get all the facilities in our hospitals. We will also ensure that our education sector is strengthened as well," she said.

Briefing about the contractual lecturers and academic arrangements hired in Government Degree Colleges, the minister said that the government will not ignore their contribution towards the higher education sector by imparting education to thousands of students.

"The basic problem is that once these candidates are hired on contract basis, after joining they complain of being exploited. But we will think of some possible solutions to their problem. They are also contributing to the higher education sector. If anything is possible for us, we will do that to benefit the contractual college lecturers and academic arrangements," the minister said.

Meanwhile, the minister along with the Advisor to J&K Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani inspected various tech based stalls established at the IUST as part of the ongoing celebrations under 19th University Foundation day and also interacted with the students.