Pre-primary education, technological advancements in schools remains a focus in Kupwara

Baramulla, Jan 19: The education authorities in Kupwara have shifted the focus towards strengthening the pre-primary section besides making technological advancements in the schools.

As per the official figures, around 105 kindergarten schools have been established in the frontier district while work on additional 84 such institutions is in progress.

Besides strengthening the pre-primary section and making technological advancements, the department has yielded substantial results as 743 Out of School Children (OoSC) have been successfully enrolled in government schools during the enrollment drive launched by the Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) across the region in the past year.

According to official documents, parallel to the emphasis on pre-primary education, the authorities have equipped 131 schools with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Smart Classrooms, utilising funding received under the Samagra Shiksha.

"Work is currently underway on  52 more schools to be equipped with smart classrooms in the near future," an official said.

He said that 10 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) buildings have been made functional in the district and these female residential schools have been shifted from rented accommodations to the permanent campuses.

"Around 98,863 students were provided with Mid-Day Meals (MDM), and free textbooks and uniforms were distributed to students up to class 8th in 2023," the official said.

Also, the education authorities have completed work on four girls' hostels, which are set to be operational soon.

In a bid to transform education in tribal areas, five schools have been converted into smart schools, and 42 seasonal centers have been established, equipped with waterproof tents and Teaching-Learning Materials (TLM).

As per the official documents, around 208 Aaya workers have been engaged under the Pre-Primary intervention of SAMAGRA Shiksha.

These workers will play a crucial role in looking after the students enrolled in the kindergarten section of schools.

As per official statistics, the district currently boasts an enrollment of 191,554 students across all schools.

"We have also established 147 smart classrooms with the installation of smart boards, and an additional 108 are in the pipeline," the official said. Also, the department has set up four Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATL) to foster curiosity and innovation among the students.