Brainchild of DSEK, it has proved to be a watershed moment in the department: President M.A Khan
Srinagar, Dec 20, KDC: The success of the just concluded enrollment drive, without any iota of doubt, has put the department on the right track. Every employee working in the department took the enrollment drive on a mission mode and made sure that the desired goals are met, said JK Teachers Forum in a statement
Statement from the forum said “All along, Director School Education, Mohammad Younis Malik, kept motivating the teachers in order to taste sucess in the mission. The soft spoken officer, throughout the enrollment drive, kept holding interactions with the stakeholders, undertook on-field visits and monitored the outcome of the process on a daily basis.”
“The Chief Education Officers, their Deputies, the District Education Planning Officers, the Zonal Education Officers and the concerned Zonal Education Planning Officers played a pivotal role in the success of the enrollment drive. These officers worked with exemplary dedication to ensure that the purpose for which the enrollment drive was rolled out is achieved. The praiseworthy job done by resource personnel including D.R.G’s, Z.R.P’s and C.R.P’s can not be ignored. These people stayed in close touch with the heads of institutions (H.O.I’s) and arranged the data gathered from the field in order to arrive at accurate enrollment details. The department embarked on a progressive path and the success would not have been possible without the endeavours of teachers. Teachers went from door to door and used all possible strategies to ensure that parents admit their wards in Government Schools. The spirited nation builders gathered data pertaining to children falling in the age group of 3-14 and identified the Out Of School Children (OOSC).”
“In many places teachers used artistic depictions, posters and flashcards to advertise the benefits of Govt. Schools. The department of School Education got close to 9K fresh admissions and teachers acted as bedrocks around whom the whole process revolved. President, Jammu Kashmir Teachers’ Forum, Mohammad Akbar Khan, has expressed joy and satisfaction on the process and congratulated all the stakeholders for the grand success. Appreciating the role of Director School Education, Mohammad Younis Malik, in the launch and subsequent success of the famed enrollment drive, he hoped that such initiatives are continued in future.”
“Khan complimented the teachers for their hectic efforts which translated into a grand success that we are witnessing in the form of 9K enrollments in Government Schools. The president invited the attention of authorities towards certain points which need to be taken care of in the coming time:-
1) With the admission of learners in the age group of 3-5 years in Government Schools, Kindergarten (K.G) classes have formally started in almost all the Schools. It is pertinent to mention here that the Department had previously launched Kindergarten Classes in certain schools where a caretaker School Mother was proposed. Additionally, the Kindergarten Section in the Schools would have two trained K.G teachers (trained by respective DIET’s) exclusively for KG classes. The enrollment drive has officially provided almost every school with a kindergarten section. The department needs to materialize the proposal of ‘School Mother’s’ for these schools. Two teachers working in these schools must be trained in ECCE and Kindergarten affairs by the respective DIETS as was the case with Schools having Kindergarten Sections previously.
2) Many schools which were clubbed with other schools owing to low enrollment have got fresh enrollment in the enrollment drive. The schools should be de-clubbed alongwith the staff in order to widen the ambit of the department and to ensure that every learner gets proper access to compulsory schooling.
3) Rent due to Schools accomodated in Private accommodations must be paid and the rent accruing to Schools (to be housed in rented buildings) on account of the prospective de-clubbing should be fixed. SSA schools functioning in rented buildings are being paid a meagre 200 rupees in rural areas and a paltry 1000 rupees in urban areas. Irony of the matter is that this much amount too has not been paid for years. The department needs to take an immediate decision on the issue.
3) The new enrollment by government schools is indeed a healthy sign. The department must think about the launch of super-50 _and/or_ winter schooling in designated areas where S.O.P’s as issued by the concerned District Administration are followed to drive home the advantage of the enrollment drive. The freshly admitted students in Government Schools are approaching private tuition centres running away from the eyes of authorities.
4) Cases have surfaced where a particular High/Higher Secondary School has discontinued classes 6th, 7th and 8th without any formal order/direction from the department. This has put the learners to inconvenience. There are instances where a particular High/Higher Secondary School has discontinued classes from 6th-8th and in the absence of a nearby middle or high school, the students have faced difficulties. The department needs to issue an order binding High/higher Secondaries, not having space constraints, to enroll students right from class 6th. Not only this, certain Middle schools have detached primary wings in contravention of norms. Such schools should be identified and a strict order should be passed to desist from such practices.
5) The department while recognizing a particular Private School must ensure that the distance norm as mandated in the rules is followed. There are instances where the recognition of a private school has been provided disregarding the distance norm which has had a telling effect on the enrollment of a Government School already functioning there. Similarly, some private schools have shifted their accommodations/wings in the close proximity of already functioning Government Schools in blatant violation of norms. Such things need to be taken care of.”
Khan hoped that the aforementioned points/suggestions are considered and efforts for the possible resolution of these concerns are initiated. He assured the authorities that teachers will encourage all such moves that are aimed at streaming the department. He said that we are moving into the new year on a good note as far as enrollment in Government Schools is concerned and hoped that such steps are persisted with in future in order to elevate the department to new horizons of success. (SIC)
