Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 8: At a time when the government run schools are bearing the brunt of the state apathy with meager facilities and no drinking water and electricity, the government on Sunday was seen trumpeting its achievements claiming that quality education continues to remain its priority.
On Sunday, the government reviewed the implementation of the road map to address the issues of improving quality of education in schools across the state. Secretary, School Education, Director School Education, Mission Director RMSA, Mission Director SSA and other senior officers attended the meeting.
However, on ground the situation continues to remain dismal.
In the government schools of the Jammu region alone there are hundreds of schools which have no libraries, no laboratories and there are 19273 schools wherein toilet facility, Drinking water or compound wall is missing. Such figures while unmasking the tall claims of the state authorities over ensuring betterment in state's education sector have once again proved how Jammu schools are being neglected and forgotten.
Furthermore, Jammu region has 762 schools without the library facility. At a time when the government claims of ensuring betterment in sports infrastructure in schools, asking children to actively take part in extra- curricular activities, there are more than five thousand schools in Jammu region of the state which have no play grounds. 105 schools in the region are functioning without Headmasters or Principals, 1257 schools in Jammu have no subject teachers.
There are 683 schools in JK which have recorded less than 30 percent of the result. Out of these 683 schools, 476 are in Jammu region of the state. "Several times these issues have come to fore but there are unknown reasons why government is acting as a mute spectator or it is not acting at all," says a senior official in education department.
Besides the departmental survey, a study done by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) has also revealed that nearly 80 percent of the schools in the JK are without electricity connections.
In the study, ASSOCHAM has listed 10 states with poor electricity supply in schools. The Jammu and Kashmir ranks fourth. The states topping the list include Bihar, with just 8.1% of schools having electricity, and Jharkhand (12.0 %) and Assam (15.9%). There are as many as 6000 schools in the state without electricity. The survey has also revealed that 75 percent of schools have no computer labs.
Meanwhile, the government at present continues to remain in denial over the pathetic situation on ground. |
