| Govt to introduce online classes amid COVID 19 in JK, really? | | 75% of Govt run schools function without electricity, more than 2K sans drinking water | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 14: Once again an ironical approach is being adopted by the authorities who are out to announce online classes amid the COVID19 lockdown in the erstwhile state- forgetting the fact that 75 percent of the government schools in Jammu and Kashmir have no computer facilities and a majority of them even do not have a basic electricity connection.
The government announced on April 13 that it is mulling to start the online virtual classes through different platforms like Whatsapp, Skype, Zoom Cloud, Skype, Google Classroom to reach out to the Children. “The schools have to form different groups of their students and teachers and accordingly form a timetable for virtual classes. They should also engage them in a play way activity, quizzes, assignments, small projects in a two-way process,” the government said.
However, the situation on ground appears in no way favourable for such projects to succeed.
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, government building or compound walling 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. Children in these schools are being denied quality education, hence bellying the claims of advanced system of learning and teaching.
Furthermore, Jammu region has 762 schools without the library facility available for children. At a time when the government claims of ensuring betterment in sports infrastructure in schools, asking children to actively take part in extra- co curricular activities, there are more than five thousand schools in Jammu region of the state have no play grounds. 105 schools in the region are functioning without Headmasters or Principals. 1257 schools in Jammu have no subject teachers.
And finally, there are 683 schools in JK which have recorded less than 30 percent of the result. Again of out of these 683 schools, 476 which are around 70 percent in total, are in Jammu region of the state. “Several times such an issue has 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. Little so far has been done to put lid over such crises and while the government was ought to take remedial measures sans any delay, it is raising concern over why the department isn’t functioning in a digital mode.
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. |
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