Minister for Education, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari convened a high level meeting to review the functioning of Education Department in Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts here today.Minister of State for Education, Technical Education, Culture and Tourism, Priya Sethi, Minister of State for Transport, Sunil Kumar Sharma and concerned Members of Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council were present in the meeting.Speaking in the meeting, Bukhari said that the government has prioritized education as prime focus with launch of numerous reformative measures in this regard. "A discernible transformation is being witnessed in all parameters of education with a notable development in infrastructural edifice and related facilities in educational institutions of the state", asserted the Minister. He emphasized the need of involving all stakeholders including parents, teachers and local Legislators in further streamlining of this vital sector on which the onus of building a strong and developed nation lies.
He stressed upon the importance of regular and effective monitoring of functioning of the schools especially in rural and hilly areas for better outcome. Bukhari exhorted upon the concerned Officers to ensure that all these centers of learning are equipped with enhanced basic facilities besides a good sports infrastructure to enable overall development of students.
He said that along with academic excellence students must also be prepared to face the impending challenges of today's globalised era. In this regard, he emphasized the role of teachers as of utmost importance.While addressing the meeting, Sunil Sharma stressed for preparing a mechanism for the students of the rural areas by which they can compete with students of urban areas. "There is a need of collective efforts and a well knit strategy to further add to the standards of curricular and extracurricular activities especially in rural areas”, he added.Speaking on the occasion, Priya Sethi appreciated the initiatives being taken up by the Education Minister in improving the education standards in the state adding that a revolutionary change is being witnessed at all levels in this sector. She stressed for establishment of career counseling cells for the students in rural areas. Legislators apprised the meeting of several issues including scarcity of potable water, sanitation facilities, shortage of teaching staff, issues related to upgradation of schools, transfer policy, repair of damaged schools besides constituency specific requirements.Director School Education, Ravinder Singh, District Development Commissioners Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban, Director RMSA and senior officers of the School Education Department were also present in the meeting.