Lauding the Student Exchange Programme launched by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and J&K’s School Education Department, Minister of State for Education, Culture and Tourism, Priya Sethi today said such programmes help students not only to gain experience and maturity but also make them understand the beauty of diverse cultures.“Hundreds of students from J&K have visited various parts of the country under the Exchange Programme while their counterparts from other states have also visited J&K to get first-hand knowledge of the State and its composite culture,” the Minister said while addressing the concluding ceremony of Student Exchange Programme at State Institute of Education (SIE) here.Secretary MHRD, Anil Swarup, Additional Secretary MHRD, Ms Nigaar Fatima, Secretary School Education, J&K, Farooq Ahmad Shah, Director School Education Kashmir, Dr G N Itoo, Director SSA, Abdul Rashid War, Director RMSA, Tufail Matoo and other officers and officials of the Education Department were present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Secretary MHRD said that he was overwhelmed by the successful completion of this exchange programme which has helped build new bonds of academic camaraderie between the students of J&K and their counterparts from other states.He said that these types of programmes help the students in understanding culture and education system of each other and this will help in making the efforts of bringing new zeal in the education sector.Talking about the ability and efficiency of the students of Jammu and Kashmir, he said that these students are excelling in every field and the efforts of the administrators and the officers heading the department are also appreciable.Secretary School Education, J&K, Farooq Ahmad Shah in his address while welcoming the guests, teachers and students, presented a brief overview of the initiatives in the state’s educational sector including the Student Exchange Programme.He said around 600 students from J&K have already visited different states including the farthest areas like Andaman and Nicobar Islands under this programme while around 500 students from other states visited J&K.
He said for the current year the Department has set a target of sending around 10000 students from the State under Exchange Programme while the same number would be invited from other states to visit J&K.The Secretary Education said that the Department of Education under the leadership of Minister for Education Syed Muhammad Altaf Bukhari and Minister of State for Education Priya Sethi is taking innovative steps to provide better teaching learning facilities to the students. He stressed upon all the concerned to contribute their bit for the robust educational system so that the objectives are achieved in this key sector. He thanked the Union Secretary MHRD Anil Swarup for his keen interest and efforts in promotion and strengthening of educational sector in Jammu and Kashmir.On the occasion students of the state and outside the State enthralled the audiences by presenting many cultural programmes. A Qawaali was presented by the students of Girls Higher Secondary School Nawakadal.During the function some students from outside the state and students from Jammu and Kashmir shared their experiences of teh Exchange Programme.