Minister for School Education,Hajj and Auqaf and Tribal Affairs, Choudhary Zulfkar Ali,today directed the authorities to meet shortage of teaching staff through academic arrangement to avoid loss of studies of the children.He directed to complete the process within fifteen days.The Minister was chairing a meeting to review the physical and financial achievements under education sector in districts of Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Udhampur, Reasi, Poonch and Rajouri districts.Minister of State for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Finance, Planning, Law & Justice, Relief & Rehabilitation and Labour & Emp, Agriculture, Floriculture and Horticulture Ajay Nanda, Minister of State for Education, Tourism, Tribal Affairs, Technical Education, R&B, Rural Development, Information, Youth Services & Sports, Revenue, and Culture Shakti Raj Parihar, Legislators including MLAs and MLCs were also present in the meeting.Director School Education Jammu Rakesh Sarangal in his power point presentation apprised the Ministers and legislators about district wise number of government schools, enrollment, literacy rate, staff availability including teachers, principals, lecturers, ZEOs, Headmasters, result percentage for the year 2017-18, financial and physical status of ongoing construction works , proposed capital expenditure budget for the current session, mid-day meal scheme, model schools, proposal for up-gradation of schools, Financial and physical progress of construction works under Swachh Bharat Swachh Vidyalaya Abhiyan, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan and others.The Ministers were further informed about total number of students enrolled in government schools in all these districts and about the status of total literacy rate of these districts.
Zulfkar directed the school authorities to conduct safety audit of all government schools buildings and asked the concerned authorities to vacate all the unsafe school buildings so as to avoid any untoward incident on this account. He also directed to ensure that all private schools function as per norms. He further directed for provision of filtered drinking water facility in all government schools within stipulated time frame.He directed to stop premature transfer of teachers and directed for rationalization of staff in schools facing shortage.Other issues discussed in the meeting including drop out and literacy survey, school building entry in revenue records, Salary under SSA, besides other issues. He also instructed for immediate detachment of teachers otherwise strict action will be taken against DDOs.Ajay Nanda and Shakti Raj exhorted upon the teaching fraternity to uphold the dignity and sanctity of this noble profession by discharging their duties with utmost sincerity and devotion as the onus of shaping the nation’s future lies on them.All the legislators highlighted various issues of their respective constituencies. The Minister welcomed the suggestions of the Legislators and assured them that the same would be incorporated to streamline the functioning of the department.Among others, Secretary School Education Farooq Ahmad Shah, Deputy Commissioners of various districts, Director Education Kashmir, State Project Director SSA and RAMSA, Joint Director Planning, Chief Education Officers, Zonal Education Officers, Principals of DIET and other senior officers of the department attended the meeting.