Principal Secretary School Education and Skill Development, Dr. Asgar Hasan Samoon, today conducted whirlwind tour of Ganderbal district to take first hand appraisal of various development projects being taken up in education sector in the district besides reviewing measures being taken up to compensate the academic loss due to COVID-19 lockdown.Deputy Commissioner, Shafqat Iqbal, Director School Education Kashmir, Mohammad Younis Malik, Director Skill Development Sajad Hussain Ganaie, Additional Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal, Farooq Ahmad Baba, CEO Ganderbal, Nahida Nelofar and other concerned officers and officials accompanied the Principal Secretary.Principal Secretary had a detailed review of several works which inter alia included construction of 3 storey additional class room block, construction of Art/Craft room, Library and Science block at Government Girls Higher Secondary school, Ganderbal, under construction building of cafeteria and work shop at Government Polytechnic College, Hatbura besides newly constructed 10 room double storey additional class room block at Government Boys High School Theeru.During his visit to Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Ganderbal, the Executive Engineer, School Construction-I, briefed the Principal Secretary about the progress of works being executed. He informed that additional class room block has been constructed at the cost of Rs 199.50 lakh while Art/Craft Room, Library and Science block has been constructed with Rs. 42.50 lakh.Principal Secretary stressed upon the Executive Engineer to expedite the pace of progress on these works so that both blocks are completed at the earliest and handed over to school authorities.Dr. Samoon took round of existing school building to inspect the progress on white washing and directed the School Principal for maintenance of herbal garden and cutting of bushes/weeds around the school premises.Meanwhile, Principal Secretary distributed Aids and Appliances like Daisy players among blind children, Hearing Aids, Wheel chairs and Cerebral palsy chairs among “Children with Special Needs” under Samagra Shiksha in a camp organized at GHSS Ganderbal.At Government Polytechnic College Hatbura, Ganderbal, Dr. Samoon reviewed functioning of the College and progress of under-construction infrastructure including cafeteria and workshop.
On the occasion, Principal Government Polytechnic College informed Principal Secretary that the college has an intake capacity of 120 students in Civil and Electrical courses. She also raised several issues pertaining to dearth of staff, modernized equipments, additional job oriented courses, hostel facilities, transport and internet facility.Dr. Samoon said that administration is working on to modernize the Government Polytechnic College, Hatbura and in this regard several skill development and job oriented courses shall be introduced that are locally demanding so that more and more employment avenues are generated.During his visit to newly constructed 10 room double storey additional class room block at Government Boys High School Theeru, he was informed that the block is almost complete except window grills and procurement of furniture. In this regard, Principal Secretary directed the concerned to procure the furniture and raise fencing on canal side at the earliest so that building is handed over to school authorities. He also suggested the CEO to earmark one room for the Interactive Smart Classes besides dismantling and auction of damaged material.Meanwhile, Sarpanch along with locals met the Principal Secretary and submitted memorandum for up-gradation of same School for which he directed the Director School Education to review the feasibility for the same.Earlier, at GHSS Ganderbal, Dr. Samoon chaired a meeting with the functionaries of education department to review the measures being taken up to compensate the academic loss due to COVID-19 lockdown and discussed modalities to strengthen the education system in the present circumstances.While reviewing the status of community classes, Dr. Samoon stressed for adopting SOPs related to COVID- 19 and asked authorities to explore possibilities for arranging subject specific teachers/lectures especially for higher classes.