The second phase of the Back to School initiative for the Out of School Students (OoSC) was launched today across several blocks of Kishtwar District amid Awareness Camps.The day also marked the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme meetings under the aegis of Weekly Block Diwas programme.
In a significant event, a mega awareness camp for OoSCs took the center stage at the Block Diwas programme presided over by Deputy Commissioner, Dr. Devansh Yadav at Government Middle School Rahalthal of Block Mughalmaidan. The parents, ST Community members and prominent personalities of adjoining areas participated.
Key district and sectoral officers, including SDM Chatroo Nayeem Ul Rehman Mughal, ACD Phulail Singh, Chief Education Officer Prahlad Bhagat, Chief Agriculture Officer Amjad Hussain Malik, Tehsildar Mughal Maidan Parveez Bhat, Nodal Officer Ayush, BMO Chatroo Dr Saima Ago, BDO Dheeraj Bahadur, ExEn Jal Shakti, along with other field functionaries of line departments, parents, and prominent persons of the ST dominated areas attended the OoSC camps.
At the outset, the CEO apprised that a total of 200 ST Out of School Children, aged 6-14 years, have been identified for enrollment in the second phase of the Back To School initiative in the district. Notably, 60 OoSCs are from Block Mughal Maidan, posing a challenging task to integrate them into the mainstream education system.
He appealed to parents to encourage their wards to re-enroll in the Schools for which 18 winter camps have been established across the Block. The DC, while addressing the gathering, highlighted the aim of Back to School 2.0, emphasizing the saturation of OoSC with mainstream education.
He urged prominent persons and parents to encourage their wards to come back to school, underlining the importance of education in one's life. He stressed that this phase has been launched to ensure no ST- OOSC is left out of the education.
The DC assured that these students would receive full support from Administration ranging from the financial to moral support after re-enrolling in the schools. He also stressed the need for additional special centers in dhoks for ST (Migratory) families to ensure their children can continue their studies without encumbrance.
He highlighted the role of parents, community leaders and teachers besides other concerned field officials to make this endeavour a success. The DC encouraged School Management Committees (SMC) to lead community-driven initiatives under the My School My Pride program, fostering a student-friendly educational environment through activities such as BaLA painting and establishing kitchen gardens in schools.
Meanwhile, the local delegation also emphasized the importance of the Back to School initiative for the upliftment of the ST population in the region. The delegation also highlighted their concerns regarding the upgrading of local infrastructure in their respective areas.
After attentively listening to the grievances, the Deputy Commissioner addressed them, providing a series of directives to ensure the swift resolution of these issues. DC Kishtwar appealed to the community for cooperation to expedite developmental works in the area.
In response to the demand from the Self-Help Group (SHG) members, SDM Chatroo was instructed to facilitate the training of a women's tailors group under PM Vishwakarma at Mughal Maidan. Additionally, locals were requested to provide accommodation space for the Ayush Centre in the area.
ACD received instructions to assess the feasibility of establishing a Rural Haat at TRC Mughal Maidan, and community members were urged to provide ground space for the development of a turf cricket pitch. The Block Development Officer (BDO) was tasked with monitoring the performance of sanitary workers in the implementation of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
Simultaneously, Chief Agriculture Officer Kishtwar, Amjad Hussain Malik, provided detailed awareness on the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP). DC Kishtwar stressed the need for CSC centers to widely promote awareness aligned with the registration of farmers on the HADP schemes, urging progressive farmers to take advantage.
In the presence of SDM Chatroo, ACD Kishtwar, CAO Kishtwar, and AEA, DC Kishtwar distributed implements and seeds under organic clusters Rahalthal under the HADP schemes. Ayush medicines and immunity boosters were also distributed among the masses in the camp. Later, DC along with other district and sectoral officers inspected H&WC Drubeel, taking stock of its functioning.
Similarly Additional District Development Commissioner Kishtwar Ghulam Rasool and Tehsildar Bounjwah Tejinder Singh presided over the OOSC camp at Karool of Brabshalla Block and Patnazi of Block Bounjwah respectively and revealed the encouragement and motivation to the parents and community under Back to School initiative.