Every school in UT shall have assured facilities by March, 2024: Alok

STATE TIMES NEWS

SRINAGAR: Principal Secretary, Education Department, Alok Kumar on Sunday chaired a meeting to review the progress of Samagra Shiksha scheme across Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting was attended by the Project Director Samagra Shiksha, Deep Raj; Director School Education Jammu, Ashok Sharma; Director School Education Kashmir, Tassaduq Hussain; Special Secretary SED Nasir A. Wani; All Chief Education Officers, of J&K, Principals of DIETs, Executive Engineers of SED, State Coordinators/ASCs of Samagra Shiksha and other concerned officers of the department both in person and through video conferencing.
During the meeting detailed deliberations and discussions was held on assured minimum facilities to be provided in government schools including electricity, solar Panels, drinking water, Toilets and ramps and the Principal Secretary passed on strict directions that every School in the UT shall have assured minimum facilities by March, 2024.
Principal Secretary, while reviewing the components, of Samagra Shiksha, interacted with all CEOs on various issues, including provisions for providing quality education of students, ways to further increase learning outcomes of students and bridging the social-gender gaps in schools. He asked them to ensure equity and inclusion at all levels of school education with focus on Children with special needs.
Stressing on bringing drop out ratio to minimal level, the Principal Secretary said that increase in drop out ratio beyond an acceptable level in a given school shall be responsibility of concerned Teacher. He asked them for reducing the dropout rate to a minimal value among all grades, so that the department can achieve Sustainable Development Goal, by 2030 as per National Education Policy, 2020. He also appreciated the efforts of the Teachers and concerned stakeholders for enrolment of more than 130000 students across the UT, during the current enrolment drive.
During the meeting, Alok Kumar asked all the Chief Educations Officers, to monitor each and every activity of Samagra Shiksha in their respective jurisdictions and ensure the 100% retention rate, especially among girls is achieved so that the dream of Viksit Bharat may come true. “From the vision of Swacch Bharat to the vision of “Viksit Bharat” -that of seeing India as a truly developed nation by its 100th anniversary of Independence in 2047, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has set a progressive and positive agenda for India which can be achieved by educating our young minds”, he said.
He also called upon the officers that 100% Literacy rate needs to be ensured for which School Education Department has to make the National Initiative Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy successful.
Principal Secretary, during the meeting reiterated that the feedback mechanism has been developed and through Samiksha App, the feedback from students for their teachers and schools should be recorded and necessary measures like capacity building of teachers and upgradation of infrastructure shall be taken. He also stressed for marking attendance on JK Attendance App so that regularity and punctuality is ensured.
Project Director, Samagra Shiksha during the meeting gave a detailed presentation regarding progress achieved in the year 2022-23 and a roadmap for the execution of projects for the year 2023-24 as per PAB approvals. He informed the meeting that in the year 2022-23, Rs. 1377 Crores were utilized for the implementation of different interventions of the Samagra Shiksha across UT.
The Project Director added that for the first time Library Books worth Rs. 17.00 Crores, were procured and supplied to various institutions, to enhance the reading capabilities of the students.
Later, the Principal Secretary visited HSS Bhagat, where he inaugurated the AAGHAZ lab, an Astro physics lab, developed as Model Lab by Samagra Shiksha in collaboration with IIT Kanpur. He informed that, 376 such labs shall be established across the UT, where students shall get a chance to explore their hidden talent and a modest open-minded scientific temper. Asking the officers to ensure that the labs of the schools are provided with state of art equipment, the Principal Secretary said that the such labs will improve the quality of imparting education and the students would also be made aware of the latest technological interventions.