Zulfkar for putting uniform academic session issue in public domain

SRINAGAR, MAY 28: Returning the proposal submitted for uniform academic session, Minister for School Education, Hajj and Auqaf and Tribal Affairs Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali today directed the concerned to put the issue of uniform academic session in public domain for discussion.

Speaking during a review meeting, the Minister said holding academic session in both summer and winter zones of the State is a big decision.

He said it is imperative that the opinion of every stakeholder, which includes teachers, academicians, representatives from private schools associations, parents, should be taken on board before taking any decision on the matter.

Within a given time frame, the Minister said in-depth deliberations should be done on the issue, by holding workshops, seminars, conference to seek the opinions of various shades from all quarters.

During the meeting, the Minister also directed to formulate a committee to discuss devise a proper education policy. It was decided that the committee would be headed by Chairperson Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) and Director School Education Kashmir, Director Education Jammu, Director Academics, Director SSA, Director RAMSA, Principal State Institute of Trainings would be the members. Besides, give noted academicians would be nominated by the Government out of the panel submitted by the Chairperson.

The committee, while taking private schools associations on board, would also be entrusted for formulating a common curriculum for all the schools of the State.

Making teaching of Urdu compulsory up to fifth standard as and where applicable, the Minister directed the concerned to issue an immediate order in this regard.

Giving the background for the decision, the Minister said a group of 30 legislators from Jammu had a detailed meeting with him, where they apprised him with the issues Jammu students face for want of Urdu language while applying for jobs in departments like revenue, judiciary where Urdu is the business language.

For the establishment of already announced separate schools for specially-abled children, the Minister directed the concerned that the intake capacity of the children in each residential school would be 100. He said therefore, DPRs worth of 10 crore each with all facilities encapsulated need to be prepared from the two reputed agencies at an earliest.

Zeroing in on the location of the schools, the Minister said Boys High School Sonawar, and Boys Higher Secondary School Bakshinagar would be converted in the residential schools for the specially-abled children.

Zulfkar Ali also directed for creating a Human Resource Wing. Asking the directors from both the division to provide required human resource for the wing, the Minister said the wing would compile all the information regarding the teachers working for the department. It will have every minute detail from when has the teacher joined the department, where and what periods has s/he served, how many trainings and transfers has the teacher under gone so far, and other related details.

He said if put in place, the wing will greatly help in creating a transparent system which in turn will help transferring of teachers.

Secretary School Education Farooq Ahmad Shah, Chairperson JKBOSE Professor Veena Pandita, Director School Education Kashmir G N Itoo, Director School Education Jammu Rakesh Srangal, Director SSA G N War and other concerned officers were present in the meeting.