- Home
- Jammu
RATIONALIZATION OF SCHOOLS
Subodh Bhasin. Dated: 5/18/2019 11:23:33 AM
After 3 yrs school buildings yet to be utilized
SUBODH BHASIN Jammu, May 17 A scheme was launched by the previous PDPBJP government for the rationalization of government schools under which various schools buildings were abandoned as around 1500 schools in Jammu region were merged. The concept of rationalization was conceived by then Education Minister Naeem Akhter according to besides huge spending of around Rs 6000 cr by the government on the salaries of the teaching staff, the students of government run schools were nowhere in race when it comes to competition with private schools. There were instances due to unplanned expansion which can be gauged from the fact that there were 5000 schools across Jammu and Kashmir which had less than 20 students and despite poor enrolment, a number of teachers continue to be posted in contradiction to the recommended Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) norm. Similarly, in many schools teaching staff of a specific subject had been posted but the number of students opting for the same was very small rather inadequate to justify continuation of such subject. Moreover, there were instances where though the subject stream was introduced but due to non- posting of teaching staff, the students could not opt for the stream thereby constraining their choice. Keeping in view all this, the idea of merging schools was conceived and was implemented. In the entire exercise various school building got abandoned and are lying vacant since then. During the process nearly 2000 schools, including 1,834 working from rented accommodations and 572 governmentowned were clubbed in Kashmir. In the Jammu region, the strength of the clubbed government schools was nearly 1500. All schools were established under the flagship scheme Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
All these building which were constructed with the taxpayers money are still unutilized as government has miserably failed to accommodate other government offices in these buildings. The unattended buildings according sources have become den for drug addicts and gamblers. The government should make proper utilization of these buildings so that the money spent is properly utilized.