Exempt education from political activates, says Altaf Bukhari
Our Correspondent
Srinagar: The minister for education Syed Muhammad Altaf Bukhari on Thursday pleaded for exemption of education from politics saying the sector has been victimized over the past 25 years of insurgency.
Speaking at the annual 2017 convocation convened by JK Board of School Education (BOSE), Bukhari said the education sector has gone through turmoil and also becomes the first causality in the prevailing circumstances.
“Schools are closed on every function be it religious, political or any other function and hence education becomes the first causality. But we should not let our students suffer like this,” Bukhari said.
“I request to all shades of politicians to exempt education from all activities,” he said.
The education Minister meanwhile expressed concern over reduction in allocation of funds at the national level saying that education sector always takes a back seat when it comes to allocation and preparation of budget.
“Education takes the last seat when planners sit to allocate the plan and bureaucrats sit to prepare the budget,” he said.
He said it came as a shock for him after it was revealed that the allocation for education at national level has been reduced from 46000 to 22000.
“Few months ago we met MHRD in connection with salary issue of teachers and I came to know that the allocation of education has been reduced to this extent. Now, if the priority for education sector takes such a back seat in a nation then only God knows what kind of education we are giving to children,” he said.
Meanwhile, BOSE also felicitated 104 toppers on an annual convocation 2017 organized at SKICC here.
The convocation was organised after a gap of six years by BOSE and 10 and 12 class toppers from 2011-2016 year were rewarded by education minister Altaf Bukhari with merit certificates and gold medals.
Out of 104 students 59 were from Jammu while as 45 were from Kashmir division.
In his address, Secretary School education Farooq Ahmad Shah said such events inspire students to perform better in their future.
“This event will be a routine practice of BOSE now onwards in order to honor the class 10 and 12 toppers,” he said.
Earlier in her address, Chairperson BOSE, Veena Pandita congratulated the students and also complemented the teachers for producing toppers from their institutions.
“Credit goes to the teachers as they are the back bone of the education department,” Pandita said.
She said the function will act as inspiring note for other students and instill courage into them to take higher seats. “Teachers also play a positive role in making BOSE exams a success,” she said.
Pandita also advocated for taking private schools on board while framing policy on education saying that 80 percent high school students are imparted education in private educational institutions.
Earlier, director academics JKBOSE, Farooq Ahmad Peer presented welcome address at the occasion.
KV Correspondent
