MHRD seeks improvement in educational standards in JK
Srinagar: The Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD) has put the school education department on radar for improving the educational scenario in the two aspirational district- Kupwara and Baramulla.
The two districts in north Kashmir have been selected for aspirational districts program of NITI Aayog, launched by PMO in January 2018.
The MHRD has asked the department to ensure 100 percent transaction of school children from primary to upper primary schools in these two districts. In this regard, the MHRD secretary has convened several video conferences with the state representatives to seek update on the ground situation in the schools in the twin districts.
“There may be major dropouts at this level due to reasons such as upper primary school being in different location which causes inconveniences for parents to identify an upper primary school and take fresh admission,” reads an official document prepared by MHRD for transformation of aspirational districts.
As per the document, the concerned Deputy Commissioners and Chief Education Officers (CEO’s) have been asked to take responsibility for ensuring automatic admission of all class 5th students in an upper primary school.
“The schools with classes V and VI, run by the state government should be identified and teachers of classes 5th and 6th should be called for meetings for taking admissions,” the MHRD guidelines state.
The education secretary in MHRD has also asked the J&K’s education department to instruct the teachers to identify the upper primary school where every class 5th students will be automatically admitted into class 6th and inform the parents about the school where their children are being automatically admitted in higher class.
“The school authorities must visit the residence of students passing out from Class 5th and not joining Class 6th. It will encourage them to join next class,” read the guidelines.
The directions have been issued prior to the reopening of schools after the more than two month long winter vacation in Kashmir.
The department has been asked to upgrade their primary schools to upper primary schools to accommodate students in these educational institutions if there is limited number of upper primary schools in the two districts.
The MHRD has also laid stress for making all existing toilets functional in the educational institutions besides constructing new toilet blocks particularly for girl students.
“The non-availability of girls’ toilets in schools impacts drop-out of girls specially at higher levels,” MHRD document reads.
