Social media aps fail to curtail gaps between parents and teachers
Srinagar: The much hyped initiative of school education department to involve the parents of the students in day to day activities of the schools has fallen flat. No school has convened any meeting with the parents of the students to make parents involved in the day to day functioning of the schools, particularly primary level.
“The initiative has got completely deflated as the parents are not participating in school activities. No weekly meetings are held in schools as well,” an official said.
Earlier, the heads of the schools were entrusted to remain in regular contact with the parents of the students enrolled in the schools, particularly in primary and middle schools. But the lack of ownership from parents has played a spoilsport.
Also, the circular issued by the then Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) to the heads of the schools asking them to add the parents in ‘WhatsApp’ groups has fallen flat as well. These initiatives are useless as most of the parents don’t show any concern towards the government schools.
“These whatsApp groups were to be administered by the respective heads of the schools but no school head has implemented this initiative on ground,” an official said.
Meanwhile, a school head while expressing concern over lack of concern among parents said the guardians of majority of students are laborers and uneducated which makes them irrelevant with these initiatives.
“Most of the parents don’t use their mobile phones. Very few have access to their cell phones but they are of outdated category. So, adding them on WhatsApp groups is not possible,” said a school head requesting anonymity.
Earlier, the heads of the schools were asked to share all the academic and non-academic activities on these WhatsApp groups so that parents are made aware about activities of the school.
“The main purpose was to keep the parents updated with the day to day activities and attendance of their kids through these whatsApp groups for their information and prompt intervention. But it is going down the drain because there are no takers for such initiatives,” said an official.
Incumbent DSEK, Muhammad Younis Malik feigned ignorance about any such circular and said the matter will be taken up with CEOs and school heads.
“I don’t know when this circular was issued but I will take up the matter with the concerned officials and see the status of its implementation,” Malik said.
KV Correspondent
