1. Home
2. Jammu

HRD Ministry approved Rs 71 cr to upgrade govt schools

Subodh Bhasin. Dated: 12/18/2018 11:26:43 AM

Subodh Bhasin
Jammu, Dec 17
Education is one of the most important instruments for social, economic and political transformation in any society. A well-educated and skilled population equipped with knowledge not only drives socio-economic development but also ensures personal growth too.
There is a constitutional obligation to make available free and compulsory education to all children in the age group of 06-14 years. The schemes like the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyaan (secondary education) are also working towards achieving this goal. These schemes are being implemented in Jammu and Kashmir too but the results painstakingly slow.
Several surveys and reports have shown that there are several issues in the elementary education in the rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir including poor school infrastructure etc. As 72 % of people live in rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir, it important to study what are the infrastructural facilities available to the students in the rural schools.
To give boost to the education system and upgrade the poor infrastructure of Government Schools in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the department of school education and literacy, Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry, has approved an estimated amount of Rs 7,159.31 lakh for the purpose
The funds approved will be utilized for constructing and upgrading toilets for boys and girls, boundary walls schools and additional classrooms, etc.
The decision was taken after HRD Ministry had also taken serious note of the state’s performance in the National Achievement Survey (NAS)-2017, wherein the students in government schools exhibited poor learning abilities.
It is pertinent to mention here that the condition of schools majority of them in rural areas is remained in question and when one sees the state of educational infrastructure in Government schools in J&K, the approved funds will help to boost the state of infrastructure and facilities being given to the +students particularly belonging to lower class from rural areas
Rural education and rural infrastructure in the schools is very important keeping in view the fact that majority of the people of the state (72.62 %) still live in rural areas and as rural areas do not have many private schools, people still are dependent on the rural schools for education. The literacy rate in J&K
There are about 23,747 government schools in Jammu and Kashmir, of which 12,252 in Jammu division and 11,495 are in Kashmir division. Out of these schools approx 6000 government schools lack toilet facility for girls and approximately 8,000 schools are without toilets for boys. Besides this more than 15,000 government schools in the state have no boundary wall.
The amount was sanctioned by the Central Ministry during a meeting held to consider the annual work plan and the state Budget 2018-19 for the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. They said sanction was also accorded for the construction of 12 new primary schools at a total estimated cost of Rs 320.28 lakh.