SRINAGAR 26th March(KNB): National President Private Schools Association & Child Welfare Association (PSACWA), Syed Shamael Ahmed has expressed his serious concern over the un-necessary interference and intervention of various Government departments in the smooth functioning of private educational institutions in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a press statement, issued to News agency KNB, that Mr Shamael said that throughout the country, private schools are being provided a sufficient space to function normally. He said that private schools are considered as supplements and compliments to the Government system of education and not competitors as I have seen happening in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said that he was surprised to see that private schools here are being harassed un-necessarily on one pretext or other.
Mr Shamael said that private schools are being asked to get various NOCs from other Government departments which are otherwise not a part of the process as per rules and regulations in vogue across the country. Giving example, Mr Shamael said that schools are being asked to get NOC from Pollution Control board, PHE, Fire & Emergency, Municipality etc while as there is no such NOC required for Government run schools. He said that the role of FFRC in Jammu and Kashmir is quite against the private schools as the committee, which is otherwise meant for regularization of fee structure and monitoring over un-necessary profiteering, is indulging in various matters that are not under its domain.
He said that this is quite discriminating that there is the same set of children, same set of curriculum and same academic calendar but two different sets of rules exist for private and Government run schools.
Mr Shamael further said that getting an NOC from any Government department takes months and sometimes years together for private schools and by that time, the period of recognition or registration and up-gradation gets over dated. He urged the Government to ease the process and provide the private schools a congenial atmosphere to work so that quality education is imparted to lacs of children enrolled in private schools across Jammu and Kashmir.On the implementation of New Education Policy in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Shamael said that there are numerous challenges for this policy which need to be taken into account before hurrying for its early implementation.
He said that Government of Jammu and Kashmir should ensure that the school system is in tandem with the features of NEP and all basic requirements are fulfilled beforehand.Mr Shamael said that like other sectors, private schools have suffered tremendously on the financial front at the hands of Covid pandemic. He said that more than two hundred schools have closed down in J&K due to financial crises and many more are at the verge of closure.
He urged the LG administration to sanction an economic package for budget private schools so that they can survive and continue their struggle for imparting quality education.(KNB)