RAJOURI, JUNE 03 (KNO) : Minister for Education, Hajj & Auqaf and Tribal Affairs, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali has said that making quality education accessible for all is the primary goal of the government and efforts in this regards are underway by the department of School Education. “Government is putting all the possible efforts for providing education outreach to all and across all levels from primary to university.
For this reforms and expansion go on as a continuous process,” the Minister said while addressing series of public outreach programmes at Koteranka, Khawas, Gundah and Dalheri during his daylong tour of the rural areas of Rajouri district. Acknowledging the gratitude expressed by the locals to the government headed by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for sanctioning Degree College at Koteranka, he said government is of firm belief that only education can emancipate the lot of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Zulfkar said the government is working on new education policy to bring in reforms in examinations, governance, regulation, school standards, teachers & faculty, literacy & lifelong learning, skills and employability, quality assurance, curricula, innovation, minimizing school dropouts, education of nomads etc. so as to build an education system that promotes equitable access to quality education to all sections of the society. “Presently various initiatives such as, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), ICT in Schools, Centrally Sponsored Scheme on Teacher Education (CSSTE), are implemented in the state to provide elementary education and secondary education,” the Minister said adding the government is on job to ensure effective implementation of these schemes by eliminating structural and institutional lacunae and gaps.
He said to uphold the dignity of teaching staff and nobility of the teaching profession, the government is keen to address the issues of teaching fraternity like delay in SSA salary and assured career progression. He said government also expects them to show dedication and commitment towards their profession. Regarding other developmental issues, the Minister said the government is working with a vision and well thought plan to achieve set targets in development of social infrastructure. “Roads are gateway to development and road projects like Rajouri-Koteranka, Koteranka-Khawas, Koteranka-Budhal, Khawas-Kalakote, envisaged Budhal-Shopian and innumerable internal link roads involving expenditure of hundreds of crores are all set to take development to the last post,” the Minister said. Chowdhary Zulfkar said four villages including Keri, Bhella, Gundah and Dalheri, are being developed under Tribal Cluster Model Village Project with an estimated cost of Rs 28 crore.
“These villages will be provided all basic amenities like roads, electricity, water supply, health care facilities. He said many hamlets have been already electrified and provided potable drinking water. Skill development of youth of these villages, skill honing of females, establishment of smart classrooms and enhanced infrastructure in schools also forms an integral part of this prestigious project, the Minister said. Later the Minister in presence of Member Parliament, Jugal Kishore, laid the foundation for construction of 50 meter span motorable bridge at Dalheri. The bridge will be completed by PWD Division Nowshera at an estimated cost of Rs 4 crore. The Minister was accompanied by DDC Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, ADC Koteranka Shafiq Ahmad, SSP Yougal Manhas, SE PWD Majid Khan, SE PHE, I&FC Rafiq Khan, ACD Akhtar Hussain Qazi, Special Officer Auqaf Raj Mohammad, Executive Engineers Munshi Khan, Nisar Khan,Zubair Ahmad and Mushtaq Raina, Parvaiz Ahmad besides all district and sectoral officers.