SRINAGAR: Minister for Education, Social Welfare and Health, Sakeena Itoo, today chaired a high-level meeting at Civil Secretariat here to review the performance and functioning of the School Education Department (SED).
The meeting was attended by the Secretary, SED, Ram Niwas Sharma; Director School Education Kashmir/Jammu, the Special Secretary, SED, Project Director, Samagra Shiksha, Secretary JKBOSE, the Director Finance SED, the Director Planning, SED, the Chief Education Officers of all districts and other concerned officers.
During the meeting, Sakeena took a comprehensive assessment of key performance indicators in learning outcomes, infrastructure readiness, teacher performance, human resource management, as well as implementation status of major educational schemes like Samagra Shiksha, PM-POSHAN (Mid-Day Meal), New India Literacy Programme (NILP), PM-Shri and others.
Addressing the officers during the meeting, the Minister emphasised on the critical importance of accountability, transparency and outcome-oriented strategies in enhancing the quality of education across J&K. She underlined the need for bridging learning gaps and called for robust monitoring mechanisms to ensure the timely delivery of educational resources and improved student outcomes in schools.
“We must prioritise the learning outcomes, teacher training, digital access and inclusive education. Every child, regardless of their socio-economic background or geographical location, deserves access to quality education,” Minister Sakeena stated.
While reviewing student enrolment trends across UT, especially among the girls and marginalised communities, the Minister called upon the officers to maintain enrolment in schools with proper implementation of schemes in vogue for that. She asked the officers to take immediate steps to maintain enrollment in high and higher secondary schools. She also directed the officers for the effective implementation of the Beti Anmol scheme, having a wider role in maintaining the girl enrolment numbers in higher secondary schools.
During the meeting, the Minister also expressed displeasure over persistent problems in the education sector, particularly in remote and underserved areas. She directed the officers to install electricity connections and solar panels in all left-out schools within six months. She also asked them to establish toilets and other basic facilities in all left-out schools within four months.
The Minister issued a clarion call for a culture of responsibility, urging all the educators and administrative personnel to treat their roles with the seriousness they deserve. “We cannot allow complacency to derail the education of our children. Teachers are not just government employees, they are the torchbearers of our future and their accountability must be fixed for non-performance”, she stated.
While reviewing other aspects of the department, the Minister issued strict directions regarding the rationalisation of teachers in schools having ample staff presence. She further directed that all Principals should take classes in their respective schools, apart from looking after the routine management of schools only.
The Minister also directed that no transfers should happen at the zonal or district levels, and respective Directors should be consulted before any transfers. She also asked both the directors to look into the issue of shifting of attendance of teachers from one school to another without any reason and fix responsibility for those doing it without informing their respective Directors.
While reviewing the status of ongoing projects and other infrastructure, the Minister asked the officers to maintain regular coordination with the executing agencies for the timely completion of the projects. She asked them to monitor the works on a regular basis for timely completion, owing to the limited working season in Kashmir and some parts of the Jammu division.
The Minister further said that the government remains committed towards transforming the education ecosystem across J&K. “Reforms in education are not just about policy but about ensuring our children are equipped to thrive in a fast-changing world,” she stated.
During the meeting, the Secretary of the SED gave a detailed presentation on different aspects of the School Education Department.
