Board takes action against schools lacking basic infra

Vikas Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 25

After facing the heat for affiliating private educational institutes lacking basic infrastructure, the J&K State Board of School Education’s State Affiliation Committee (SAC) has finally started a crackdown on such schools.

A source said 39 cases of educational institutes having major construction/infrastructural deficiencies in the Jammu division were taken up during the crucial State Affiliation Committee meeting that was attended by Prof Zahoor Ahmad Chat, Chairman, J&K State Board of School Education (JK BOSE). The meeting was conducted for consideration of affiliation, upgrade and renewal of affiliation of private educational institutes of the state.

They added that it was decided that the private schools that had applied for upgrade will not be allowed to run the new classes. Further, notices were served on 10 private schools in the Jammu division.

“A few days ago, the education board had issued a notice, saying that National Public High School, Pargalta in Jammu was not affiliated with it for running Classes IX and X. The notice says if any student enrols himself/herself in this institute, the board will not be responsible for the consequences,” the source claimed.

“It is high time to tighten the noose around erring institutes which do not fulfill the basic requirements. The axe is likely to fall on more schools in future if they fail to build the required infrastructure. Not only they would not be allowed to upgrade to high classes but their affiliation too will be cancelled,” the source maintained.

“There shall be no compromise on safety conditions. Therefore, three statutory certificates — building safety, fire safety, and chemical safety issued by the designated authorities — are essential for consideration of the affiliation. These are to be addressed within a definite time frame and the compliance with the national building code norms is to be ensured,” said a statement issued by the education board.

BOSE Secretary Prof Veena Pandita told The Tribune, “A meeting of the committee was convened recently wherein many decisions were taken, including de-affiliation of schools which do not fulfil minimum requirements under the norms.”

When asked whether the de-affiliation of more schools was under consideration, the Secretary said, “We are not against any private educational institute but we just want to ensure that they have atleast minimum infrastructure, like proper classrooms, safe building, spacious laboratories and playgrounds.”

Pertinently, in the Jammu division, the total number of private schools is around 3,000 with more than 1,000 primary schools, 868 middle schools, 556 high schools and 262 higher secondary schools.