JAMMU, NOVEMBER 22, 2017 – Government Wednesday ordered all Chief Education Officers (CEOs) in the State to carry out safety audit of old school buildings to be phased out in a time-bound manner.
The orders were passed by Secretary, School Education Department Farooq Ahmad Shah during a review meeting of the CEOs of Jammu Division.
“The Department will work out a mechanism to demolish all such buildings which are declared unsafe after the safety audit,” Shah said adding that the Department has already initiated the process of laying new and upgrading existing infrastructure with all added paraphernalia so that an enabling environment is in place while imparting education to children.
Shah asked the CEOs to prioritize field visits and personally monitor ongoing infrastructural works in their respective jurisdictions.Farooq
On inclusive education, Shah asked the CEOs to make adequate provisions for admitting children with special needs in Government Schools so that they also get an equally enabling environment in educational institutions in the State and grow up with other children.
While discussing the issue of up-gradation of Schools, Secretary School Education asked CEOs to submit comprehensive proposals to the Directorate of School Education, strictly on the basis of prescribed feasibility.
Responding to the issue raised on the textbooks to be provided by JK BOSE, Secretary School Education urged the CEOs to organize Village Book Melas where these textbooks received from JK BOSE shall be distributed amongst school-going children free of cost, and emphasized upon fast-tracking zone-wise procurement of uniforms for which the ZEOs shall submit proposals with their respective CEOs.
In order to facilitate students in rural areas that fall in winter zone of Jammu Division, Secretary School Education issued directions for keeping at least 10 schools open during winter vacation so that remedial classes for interested students are undertaken. He, however, added that this facility for students shall be optional.
