By Imtiyaz Pandow
Srinagar: The claims of government in providing digital literacy to every Indian under the central government National Digital Literacy Mission seems to have fallen flat in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) as per the results of Annual Status of Education Report (ASER).
The 2018 ASER report has shown that 82.8 percent of schools in J&K have no computer available for children to use.
The survey further mentions that on the time of visit to schools only 12.4 percent of schools had computers available but students of only 4.6 percent schools were using these computers.
Comparing the computer facilities of 2018 with year 2014, the survey depicts that 91.2 percent of schools in J&K were having no computers for the students. While as only 6.2 percent of schools were having computers in 2014 but were not used by students at the time of visit to the schools. Adding that only 2.6 percent of schools were found where the students were using computers.
Besides computers, the ASER report said that there are 68.8 percent schools in J&K having no electricity connection.
The ASER results have also depicted that the schools in J&K are also deprived of other basic facilities too.
Pratham in its annual survey found that there are only 58.9 percent schools in J&K having library books available and only 26.6 percent of schools were found where the library books were being used by the students on the day of visit by surveyors.
The rural survey revealed that 61.3 percent schools are running without boundary walls and only 54.6 percent of schools are having a drinking water facility.
When the NGO Pratham surveyed about the toilet facilities, it found that 73 percent schools were having toilets available and usable. Whereas only 48.2 percent schools were having girls’ toilet available and usable.
