The Minister for Education, Social Welfare, Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo, led a crucial review meeting today at the Civil Secretariat to evaluate the ongoing education sector projects in Jammu and Kashmir. The gathering took place with key officials from various departments focused on enhancing the region’s educational framework.
Attending the meeting were Additional Chief Secretary of the Higher Education Department, Shantmanu; Secretary of School Education, Ram Niwas Sharma; and Director General of School Education Kashmir, Dr. G.N. Itoo, among other senior officials. The meeting underscored the government’s commitment to improving educational infrastructure and access for all students in Jammu and Kashmir.
During the session, Minister Itoo conducted a comprehensive evaluation of major developmental initiatives. This included assessing projects under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) and Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA). Itoo stressed the importance of timely execution and monitoring of works in infrastructure development, digital learning adaptations, teacher training improvements, and curriculum enhancements.
The Minister highlighted the need for executing agencies to finish ongoing college construction projects within the established deadlines while adhering strictly to quality standards. She pointed out that rigorous monitoring and regular field inspections are necessary to eliminate any potential implementation hurdles.
Addressing the issue of faculty shortages across institutions, Itoo suggested the Higher Education Department consider proposals for increasing salaries for academic arrangement teachers. This step aims to attract more qualified educators until permanent positions are filled. Furthermore, she instructed officials to create sanctioned positions for newly established degree colleges to help ensure their smooth operations.
Regarding the School Education Department, the Minister emphasized the digital transformation of classrooms. She called for expedited installation of smart classrooms, ICT labs, and e-content facilities, particularly in rural and remote areas, to help close the educational divide.
To facilitate these improvements, Itoo urged Chief Education Officers to utilize the Samagra Shiksha funds efficiently and coordinate closely with project-executing agencies to ensure swift completion of all projects.
The Minister proposed appointing a Nodal Officer in each district responsible for liaising with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to ensure timely vigilance clearances. She also required Chief Education Officers to submit monthly progress reports to their Heads of Departments, ensuring accountability and transparency in project implementation.
Furthermore, Itoo called for the early finalization of proposals aimed at de-freezing teacher posts to facilitate timely recruitment and bolster the teaching workforce across Jammu and Kashmir.