Girl students enhanced upto 45 percent in J

Jammu, Feb 6 (UNI) Urging planners to concentrate on further improving the quality of education in Jammu and Kashmir, Governor Lt Gen (Retd) S K Sinha today lauded the enhanced percentage of the girl students in under graduate level in the state.

During a function at Raj Bhavan, he lauded the endeavours being made to expand the educational network in the state with rolls in schools already swelling to over 25 lakhs, about 25 per cent of the state population.

The Governor also called for devising a mechanism to ensure coverage of Gujjar and Bakerwal children through mobile schools upto the primary level and boarding facilities for them for pursuing higher studies.

The Governor was informed the roll of girl students has risen to 45 per cent from 39 per cent in 2002-03 while overall enrollment has shot up to three lakhs. In the past three to four years, 3000 primary schools have been opened and 4000 upgraded under various centrally sponsored programmes. The state has 23570 state and 3436 private schools, he informed.

In higher and senior secondary level education, thrust is being laid on infrastructure development which the Governor termed necessary for improving the academic quality.

He was informed that infrastructure continues to be a handicap with majority of primary schools having three rooms instead of requisite five to six rooms.

With a view to improve infrastructural facilities, the Centre is contemplating to universalise secondary education, on the lines of primary education.

For various segments of society including Gujjar and Bakerwal communities, seasonal camp schools are in operation in various parts of the state.

Efforts are also underway to have adequate number of hostels in place in various districts of the State for children belonging to disadvantageous segments of the society to pursue education.

Giving the briefing, Parth J Shah, President, Centre for Civil Society, gave broad outlines of ensuring quality education to disadvantageous segments of children.

The NGO is promoting the novel education voucher scheme which envisages issuance of a coupon by the Government covering tuition up to the specified amount at any participating school as these, inter alia, promote competition among schools providing them the incentive to improve performance.

UNI