Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 18: Underscoring the need to provide free education to all children in the State, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand today said the State will soon have Right to Education in place and every child in the age of four to fourteen years will have a right to free education upto elementary level.
He said the act is in final stages of framing and encompasses provisions contained in Right to Education Act 2009 besides taking into account state specific recommendations as suggested by state level consultation forums.
“The Education Department is vigorously pursuing implementation of the Right to Education Act in the State, the legislation is almost ready and the act would ensure compulsory admission, attendance and completion of elementary education besides ensuring good quality education to all,” he added.
Tara Chand chaired a high level meeting of the Education Department to review the pace and progress of various projects being implemented in the State.
Minister of State for School Education, Medical Education, Youth Services & Sports, Science & Technology and IT Feroz A. Khan, Director, RMSA, Director, SSA S.C. Sawhney, Additional Secretary R.A. Inqalabi, and other senior officers of the department also attended the meeting.
Highlighting role of training in the department, the Deputy Chief Minister said experts should be called from outside state and master trainers should be trained at national level training centers. Training for teachers both at the time of recruitment as well as during various stages of service is very important so arrangement need to be made for imparting latest training, he added.
“During first instance at least twenty five to thirty teachers from each division should be sent to institutions of national repute so that these master trainers can then impart training to other teachers in the State,” he emphasized.
Taking review of organizing tours for students, Tara Chand directed that preference should be given to students from rural, border, backward and hilly areas as those living in these inaccessible areas get little chance to come and visit cities and other parts of the country.
He said strict monitoring of food quality being provided at schools should be done by a committee involving health officials at district levels and periodic inspections should be made to ensure hygienic food in schools.
He reviewed the progress of school mapping and directed for expediting the exercise being undertaken all across the State.
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